Happy 48th Anniversary: A Salute to Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.’s Greatest Duet Hits

Summer is always a sentimental time for fans of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., for July 26 is the date of their wedding anniversary, this year marks 48 years!  The seven-time Grammy winning founding members and former lead singers of legends The 5th Dimension, the scintillating “You Don’t Have to be a Star” duo who have shone brightly on “TV and stage” for decades are a timeless pair.

McCoo & Davis: Timeless

Indeed, the beauteous McCoo and the distinguished Davis continue to perform to the best reviews of their career.  Just recently they honored Jimmy Webb at Carnegie Hall, stopping the show with their 50th anniversary rendition of “Up-Up and Away.”  And coming up next month, as part of the 50th anniversary of “The Summer of Love,” the twosome will present their own love songs, hits, torch and blues at Feinstein’s at the Nikko, August 17-19 in San Francisco. But enough with “the 50th” because for our “MarBill” it’s merely their 48th! In celebration, a sampling of special fans have participated in the following survey to honor their Greatest Duet Hits. And when it’s all been said, in making such artistic choices an extension of  our affection for the “Sweethearts of Pop n’ Soul,” we’d like to express our heartfelt congratulations and blessings on the occasion of your 48th anniversary, Marilyn & Billy.  With Love, Robert & The Special Fans

The Question:  If there would be an ULTIMATE McCOO & DAVIS GREATEST HITS CD featuring your favorites of their recorded DUETS, what personal top 5 (in no necessary order) would you choose? Pick singles and/or album tracks from their 4 primary duet projects (“I Hope We Get to Love in Time,” “The Two of Us,” “Marilyn & Billy,” “The Many Faces of Love,”)…or from their select Original 5th Dimension duets….or perhaps inspirational tunes like “Praise Ye the Lord” or “Keep the Lovelight Burning”…then there’s “I Believe in You and Me,” a duet featured on Marilyn’s solo album…etc., and THANK YOU for your participation!

The Fans Respond:

Brian Medoro Your Love, Together Let’s Find Love, Look What You’ve Done To My Heart, My Very Special Darling, What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)

Robyn Pippins Hi Robert, my top 5 would be You Don’t Have To Be A Star, In My Lifetime, You Are So Beautiful, Your Love, and The Two of Us.

Alain Baptiste My Love For You Will Always Be The Same, Nightsong, I Got Love For You, Just Once and our fifth is every other one they recorded! Happy Anniversary, Mariette and Alain

Paul Corley Perfect Dancer, Bye Bye Baby (w/ The Versatiles), There’s Got To Be a Happy Ending, We’ve Got To Get It On Again, The Times

Remember 8 Tracks?!

Jim Handakas I Believe In You and Me, The Two of Us, Carry Me, So Many Things for Free, You Don’t Have to Be a Star

Deniserose Torres How Do You Keep the Music Playing, Look What You’ve Done to My Heart, I Thought It Took A Little (But Today I Fell In Love), Keep The Lovelight Burning…. there is about a 7 way tie for a 5th song…but I will go with The Two of Us.

Loretta Sorensen I always had poor decision making skills causing me anxiety! But this is a nice and gentle anxiety ’cause it involves Marilyn & Billy – ha ha! My favs are Bobbie’s Blues, What Does It Take, Your Love, We Can Work It Out and You Don’t Have to Be A Star!

Estes John My Reason to Be is You, Keep the Lovelight Burning, How Do You Keep the Music Playing, Love all the Hurt Away, Look What You’ve Done to My Heart

Susie Paige Shine on Silver Moon, You Don’t Have to Be a Star, What Does it Take, The Two of Us, Praise Ye the Lord

“Praise Ye” appears on “The Love of God”

Douglas C. Charles Wishing these two Lovebirds the best of Anniversaries – and many more joyous ones to come. My “top 5” – Look What You’ve Done To My Heart, Your Love, Bobbie’s Blues, Every Night and My Very Special Darling

Renee T Armstead I have to say for the first one What Does It Take. Then Bobbie’s Blues, and Your Precious Love. Also, Soul and Inspiration, Together Let’s Find LoveSusan Aglio Every Night, What Does it Take, Soul and Inspiration, I Believe in You and Me, and I Hope We Get to Love in Time. And I just have to add one more…Keep the Lovelight Burning!

“Lovelight” appears on “The Me Nobody Knows”

Dale Kocik You Don’t Have To Be A Star, Your Love, Every Night, Together Let’s Find Love, Soul and Inspiration.

Andy Gard Your Love, Your Precious Love, Soul and Inspiration, My Reason To Be Is You, Carry Me

Elston Harry (of The Friends of Distinction) We Can Work it Out, Love all the Hurt Away

Robert-Allan Arno Gonna take a crack at this myself. I find the following 1st duet album sequence miraculously indelible:  I Still Will Be With You, Never Gonna Let You Go, Nothing Can Stop Me. Then, Praise Ye the Lord. Finally, I will “cheat” by combining Together Let’s Find Love in “mash-up” with You Are So Beautiful!

Sweet Tweets!  Marilyn & Billy Tweeted @mccoodavis their own day-by-day Anniversary Countdown with links to these musical gems….

• Our 48th Wedding Anniversary Countdown! In Celebration of July 26, we share some of our fave duets like YOUR LOVE! https://t.co/X1fSYYQOlg
• Anniversary Countdown! We had a Disco hit w/ SHINE ON SILVER MOON & got to perform it on @SoulTrain & DANCE FEVER! https://t.co/RZ4EwmtVQs
• Our Anniversary Countdown! How we love singing YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL, dedicated to each other…and our special fans. https://t.co/M21F2IHBYs
• Anniversary Countdown! THE TWO OF US–the title tune of our 2nd duet album and the closing theme of our TV series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-8KjPv8-5s
• Our Anniversary Countdown! We were so excited to perform this gem, I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME together on SOLID GOLD! https://t.co/hwPtHQkIMV
• Anniversary Countdown! How could we not include our #1! #YouDontHavetobeaStar, baby is from our hearts to yours! https://t.co/gw5IW3UAFpKeep in touch with Marilyn & Billy at their Official Facebook page, on Twitter (@McCooDavis), or visit www.mccoodavis.com 

Special Thanks to Steve Rosenblum at Sterling-Winters

Forever 5th Dimension by Robert-Allan Arno, copyright 2008-2017, a production of The Soul of The Voice, Ltd., intellectual property, all rights reserved