# Greatest Hits By (Not the lead singer) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601 "2013-12-17T22:37:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/61 "2013-12-19T20:54:51Z")
> [@bup](#): > > _ **She’s My Little Rock n’ Roll** _ by the Stones is Keith Richards singing. I don’t know if it counts as a hit - it certainly got airplay when\* Tattoo You\* came out. Keith sings lead on “Happy” too. Great song! ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/62 "2013-12-19T21:11:27Z")
> [@bup](#): > > _ **She’s My Little Rock n’ Roll** _ by the Stones is Keith Richards singing. I don’t know if it counts as a hit - it certainly got airplay when\* Tattoo You\* came out. The actual title is “Little T&A.” The lyrics do contain the words “tits and ass,” so what airplay it got was pretty much limited to FM stations. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/63 "2013-12-20T03:40:29Z")
Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen, has received more popularity since a cover by Rufus Wainwright was in one of the Shrek films. I believe the soundtrack albums to Shrek have sold pretty well, so it kind of works. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/64 "2013-12-20T04:08:21Z")
Dave Davies sang a few for the Kinks. Actually had hit with “Death of a Clown.” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/65 "2013-12-20T04:19:55Z")
“Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun” were top ten singles off Fleetwood Mac’s **Rumours** , sung by Christine McVie. She also sang “Over My Head” on their prior eponymous album. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/66 "2013-12-20T15:39:49Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > “Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun” were top ten singles off Fleetwood Mac’s **Rumours** , sung by Christine McVie. She also sang “Over My Head” on their prior eponymous album. Again, though, Fleetwood Mac didn’'t have just one “lead singer” or one primary songwriter. Lindsay Buckingham, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks all wrote a lot of songs and they all tended to sing lead on the songs they wrote. If Mick Fleetwood or JOHN McVie had sung lead on a song or two, THAT would fit the category. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/67 "2013-12-29T19:25:56Z")
I don’t know much about The Eagles, but the guy who sang “I Can’t Tell You Why” didn’t sing much did he? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/68 "2013-12-29T19:55:11Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I don’t know much about The Eagles, but the guy who sang “I Can’t Tell You Why” didn’t sing much did he? It was sung by bassist Timothy B. Schmidt, and was, in fact, the first time he’d sung the lead on an Eagles song. Reading [Schmidt’s entry on Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_B._Schmit), it sounds like he’s only occasionally been a lead singer throughout his career. He did sing lead on at least one other Eagles song: “Love Will Keep Us Alive” (from the “Hell Freezes Over” reunion album). Schmidt joined Poco when Randy Meisner left the band, then joined the Eagles when Meisner left _that_ band, as well. ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/69 "2013-12-30T00:05:09Z")
As far as the band The Cars, I didn’t do this on purpose, but I realized I really like the songs that Benjamin Orr sings and can’t stand the ones that Rick Ocasek sings. Benjamin Orr was definitely a better singer and he sang their first big hit, Just What I Needed. One of the reasons I loved that song when it first came out was I felt that the vocalist had a snotty and detached tone to his voice which was cool as hell sounding at the time. Sorry he died too young. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/70 "2013-12-30T02:55:07Z")
> [@MissSwitac](#): > > As far as the band The Cars, I didn’t do this on purpose, but I realized I really like the songs that Benjamin Orr sings and can’t stand the ones that Rick Ocasek sings. > Benjamin Orr was definitely a better singer and he sang their first big hit, Just What I Needed. One of the reasons I loved that song when it first came out was I felt that the vocalist had a snotty and detached tone to his voice which was cool as hell sounding at the time. > Sorry he died too young. Ben Orr is second on my list of, “What the? Seriously? That’s not someone who should be dead” list. Phil Hartman of course being number one. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/71 "2013-12-30T17:06:54Z")
All of ABBA’s hits had been sung by their femal lead singers Agnetha & Frida until Does Your Mother Know?, sung by male lead guitarist Bjorn. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/72 "2013-12-30T18:20:13Z")
