This week, I’m taking a closer listen to one of the most charmingly bittersweet duets ever recorded, “Can’t We Be Friends?” by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. There’s something about this track that makes you smile even as it sings about heartbreak. In this episode, I share three reasons why this performance still speaks to us: it feels like a real conversation, it wraps humor around heartache, and it reminds us that not every ending needs to be ugly. It’s jazz with grace, swing, and a whole lot of soul.

Here’s a recording: https://youtu.be/wiLIV3H0q-Y

The Friday FIVE is a weekly five-minute podcast series from Musically Speaking that features five minutes of music commentary, examples, and recommendations from Jarrod Richey.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jarrodrichey.substack.com