From legend to Legend: Barbra Streisand duets with John Legend on pop classic
When legends collide, the result can either be spectacular... or an epic fail.
In this case, make it three legends: Barbra Streisand, the Bee Gees and John Legend.
All have come together in one song originally recorded 34 years ago. And the result is …spectacular.
Duet with a past
Barbra Streisand, who wrote the book on divahood and holds the record for being the best-selling female recording artist of all time, has partnered with R&B singer John Legend on the song "What Kind of Fool."
The tune was written by songwriter Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, the group that wedded disco beats with quivering falsettos back during their "Saturday Night Fever" heyday in the late 70s.
Streisand's duet with Legend is her second go on the song. She first sang the song with Barry Gibb in 1980, the third single off her album "Guilty."
Streisand inspired by Legend’s vocals
The new version with Legend was produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds who said, "Their mutual respect was evident from the start. When Barbra heard the passion in John's vocal performance, it truly inspired the way she shaped her own vocals. As a record producer, sitting in the studio hearing these two magical voices playing off each other, pouring through the speakers, was an incredible feeling. There really are no words to explain the kind of emotion you feel when you realize you're capturing that kind of lightning in a bottle."
"What Kind of Fool" is one of 12 tracks in Streisand’s new album "Partners," out on September 16.
In addition to Legend, Streisand also duets with, among others, Michael Buble, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Babyface, Billy Joel, Blake Shelton, Lionel Richie, Josh Groban, and, in a bit of technological wizardry, Elvis Presley.
Legend live in Manila
In the meantime, Legend has been busy on other projects. He just did a Marvin Gaye tribute last August, which was streamed live by Yahoo. (Watch it here.)
He is also due in Manila on September 26, playing the Araneta Coliseum on his Asian All Of Me Tour. Fans can expect something “intimate, acoustic, stripped down” and a repertoire that will include “Ordinary People,” “Made to Love,” “All of Me,” among many others.
For ticket information, visit Ticketnet Online.
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