Cougars! :)

[marybrewster]

Heard "On My Own" by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald on the radio this morning, and it got me thinking: in the 1980's, there was a huge trend of pairing divas with younger counterparts, resulting in Top 40 hits. So I did a little digging around and found a few fun facts:

Diana Ross and Lionel Richie: Endless Love [[5 years age difference)
# 1 US, 1981

Ronnie Spector and Eddie Money: Take Me Home Tonight [[6 years)
#4 US, 1986

Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald: On My Own [[8 years)
#1 US, 1986

Dusty Springfield and Neil Tennant: What Have I Done TDT [[15 years)
#2 US, 1987

Aretha and George Michael: I Knew You Were Waiting For Me [[21 years)
#1 US, 1987

Only in one case could I think of that the male lead was older than the female lead:

Chaka and Steve Winwood: Higher Love [[Steve 5 years older)
#1 US, 1986

Can you think of any other duet, Top 40 hits of the 80's where the female lead is older than her singing partner?

[reese]

IT'S ONLY LOVE by Tina Turner and Bryan Adams [Tina 20 years older], #15 US, 1985.

LOVE POWER by Dionne Warwick and Jeffrey Osborne [Dionne 8 years older], #12 US, 1987.

TILL I LOVED YOU by Barbra Streisand and Don Johnson [Babs 7 years older], #25 US, 1988.

THROUGH THE STORM by Aretha and Elton John [Aretha 5 years older], #16 US, 1989.

[TomatoTom123]

"Guilty" by Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb, which hit #3 in the US in 1980. [Barbara is 4 years older ]

[Spreadinglove21]

Almost Paradise by Ann Wilson and Mike Reno [[Wilson 5 years older than Reno)

[sansradio]

"Baby, Come to Me" - Patti Austin and James Ingram [#1 pop, 1983] [Patti was a scant year and a half older than James]

[Guy]

In 1990, Diana Ross scandalized Urban/R&B radio with the Top 5 hit "No Matter What You Do" with Al B. Sure -- she is 24 years his senior.

But NANCY WILSON was the ultimate cougar -- 33 years the senior of Kenny Lattimore on this lush romantic ballad from 2004:

[Motown Eddie]

Here's one: Dionne Warwick's duet with Luther Vandross on "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" from 1983. Dionne was 43 [11 years older] & Luther was 32 at the time.

[Motown Eddie]

Only in one case could I think of that the male lead was older than the female lead:

Chaka and Steve Winwood: Higher Love [[Steve 5 years older)
#1 US, 1986

Here's a case where the Male singer was older than the Female; Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell. Marvin was 6 years older than Tammi when they started recording their classic series of duets beginning in 1967.

[Eargasm]

Just As Sure and Storybook Children Sam Dees and Bettye Swann [[ Bettye is 14 months older than Sam)

[drlorne]

thank you Guy. What a beautiful track. Kenny sounds very much like Nancy, I didn't realize he was singing until I recognized the "girl" for "guy" which Nancy had sung. I'll check out the album.

[marybrewster]

In 1990, Diana Ross scandalized Urban/R&B radio with the Top 5 hit "No Matter What You Do" with Al B. Sure -- she is 24 years his senior.

But NANCY WILSON was the ultimate cougar -- 33 years the senior of Kenny Lattimore on this lush romantic ballad from 2004:

Good one Guy!

[marybrewster]

Here's a more obvious one, although not Top 40: Millie Jackson and Norwood Young [[26 years age difference)

"YOUNG MAN, OLDER WOMAN"

https://youtu.be/idCZO2PWRV8