# Songs with very famous backup singers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861 "2008-01-24T20:37:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/141 "2012-01-10T13:54:21Z")
> [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](#): > > So does Ms. Emmylou. > > She produced the outstanding Gram Parsons cover/tribute album _Return of the Grievous Angel_, and sang backup on at least three tracks. > > She also sang backup that just takes Ryan Adams’ “Oh My Sweet Carolina” from a great song to heartbreaking sweetness. She also sang backup on “We Are Nowhere And It’s Now,” from Bright Eyes’ 2005 album _I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning_. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/142 "2012-01-10T14:28:50Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > …As did **Rush** ’s “Time Stand Still,” featuring **Aimee Mann** of 'Til Tuesday. And to add another link in the chain, Elvis Costello backed up Aimee Mann/Til Tuesday in “The Other End of the Telescope”. It was only fair since EC co-wrote it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/143 "2012-01-10T14:43:10Z")
> [@Rick\_S](#): > > Sorry to be so late to this party, but I have one that’s driven me crazy for years that I can’t find attribution for… did Daryl Hall sing backup on Under Pressure (by Queen & Bowie)? I swear I hear him in the “scat” background vocals, but can’t find any source for it. > > ) I don’t know about Daryl Hall, but I know Billy Squier provided some vocals on that track. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/144 "2012-01-10T16:31:13Z")
Kesha sang part of the chorus of Flo Rida’s “Right Round” in an uncredited appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/145 "2012-01-10T17:03:10Z")
David Crosby and Graham Nash did backing vocals on David Gilmour’s “On An Island” album from 2006, and on the subsequent tour and live releases. Emmylou Harris has done backing vocals on almost every song, ever\*, and has had some pretty high profile guests on her albums. Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa do vocals on “Tragedy”, from “Red Dirt Girl”, and Neil Young sings on two songs from “Wrecking Ball”, including the title track which he wrote. \*A quick look at Wikipedia lists around 400! ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/146 "2012-01-10T20:06:07Z")
Alice Cooper’s Teenage Lament '74 has Liza Minelli, The Pointer Sisters, Ronnie Spector, and Noma & Sara from La Belle as background singers. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/147 "2012-01-11T15:49:07Z")
In a recent Guardian interview, Clarke Peters (Lester Freamon in The Wire and Chief Albert in Treme) said that as a young singer in London he sang backing on ‘Come Up and See Me’ by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, and the low line ‘Well give me love’ on Joan Armatrading’s ‘Love and Affection’! I was going to say about Black Coffee in Bed too - damn you Word Man! Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook sings on a few Amiee Mann songs inc ‘That’s Just What You Are’ MiM ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/148 "2012-01-11T18:09:34Z")
> [@Made\_in\_Macau](#): > > I was going to say about Black Coffee in Bed too - damn you Word Man! Damn indeed! Scooped by less than four years… :^) ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Big](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Billy\_Big](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Big)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/149 "2012-06-10T15:34:40Z")
Elvis Costello - Satellite bgv Chrissie Hynde Spencer Davis Group - I’m Blue (Gong Gong Song) bgv Millie (Small) (My Boy Lollypop) Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding (Chet Baker on trumpet) Harry Belafonte - Midnight Special (Bob Dylan on on harmonica) Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World bgv David Bowie Elton John - Nikita bgv George Michael ---
**Author:** ![BeeDubU2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BeeDubU2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeDubU2)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/150 "2012-06-10T16:06:34Z")
Do The Roots count? Who _haven’t_ they backed up? Also, John Mayer makes a surprising number of appearances in hip hop music. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/151 "2012-06-10T16:41:58Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > In memory of John Stewart (“Gold” with backup singer Stevie Nicks) > > My daughter and I were listing some of these songs the other night, and I thought it would make an interesting thread, so here it is. > > A few examples to start the ball rolling: > Games Without Frontiers (Kate Bush) Much respect for listing Kate first! She’s who I came in to mention. She’s also on the song [“No Self Control”](http://youtu.be/beQ7YrjLJ2U) from that same album. Kate also sings backup on the great Big Country song [“The Seer”](http://youtu.be/Ba7GicJtH-A) and Zaine Griff’s strange [“Flowers”](http://youtu.be/bKjR2aAQbfs) She’s only famous to her following, but here’s Hap doing the Kate part on the (very good and interesting take, I think) cover of [“Games Without Frontiers”](http://youtu.be/dlwPNjYPpqI) by Bob Holroyd. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/152 "2012-06-10T17:00:48Z")
> [@Sean\_Factotum](#): > > Bruce Springsteen also shows up for a stanza of Lou Reed’s “Street Hassle”. Hey man…that’s just a lie. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/153 "2012-06-10T23:47:50Z")
George Jones sings on the Patty Loveless song “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” but wasn’t credited. ---
**Author:** ![AqualungBats5th](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@AqualungBats5th](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AqualungBats5th)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/154 "2012-06-11T00:35:46Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > “Galileo” by the Indigo Girls features Jackson Browne on backing vocals. David Crosby is singing backup on this one too. Stevie Nicks on Warren Zevon’s “Mohammed’s Radio” Christine McVie on Christopher Cross’ “Never Stop Believing” Patti Smith on Blue Oyster Cult’s “Revenge of Vera Gemini” John Prine shows up in Dar Williams “The Ocean” and famous to folk rock, that album (Mortal City) has a couple others, Lucy Kaplanksy on “Christians and the Pagans” and The Nields on “Cool As I Am” It’s a bit more than backup, but Stevie Wonder appears on Michael Jackson’s “Just Good Friends” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/155 "2012-06-11T01:06:35Z")
Both Grace Jones and Sting provided backing vocals on _Arcadia_s So Red the Rose album (Her singing the bridge on their hit _Election Day_). As well as David Gilmour providing guitar on one track: I actually noted the similarities with both Jones and Gilmour before I knew that it actually was them. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/156 "2012-06-11T01:43:33Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > George Jones sings on the Patty Loveless song “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” but wasn’t credited. That’s ironic, don’tcha think? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/157 "2012-06-11T02:32:44Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > Dolly Parton provided backing vocals for Eric Clapton’s _Lay Down Sally_, and Steven Tyler pitched in on Run DMC’s cover of _Walk This Way_. Sorry, Yvonne Elliman, not Dolly Parton, sang bgv on ‘Lay Down Sally.’ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/158 "2012-06-11T02:42:48Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Listen again, that sounds nothing like McCartney. It was definitely Donovan. Nope, it was McCartney. BTW, Donovan’s ‘Sunshine Superman’ has John Paul Jones on bass and Jimmy Page on guitar (both from Led Zep, natch). ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/159 "2012-06-11T04:27:05Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Heard one on the radio today, and immediately thought of this thread: > > The ever-present Michael McDonald sang backup on Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like the Wind.” (Apologies if someone already mentioned it and I missed that post!) As documented [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0HzWMqLeiE). ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861/160 "2012-06-11T04:49:39Z")
Dean Torrence (of Jan and Dean fame) did uncredited vocals on the Beach Boys’ “Barbara Ann.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-very-famous-backup-singers/434861.md?page=9)