Tunes for Two

by Greg Adams Bobby Bare and Skeeter Davis recorded two duet albums, the first of which was 1965's Tunes for Two. The album's hit was a remake of Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky's "A Dear John Letter," a song that seemed timely again in light of the conflict in Vietnam. One can't help but notice how homely Davis' vocals sometimes sound in this context, placed alongside Bare's assured performances instead of her own overdubbed harmonies. On "Let It Be Me," she also reinforces the country music stereotype that women can't do recitations. Songs include duet classics like "We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds" and excellent takes of Gale Garnett's "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" and Ned Miller's "Invisible Tears." In spite of a few minor shortcomings, Tunes for Two is a perfectly enjoyable album that deserved a sequel.