Comments on: Reviews: Barry Manilow & Reba McEntire, “Islands in the Stream” and Dolly Parton, “Drives Me Crazy”

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:07:05 +0000

I have seen both Kenny and Dolly live in concert in the past year – (not together…) Both sang the song and both times the audience went wild.
Dolly has said in the past that she never gets tired singing that song.
Dolly actually did “Drives Me Crazy” in her show, and said that her husband liked the original version of the song, and when she said she planned to cover it for “Backwoods Barbie” he said “Don’t go and screw up my song!!” funny guy!

By: J.R. Journey

J.R. Journey — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:13:43 +0000

I’m going to say great call on the Reba/Mainlow duet. I certainly expected better of Reba, covering a Dolly song.

By: Matt C.

Matt C. — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:46:26 +0000

So why did it work so well, and become such a memorable record that it was even named the greatest country duet of all-time by CMT?

I certainly question your assertion that it worked “so well,” or became memorable for any reason other than its absolute awfulness. CMT named “Islands in the Stream” the greatest duet of all-time because Kenny and Dolly were able and willing to perform it on their Greatest Duets special, whereas most of the other duets were merely covered by contemporary artists. The choice was merely about theatrics, not criticism (though if CMT were motivated by the latter, that’s a very good reason to question their staff’s critical judgment, as if we needed another reason).

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:06:09 +0000

Great review(s)!

I pretty much agree on both accounts. The duet is a lifeless, loungy affair. I’m surprised Reba chose to do it that way, though I’m not surprised about Manilow. Obviously, she had to follow his lead. And you know how I feel about the original.:)

As for the Dolly song, it’s fun. It’s wierd that she did it, but it’s fun nonetheless.

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:58:02 +0000

Eh. I wish Dolly had done the whole song in the hoedown style, even if it might’ve been a potential trainwreck. I just don’t care much for the original, and most of her cover doesn’t really depart much from it besides dem fiddles.

But I do think this review is ballin’.

By: Soul Miners Daughter

Soul Miners Daughter — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:38:17 +0000

At least Dolly & Kenny gave the listener an impression of some kind of “believability”.
Reba & Barry Manilow? Are they serious? Who put those two together, the SNL writers? Just say “no”.
I actually prefer the Bee Gees version… I love me some Bee Gees.

Dolly could sing the phonebook and make it entertaining.

By: John

John — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 08:32:10 +0000

No comment on the duet, because it just lays there like roadkill. As for Dolly, I think that if someone is going to remake a record, it shouldn’t be a novelty record that captured a certain place and time, and “Crazy” is such a record. Anything she does to it short of completely changing the tone of the record is going to seem like a shadow of the original. She’s done much better covers, especially “Stairway to Heaven”.

By: CF

CF — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:14:56 +0000

I just listened to both right now for the very first time.

I was surprised. I don’t think the duet is that bad. I like Reba’s vocals on it, but nothing can touch Dolly and Kenny’s.

With regards to Dolly’s, I used to think it was a horrible remake, but I was basing that off of a 30-sec clip I heard when the album came out. I don’t really care for the song itself, even the original, but Dolly makes it kinda fun and not as corny or dumb as I originally thought it was. I kinda like it :).