Rockwell is all about our favourite stars of music teaming up to perform unique collaborations, so each week in the run up to the concert we're looking back at some of our favourite collaborations from the past.
First up, it's the 1970s:
The Supremes & The Four Tops - River Deep Mountain High - Written by Phil Spector and originally performed by Ike & Tina Turner, it took a cover version by The Supremes and The Four Tops for the song to become successful in America. Both were massive Motown groups in the 1960s, but the two bands' popularity had dimmed in the following years, particularly as The Supremes lost Diana Ross from their line up. Performing together, both acts experienced renewed popularity as a result of the song.
Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart : It's cheesy as anything, but those 'woo hoos' have made Don't Go Breaking My Heart one of the most requested duets in history. It was Elton John's first #1 (July, 1976) and the unforgettable music video showed us just how bad a dancer he is! There was also a charity element to the collaboration, as the pair performed it together at Live Aid in 1985. Since then Elton's performed it with Ru Paul, the Spice Girls and Minnie Mouse!
John Travolta & Olivia Newton John - You're The One That I Want : Is there anyone who doesn't know the words to this song? A perfect karaoke duet, the Grease pair hit #1 in May 1978 and stayed there for nine weeks making it one of the biggest-selling UK singles ever.
Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand - No More Tears (Enough is Enough) : Reaching #3 in 1979, Donna and Barbra brought the decade of disco to a close with this epic, 12-minute dancefloor classic. The first two minutes might make you think you're listening to a tear-jerking ballad, but once the powerful bassline kicks in, you know it's anything but. A staple of any drag show, what follows is a beautifully over-the-top lament about men who've wronged the divas. And in case you were wondering why they constantly go on about rain, the song was written for Barbra's 1979 album 'Wet' - a concept album bizarrely all about water.
What are your favourite collaborations from the '70s? And should one of these songs be covered at Rockwell?
1. At 10:17 on 19 August, 2009, Emily wrote:
It has to be 'Don't go breaking my heart'. However, although it was technically released in 1969, I think 'build me up bettercup' would work brilliantly.