The drummer of The Commodores sang the lead on Brick House, not Lionel Richie. What is it with drummers replacing lead singers? BTW, I beleive his name was Clyde Orange. With a name like that, he totally should have been a lead singer. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/73 "2013-12-30T18:43:53Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > The drummer of The Commodores sang the lead on Brick House, not Lionel Richie. What is it with drummers replacing lead singers? BTW, I beleive his name was Clyde Orange. With a name like that, he totally should have been a lead singer. Some people compare Fiona Apple to Clyde as a musical performer, but I just don’t hear it… ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/74 "2013-12-30T18:46:22Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > Night Ranger’s drummer sang lead on Sister Christian, which if it wasn’t their biggest hit, it was damn near. Kelly Keagy was actually their co-lead singer in the early days. He sang about half the songs from _Dawn Patrol_ and _Midnight Madness_ as well as “Sentimental Street”, their second biggest hit after S.C. He would even set up his drum kit sideways in concert so the fans could actually watch him sing. > [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Ben Orr is second on my list of, “What the? Seriously? That’s not someone who should be dead” list. No kidding. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/75 "2013-12-30T21:49:29Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Carl Wilson did the lead vocals for the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” Not sure if it was technically a hit, but certainly was one of the three most popular tunes on their (by far) most critically-acclaimed album. (Lead vocals in the band were generally by Brian Wilson or Mike Love, or sometimes Al Jardine – Carl and Dennis mostly contributed harmonies.) Al Jardine sang lead on only one Beach Boys hit — “Help Me Rhonda.” In that, he is in fact tied with Dennis Wilson, who sang lead on their cover of “Do You Wanna Dance,” which was a Top 40 hit (unlike, it seems, the majority of songs cited in this thread). In addition to “God Only Knows,” which did make the Top 40 (#39), Carl Wilson sang lead on the Beach Boys Top 40 hits “Darlin,” “Wild Honey” and “I Can Hear Music.” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/76 "2013-12-31T00:05:07Z")
I’ll have you know that Brick House went to #5 in the States. I cannot vouch for the other songs in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/77 "2013-12-31T00:31:02Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > He sang “Octopus’ Garden” too. I wouldn’t call that one of their big hits, but “With a Little Help From My Friends”, which Ringo also sang, ought to count. Though not a Beatles single, it is one of their better known and most loved songs. ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ The British blues band _[Chicken Shack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Shack)_ (still going, apparently) had their only top twenty hit with “I’d Rather Go Blind” in 1969. Instead of being sung by band leader, lead guitarist, and usual lead singer Stan Webb, it was sung by keyboard player Christine Perfect. She later ceased to be Perfect by marrying John McVie, joining his band, _Fleetwood Mac_, and becoming one of their co-lead-singers (but she had not generally had that status in _Chicken Shack_). ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/78 "2013-12-31T00:38:24Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Al Jardine sang lead on only one Beach Boys hit — “Help Me Rhonda.” “Lady Lynda”, which Al wrote (or ripped of from Bach, though with acknowledgement, I think) and sang lead on, was a hit in Britain. (Admittedly it might be one that many _The Beach Boys_ fans would rather forget.) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/79 "2013-12-31T00:51:04Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > Dave Davies sang a few for the Kinks. Actually had hit with “Death of a Clown.” The “Death of a Clown” single was released, and was a hit, as a Dave Davies solo record, not a _Kinks_ song (although I believe it may also have appeared on a _Kinks_ album). I remember seeing him perform\* it on _Top of the Pops_, when the DJ presenter mistakenly introduced him as “Ray Davies”. Dave howled out “You did that on purpose!” before going into the song. \*Actually, _Top of the Pops_ performances were often lipsynced to the record. I do not know whether that was the case in this instance. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601/80 "2013-12-31T02:50:40Z")
Sometimes in Winter-Blood, Sweat and Tears [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3nu-qmxM0w) Not David Clayton Thomas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hits-by-not-the-lead-singer/676601.md?page=5)