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Michael Stipe and Courtney Love Bid Bon Voyage on ‘Rio Grande’ Duet

michael stipe, courtney love

Johnny Depp’s pirate-themed compilation Son of Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys has already washed a couple of tracks ashore. SPIN previously previewed Keith Richards and Tom Waits’ salty dog “Shenandoah” duet and Iggy Pop’s foul-mouthed “Asshole Rules the Navy,” and now, Michael Stipe and Courtney Love set sail on “Rio Grande.” The former R.E.M. frontman takes a swinging lead, marking off the alt-rock icons’ to-do list (bid farewell to lovers, don’t forget to pack up the donkeys) over a simple melody. Love, meanwhile, uses her thin, weathered vocals to make sure they’ve got everything they need to hit the high seas. A jolly good ship? Check. A jolly good crew? Check. And a good skipper, too? Check.

Listen to “Rio Grande” below. Son of Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys drops anchor on February 19 via ANTI-.

And don’t miss SPIN’s rundown of our all-time fave R.E.M. moments.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Na4NdDB3GX0