Unexpected Collaborations that work

[Nikhil]

I was just listening to the Johnny Cash and Fiona Apple cover of Cat Steven's Father and Son from the album Unearthed. I have liked this version more and more over the years, though I didn't know what to make of it the first time I heard it. Cash and Apple seem like an unexpected duo; got me wondering about other unexpected combinations that work for me:

Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Cabale - Barcelona
Beth Orton and Terry Callier - Dolphins

Do you have other unexpected collaborations that work for you?

[snarlydwarf]

Henry Rollins and William Shatner on Has Been.

[Kyle]

Rhythm Country & Blues is a collaboration of various country and R&B artists singing songs of both genres. A number of tracks are quite good, particularly Conway Twitty and Sam Moore singing "Rainy Night In Georgia" and Trisha Yearwood and Aaron Neville doing "I Fall To Pieces." I also think Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis do a good version of "Cruisin" on the soundtrack from the movie "Duets."

[Nikhil]

Yeah, I like the Gwyneth Paltrow & Huey Lewis collab as well, which in turn reminded me of Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor doing the medley in Moulin Rouge that led to Robbie Williams inviting her for a duet on Something Stupid.

[PhilNYC]

The first great one that comes to mind was Bing Crosby and David Bowie doing Little Drummer Boy...

[haunyack]

The first great one that comes to mind was Bing Crosby and David Bowie doing Little Drummer Boy...

That one touched me when first I viewed.

.

[gbruzzo]

Sting and Gil Evans (Perugia Jazz 1987)
Jimmy Hendrix (on bass guitar) with Timothy Leary

[devin]

Luke Vibert and BJ Cole, "Stop the Panic".

http://www.astralwerks.com/vibertcole/

Can you imagine hawaiian guitar trip-hop?

Amazingly though, it works.

[TCM]

The one I think of immediately is "Walk this way" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_This_Way) with Run-DMC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-D.M.C.) and Aerosmith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosmith).

video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AKaV911uJA)

[EasilyConfused]

Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue.... still not sure if it works though after God knows how many years!

[bukharin]

Not sure if this counts, but I really like Pavarotti's cameo in Passengers' (really U2's) "Miss Sarajevo"

[Nostromo]

Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue.... still not sure if it works though after God knows how many years!

Its pretty good, IMO. A little twisted, yes. ;-)

[Nostromo]

Not sure if this counts, but I really like Pavarotti's cameo in Passengers' (really U2's) "Miss Sarajevo"

I like that song too, even though Pavarotti puts Bono to shame. :-)

[peejay]

Natalie and Nat King Cole, 'Unforgettable' - let's face it, Nat was dead at the time the duet was recorded. How unexepected for him......

[Nikhil]

Tori Amos & Robert Palnt - Down By The Seaside from the Led Zep tribute Encomium