# Performer sang/played backup on cover of his/her song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 29, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148 "2020-01-29T02:59:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/21 "2020-01-29T18:06:53Z")
Dobie Gray was not the first to sing “Drift Away”, but his version is probably the most famous. He later sang on Uncle Kracker’s version ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/22 "2020-01-29T18:09:19Z")
One (in)famous example: Doug Sahm covered “[Wallflower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks3jsxmXRx4)” by his buddy Bob Dylan on “Doug Sahm And Friends” with Dylan on “backing vocals”, but Dylan’s voice was so prominent in the mix that it’s practically the lead vocal. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/23 "2020-01-29T18:13:18Z")
“Tomorrow Wendy” was a Concrete Blonde cover of the Andy Prieboy original. Johnette sang background on the Prieboy version. They have both performed it live with each other many times. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/24 "2020-01-29T18:15:14Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > One (in)famous example: Doug Sahm covered “[Wallflower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks3jsxmXRx4)” by his buddy Bob Dylan on “Doug Sahm And Friends” with Dylan on “backing vocals”, but Dylan’s voice was so prominent in the mix that it’s practically the lead vocal. Gray’s performance with Uncle Cracker was similar. Is there a word for something more than “backup vocal” but less than “duet”? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/25 "2020-01-29T18:47:59Z")
One more, now a cover of a Doug Sahm song: he sang a whole verse of his own song “[Give Back The Key To My Heart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JsKbaYpLdE)” on Uncle Tupelo’s cover. (he famously predicted a great career for Jay Farrar but wasn’t much impressed by Jeff Tweedy. Even legends can fail…) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/26 "2020-01-29T19:57:55Z")
Ted Yoder got a lot of YouTube views for his cover of Everybody Wants to Rule the World on dulcimer. Later Curt Smith stopped by and they did it with vocals. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iAFT4eVX5Ak/hqdefault.jpg "Curt Smith of Tears for Fears and Ted Yoder hammered dulcimer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAFT4eVX5Ak) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/27 "2020-01-29T20:10:06Z")
Will Oldham sang backing vocals on the (still more devastating than the original, released under one of Oldham’s monikers, Bonnie Prince Billy) cover of his “[I See A Darkness](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnUItw1ElU)” by Johnny Cash. Just like Tom Petty did on Cash’s cover of “[I Won’t Back Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8i5NLyXZdc)”. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/28 "2020-01-29T20:28:34Z")
Ray Davies sang backup on Joan Jett’s cover of **Celluloid Heroes**. Elton John sang backup and played piano on Bob the Builder’s version of\*\* Crocodile Rock\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/29 "2020-01-30T00:44:09Z")
It’s not exactly a cover, but Mark Knopfler insisted in playing guitar for Weird Al Yankovic’s parody version of “Money for Nothing”. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/30 "2020-01-30T03:24:14Z")
So you guys won’t know who Ray Columbus is, and his biggest hit _She’s A Mod_, but what they heck, [here’s a cover of it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maoCz_HFWxg) from the late 80s by Double J and Twice The T. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/31 "2020-01-30T04:01:59Z")
Phil Collins sung lead on his version of Behind the Lines by Genesis. Phil had sung lead on the Genesis version as well! ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/32 "2020-01-30T04:03:22Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RDEfIxWEID0/maxresdefault.jpg "Norah Jones with Neil Young 'Down By The River' - Mountain View, CA - 25 October 2014") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDEfIxWEID0) Neil Young backing up Norah Jones. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/33 "2020-01-30T04:11:37Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > It’s not exactly a cover, but Mark Knopfler insisted in playing guitar for Weird Al Yankovic’s parody version of “Money for Nothing”. Dweezil Zappa played the opening guitar solo on “Genius In France”. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/34 "2020-01-30T05:23:16Z")
Ozzy Osbourne recorded a version of the Black Sabbath song Changes as a duet with his daughter Kelly Osbourne. He took the opportunity to revise the lyrics. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/35 "2020-01-30T22:59:31Z")
Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield did Simon and Garfunkel’s _59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)_, live at the Fillmore - Paul Simon liked it and dubbed in harmony vocals for one verse. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/36 "2020-01-31T00:02:41Z")
The Mothers of Invention did “Happy Together” on their live album “Fillmore East – June 1971” with vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman and bassist Jim Pons. Garth Brooks sang “Hard Luck Woman” for a Kiss tribute album with all of Kiss performing (Paul singing backup). ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/37 "2020-01-31T00:19:46Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > It’s not exactly a cover, but Mark Knopfler insisted in playing guitar for Weird Al Yankovic’s parody version of “Money for Nothing”. [Craigslist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craigslist_(song)) by WAY is parody of The Doors. Ray Manzarek played keyboards on it. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/38 "2020-01-31T00:26:48Z")
Oops ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/39 "2020-01-31T01:12:39Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > [Craigslist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craigslist_(song)) by WAY is parody of The Doors. Ray Manzarek played keyboards on it. Manzarek also produced and played keyboards on Echo & the Bunnymen’s cover of **People Are Strange**. He also produced X’s debut album, which featured a cover of **Soul Kitchen**. While he played organ or synths on four of the albums’ songs, he did not play on the Doors cover. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148/40 "2020-01-31T01:24:20Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Manzarek also produced and played keyboards on Echo & the Bunnymen’s cover of **People Are Strange**. Are there any reputable cites for Manzarek playing keyboards on that cover? I was looking at that earlier and although it is claimed all over the internet, I couldn’t find any claims that seemed reputable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performer-sang-played-backup-on-cover-of-his-her-song/847148.md?page=3)