[Harmony Songs for Duets] Songs that feel great to harmonize

DaysKobukuro

Kobukuro / Days

This is a track released as a digital-only single by Kobukuro, the folk duo from Sakai, Osaka.

Centered around acoustic guitar, it beautifully balances a gentle atmosphere with the grandeur created by strings and piano.

The harmonies of Shunsuke Kuroda and Kentaro Kobuchi—one of the unit’s defining features—are striking here as well; the powerful layering of their voices feels as if it carries their feelings far into the distance.

It’s a grand yet tender song that conveys a deep appreciation for everyday life and a strong sense of hope for the future.

UFOPing Lady

UFO [Furitsuke] / PINK LADY

This was Pink Lady’s sixth single overall, released in December 1977, and it’s their biggest hit.

As of December 2022, anyone in their fifties or older has almost certainly heard this classic Showa-era hit! The song is performed by Pink Lady’s duo, Mie and Kei.

Most of it is structured in unison, with both of them singing the same melody, but only the beginning of the B section features their harmony, which gives the song a sense of expanded breadth.

That harmony part is just a very simple lower-harmony line, so most listeners can probably pick it up from the original and sing along.

Of course, the best way to enjoy it is not to overthink it—just learn the choreography too, sing and dance, and have fun.

The Day Love Was BornMiwa Fujitani, Yoshiaki Ouchi

The Day Love Was Born

This was Miwako Fujitani’s debut single as a singer, and her vocals have a very fresh quality that makes it quite interesting.

Ouchi’s singing, which seems to support Fujitani as she was still inexperienced, also adds a nice touch.

It’s obvious from the first listen that the song was likely designed to target the karaoke duet market: both the male and female parts are easy to catch, making it one of the best choices for casual harmonizing and duet fun at karaoke.

Be sure to sing both parts gently and softly.

Some people may find the high notes in the male part tough, so please pay close attention to the key setting.

Surely somewhereTUBE

TUBE “Surely, Somewhere” MUSIC VIDEO

This is TUBE’s 28th single, released in August 1998.

It was used in the drama “Sekai de Ichiban Papa ga Suki” and reportedly sold over 400,000 copies.

While TUBE is often associated with songs that evoke images of “summer” and “the sun,” “Itsuka Dokokade” is crafted as a beautiful ballad with a very poignant tone.

As for the harmony parts in this track, starting from the second chorus, a very simple harmony a third above the main vocal is added to the chorus.

The harmony itself isn’t particularly difficult, but the main melody is already quite high for a male vocal song, and the harmony goes even higher.

If the key is challenging, consider lowering the key in karaoke, and be careful not to strain your voice by forcing the high notes.

At the End of the Cloud PathCocco

Cocco – The End of the Cloud Path [VIDEO CLIP SHORT]

This is Cocco’s fourth single, released on October 7, 1998.

The harmony part appears in the chorus, and at first listen the overall sound production makes the arrangement seem very complex.

But if you listen closely, it’s actually a two-part chorus with a lower harmony under the main melody.

If you can pick out and copy the harmony part, it shouldn’t be too difficult to harmonize.

If your goal is simply to recreate the feel of the original track, I think even having two or more people sing the main melody in unison could be quite effective.

Depending on the situation, that might be a fun way to enjoy it too!

At that timeyuzu

Yuzu “At That Time” Music Video

Released as a digital-only single by Yuzu on May 25, 2020.

It’s a very refreshing track that feels quintessentially them, with a pleasant, up-tempo acoustic guitar strum.

Yuzu are known for their highly sophisticated harmony work, but the harmonies in this song are arranged mainly around relatively simple upper harmonies against the main melody, making it perfect for enjoying harmonizing at karaoke.

You might find it a bit challenging to pick out the harmony parts, but I hope you’ll give it a try at karaoke and recreate those lovely harmonies.

It could also be fun to enjoy it with just an acoustic guitar in hand instead of karaoke!

Dream-Forsaken Street CornerAlice

Street Corner Where Dreams Have Gone - Alice

This is a song by the folk group Alice.

It conveys a calm atmosphere centered on acoustic guitar.

You can fully enjoy the group’s hallmark powerful harmonies by Shinji Tanimura and Takao Horiuchi in this track as well.

The lyrics, which seem to depict the emotions surrounding a departure, are striking—along with a sense of loneliness, you can also feel the resolve to set out.

The powerful voices of each singer overlap to create a remarkable harmony.

Rather than clashing to assert themselves, they seem to respect one another and take a stance of mutually enhancing each other.