Favourite duets

I do love a good duet, there are so many fabulous ones out there and this could be a very long post however I shall try and be restrained.

I think it's best to start with the mighty Barbra. She does such a fine line in duets. Barbra and Barry Gibb, Guilty. I don't think there could be a finer pairing in their matching white outfits. I adore this song, it's like listening to molten honey.

Barbra and Neil, of course, breaking our hearts with You Don't Bring Me Flowers.

Barbra and Donna Summer! No More Tears (Enough is Enough) which has one of the best opening lines to a song ever...

And one of my all-time favourites, her duet with Frank Sinatra. This isn't the best version but if you buy the Frank Sinatra duets album (which I highly recommend) then you can hear this in all its glory.

Speaking of Frank, his duet with Bono, I've Got You Under My Skin. I can forgive Bono everything for this one song, he is so sexy.

Moving on from Frank to Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald with the marvellous On My Own. I never tire of listening to this.

Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, The Girl Is Mine. This is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, I have always loved it even though it's stupidly cheesy.

Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. I admit this is a little left field for me but this is a great song. The lyrics are so clever.

You all know my love for George Michael but I've never been one for his duets however I do love this one with Mary J Blige.

I finish with clearly the greatest duet ever recorded. Islands in the Stream. No explanation is necessary.

Tell me your favourites.

Robyn - Dancing On My Own

Every now and then I like to get down with the kids and prove I am still 'with it'. Do people still even say with it? I doubt it. I found out yesterday what 'so Dench' means and felt about 100 years old. I discovered this song watching Girls and couldn't stop humming it. So eventually I bought it and now I can't listen to anything else. It makes me bound around my bedroom dancing like a lunatic. I am obsessed with it. And so from me to you dear readers, from me to you. It has 10m views on youtube, you may, of course, already know it and it's just me that lives in a cave. It's so Dench.

Nashville

Nashville is the Dallas of our time. Yes, it's that good. Created by Callie Khouri who wrote Thelma & Louise, it is set in, errm, Nashville and it centres on two country singers. One of them is the divine Connie Britton of Friday Night Lights fame. She plays Rayna Jaymes, the legendary country singer with a string of hits. Hayden Panettiere plays Juliette Barnes, the hot young singer who Rayna has to go on tour with to boost her popularity.

It's delightfully fun with some great music. I didn't realise how much I liked country music until I started watching this. Now I have the soundtrack and find myself humming along happily. The performances are what make this special. Connie is always spectacular and she doesn't disappoint. Hayden is pretty good as the spoilt, bitchy Juliette. Powers Boothe plays Rayna's beyond evil, conniving father who is clearly based on JR Ewing.

In addition, there is Rayna's old flame, Deacon, his niece Scarlett (intensely annoying character) and her ferret-looking boyfriend Avery. There are loads of characters but it never feels crowded. I highly recommend it if you want some well-made soapy action in your life. And you don't hate country music.

Celebrity couples

Why do we care about who celebrities hook up with? It is clear lots of us do judging by the number of magazines devoted to the subject. It's not so much that I care but am fascinated. Beautiful people having sex with other beautiful people. I wonder if they wake up and look at each other and marvel at their gorgeousness? If they have conversations about who is more perfect? Raging egomaniacs that they usually are, I expect they do.

This post is about celebrity couples who are no more and who I thought were pretty good together. OK, I don't know any of them but that doesn't stop me having an opinion.

And so first up is Madonna and Sean Penn.

I have long held the theory that Madonna has never got over Sean Penn. I truly believe they were the perfect match; both bratty and determined to have their way. I think he's the only man who has been able to cope with her. And I love the way he is looking at her in this picture. It wouldn't surprise me if these two do eventually end up together in a nursing home because my belief is they are soul mates. And we can blame Sean for the Guy Ritchie disaster.

Let's move along to Brad Pitt. Oh Brad. He has had some killer girlfriends. I always thought him and Juliette Lewis were super-cool.

I really like Juliette Lewis, I think she marches to the beat of her own drum and I admire her for that. She made Brad cooler.

In a freaky case of identikit dating, he moved on to Gwynnie.

Matching hair cuts! I am no Gwyneth fan. Hmm, that's an understatement, I actively dislike her, she is so smug. Brad made her cool. She's never been cool since splitting up with him.

Brad and Jennifer.

These two were the beautiful couple. Absolute perfection. Poor old Jen eh? Actually, I don't feel sorry for her, she does alright. However, there is no doubt that her and Brad together were the epitome of celebrity matchmaking. In terms of who benefitted more from this relationship, it's pretty much 50/50, they both were better for it. Curses to you Angelina! Now Brad is just dull.

The Johnny Depp date book coming right up. Johnny and Winona (Forever).

Like Madonna with Sean, I don't believe Winona has recovered from losing Johnny. And it's hard to imagine how you would. I am not a huge Depp fan but he was insanely sexy and this shot shows her devotion to him.

Johnny and Kate Moss.

I don't believe there has ever been a cooler couple. An example of dating in your own image, they have the exact same bone structure. I bet they just spent every day, all day having sex. Good for them.

Johnny and Vanessa Paradis.

I don't think Vanessa got the best years. In fact, he generally looks like he needs a wash. I did feel a little sad when they split though. He really does have gorgeous girlfriends.

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

Anyone who has seen The Notebook wants these two to be together but nooooo.

Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston.

He's never going to do better than this. She was uber-glamorous while being utterly cool.  I love this shot, you know they are having a totally brilliant time.

Another example of dating someone who looks like you: Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis.

Same lips! I loved that these two were together because they are two of my favourite actors. But alas, it wasn't to be.

Bringing me on to Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins.

Why did this have to end? I know, I know, they are entitled to do whatever they want but honestly, have you ever seen a more perfect couple? I am not sure I can ever forgive them.

Rhea Perlman and Danny De Vito.

Now this was utterly bizarre. I mean, together for 41 years! (I just Googled that). Again, how could they?

It's like they don't care about what I think. It's truly baffling. Who have I missed?