No, folks, I am not here to bury Paul Anka though his brand new Duet album finds you with the Anka not of the early 1960s but the mid 1970s when he had convinced himself that he was a modern pop phenom and releasing overorchestrated slop for the people and not Bobby Soxer pop ballads for Sinatra's audiences children.
Duets includes (mostly lousy -but this isn't a review) songs with Michael McDonald, Tom Jones, Dolly Parton, Celine Dion and, er Michael Jackson among others but being the iconoclas I am, I chose a pix with Elvis Presley.
Anyway, if Paul Williams can sing with Daft Punk, why is Anka singing with these guys? here is what Duets II should read like.
1. Puppy Love with Justin Bieber – Yes, folks, young beiber may hang out with Usher but when Paul was 19 he was hanging with the RAT PACK!
2. Diana with Selena Gomez – Separated at birth, right?
3. (You're) Having My Baby with Bono – Onward catholic soldiers
4. My Way with Sid Vicious You know they can mix it up from the Great rock And Roll Swindle
5. Put Your Head On My Shoulder with Eliza Doolittle – The prettiest girl in pop cn join in.
6. Lonely Boy with James Murphy and Patrick Stickles – because it's tough beiong alone.
7. (You're) Having My Baby (reprise) with Kanye West And Kim Kardashian – They can shoot the taping for the reality show.
8. Smells Like Teen Spirit with Dave Grohl And Paul McCartney – It won't be the first time for any of them.
9. Remember Diana with Madonna and Lady Gaga – The old gals are back
10. My Way (reprise) with Elvis Presley – Actually, there is a version with Sinatra on the real one.