Queen’s collaboration with David Bowie on 1981 single Under Pressure has been voted Britain’s favourite ever duet.
The song appears on compilation record The Duets Album, out now via Universal Music. And in a poll carried out by Morar Consulting, Under Pressure was the most popular across all age groups.
Participants in the 16-29 year-old age group were not even born when the song came out 35 years ago, but they rated it more than anyone else, with 49% of the vote.
Under Pressure came about after a jam session in the Swiss Alps.
In a recent tribute to the late David Bowie, Queen guitarist Brian May described how Bowie latched on to the signature bass line in the early part of the jam.
May said: “Each of us went into the vocal booth consecutively, without listening to each other, and, listening to the track, vocalised the first things that came into our heads, including any words which came to mind.
“The next step was to cut up everybody’s bits and make a kind of compilation ‘best of’ vocal track.
“We all backed off and David put down a lyric which now focussed on the ‘under pressure’ part of the existing lyric. It was unusual for us all to relinquish control like that but really David was having a genius moment.”
Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie’s Endless Love came second in the poll, with Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton’s Islands In The Stream third.
The Duets Album tracklist
CD1
- Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
- Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder – Ebony & Ivory
- Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush – Don’t Give Up
- Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
- Labrinth Feat. Emeli Sande – Beneath Your Beautiful
- Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston – It Takes Two
- Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman – Somethin’ Stupid
- Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger
- Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton – We’ve Got Tonight
- Coldplay & Rhianna – Princess of China
- Peaches & Herb – Reunited
- Eternal & Bebe Winans – I Wanna Be The Only One
- Womack & Womack – Love Wars
- Stereophonics & Tom Jones – Mama Told Me Not To Come
- Nelly & Kelly Rowland – Dilemma
- Mel C & Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopez – Never Be The Same Again
- Eve & Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Ya Mind
- Jordan Sparks & Chris Brown – No Air
- Alexander O’Neal/Cherelle – Saturday Love
- Sonny & Cher – I Got You Babe
CD2
- Aretha Franklin & George Michael – I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
- James Morrison feat Nelly Furtado – Broken Strings
- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes – Up Where We Belong
- Youssou N’Dour & Neneh Cherry – 7 Seconds
- Diana Ross & Lionel Richie – Endless Love
- Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – The Time Of My Life
- Jason Donovan & Kylie Minogue – Especially For You
- Billy Preston & Syreeta – With You I’m Born Again
- Gary Barlow & Robbie Williams – Shame
- Charles & Eddie – Would I Lie To You
- Ashford & Simpson – Solid
- Patty Austin & James Ingram – Baby Come To Me
- Hall & Oates – Maneater
- Elton John & Blue – Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
- Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling
- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing
- Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton – Islands In The Stream
- Ella Fizgerald/Louis Armstrong – Dream A Little Dream Of Me
- Jon & Vangelis – I Hear You Now
- Patty Smyth & Don Henley – Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough
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