Some of country music’s most popular songs over the last several decades have been duets. Whether it’s Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, or Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, collaborations have been very popular within the genre.
Videos by American Songwriter
But there are several duets that tend to be forgotten, but they shouldn’t be. We found three country collaborations that most people already forgot about, but are really, really good.
“Every Time Two Fools Collide” by Kenny Rogers and Dottie West
Think of a duet partner for Kenny Rogers, and most people immediately think of Dolly Parton, or perhaps his “Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer” song with Kim Carnes. But Rogers also released a few songs with Dottie West, including “Every Time Two Fools Collide”. The song, written by Jan Dyer and Jeff Tweel, is the title track of Rogers and West’s 1978 duets album.
Rogers and West also released three other songs from Every Time Two Fools Collide, including “All I Ever Need Is You”, which, along with “Every Time Two Fools Collide”, hit No. 1. Unfortunately, the song is not nearly as popular as some of Rogers’ other duets, even though this one is just as good.
“What If I Said” by Steve Wariner and Anita Cochran
The tension is palpable in “What If I Said”, out in 1997. Anita Cochran includes this song with Steve Wariner, on her freshman album. Written by Cochran, the song remains the only No. 1 hit of her career.
In “What If I Said”, the two sing, “What if I told you / What if I said / That I love you / How would you feel / What would you think / What would we do / Do we dare to cross that line / Between your heart and mine / Or would I lose a friend / Or find a love that would never end / What if I said.”
Cochran wrote the song inspired by other country duets she grew up listening to.
“I had signed to Warner Bros. Records and was writing songs for my first record,” Cochran recalls. “My manager knew what I fan I was of duet partners Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, George Jones & Tammy Wynette, and so on. He said to me, ‘You love duets, why don’t you write one for your record?’”
“Prizefigher” by Trisha Yearwood and Kelly Clarkson
How “Prizefighter” by Trisha Yearwood and Kelly Clarkson didn’t become a big hit remains a mystery. The song is on Yearwood’s PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit album, a collection of both new songs and songs she re-recorded.
Written by Jessi Alexander, Sarah Buxton, and Ross Copperman, the song is about as stunning vocally as it can be. Lyrically, it’s also empowering, with lines like, “When you see ’em shake their heads, that’s when you start seeing red / From your head down to your toes, you find your glory, strength and hope / Come on, come on, comeback kid, show ’em how you never quit / You’re gonna rise from the pain like a hurricane.”
Yearwood asked Clarkson to be on the song in part because of Clarkson’s vocal abilities.
“When I heard this song, it was a challenge enough for me to sing,” the country star says (via Songfacts). “And I thought, ‘It needs a harmony above.’”
The song, Yearwood’s first single in six years, should have been a big comeback for her. Instead, “Prizefighter” didn’t make the Top 40. As country collaborations go, this is a really good one.
Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.