What songs have three or more "Superstars" singing in them?

[Hometownboy]

The Buzzin’ Cousins

Here’s how L.E. Brady described it on singer/songwriter James McMurtry’s web site:

McMurtry’s novelist/screenwriter father, Larry, passed his son’s demo tape to Indiana rocker John Mellencamp when the two were working together on the film “Falling From Grace.” McMurtry had hopes that Mellencamp might record one of his tunes. Instead, Mellencamp ended up producing McMurtry’s strong Columbia Records debut, Too Long in the Wasteland (1989). Later, McMurtry was asked to play alongside Mellencamp, John Prine, Dwight Yoakam and Joe Ely in a one-off band for the “Falling From Grace” soundtrack, which also produced the single, “Sweet Suzanne.” The Buzzin’ Cousins, as the band was later christened, was nominated in 1992 by the Country Music Association in the Vocal Event of the Year category.

Personal note: If you like intelligent, sometimes edgy lyrics and a tight, first-class band, check out James McMurtry’s stuff. His “Choctaw Bingo” alone is an epic worthy of a Frank Miller comic.

[denquixote]

Anything by the Texas Tornados (Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiminez and Augie Meyers) or the Flatlanders (Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Joe Ely)

Also, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon and Edie Brickell have a great version of Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

[denquixote]

Soul Shake by Delaney and Bonnie (Roseanne’s waitress friend at the mall) and Friends (don’t know the lineup for sure but the friends sometimes included Duane Allman and Eric Clapton.

[MrDibble]

Death is Not the End off the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album Murder Ballads has:
Nick Cave
PJ Harvey
Kylie Minogue
Shane McGowan
Blixa Bargeld
& Anita Lane

That’s quite a collection.

[Spoke]

James Taylor, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel had a hit with a cover of “Wonderful World” (Don’t Know Much About History)

[denquixote]

@Uncommon Sense

By “superstars”, I mean singers that were solidly at the top of their game in their genre when the song was recorded.
Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Charlie Pride, and David Allen Coe did Greatest Country and Western Song.
)

Are you talking about “You don’t have to call me darlin’ darlin’” written by steve goodman?
I always assumed david allan coe was imitating waylon jennings,charlie pride and merle haggard on that record.

[fachverwirrt]

@AskNott

The Three Tenors project had, IIRC, Luciano Pavoratti, Placido Domingo, and that other guy.

José Carreras.

(I know: it’s a Seinfeld reference. I’m still a geek. I’ve gotta point these things out.)

On the subject of classical music, there’s a recording of Carmen with Franco Corelli, Leontyne Price, Mirella Freni, and Robert Merril, among the greatest tenor, sopranos*, and baritone of their generation. I don’t know off the top of my head whether three of them are singing at any one time, but they’re at least all on the same disc.

(Strangely, it’s not all that good a performance. A little too much superstardom in one room, I think.)

*Carmen is supposed to be a mezzo, but sometimes fame trumps proper casting.

[Uncommon_Sense]

@denquixote

Anything by the Texas Tornados (Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, Flaco Jiminez and Augie Meyers) or the Flatlanders (Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Joe Ely)

Also, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon and Edie Brickell have a great version of Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

Awesome song.
And yes to your other question. * You don’t have to call me darlin’* is also referred to as The greatest country and western song. The recordings I’ve heard Coe was not imitating the other guys but I suppose there might be versions like that out there. Actually my sources tell me that only Merle and Charlie recorded that with David, Waylon was not mention in the credits, although it sounded like he sang at least that one verse in the song.

[Horatio_Hellpop]

Are you familiar with Stay Awake? It’s a compilation of Disney songs by edgy artsy types circa 1989 (as opposed to Simply Mad About the Mouse, which had commercial heavyweights of the day, like Billy Joel and Amy Grant. Much less cool.) It had a version of “Little April Showers” by Michael Stipe, Natalie Merchant and the Roches.

“Barbara Ann” by the Beach Boys had guest vocals by Jan and Dean. With Brian Wilson, that makes three.

[cmkeller]

The cover by Lady Marmalade sung by Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Mya and Li’l Kim.

[Sean_Factotum]

“Common People” has William Shatner, Ben Folds and Joe Jackson on vocals. (Folds is background, but still in there.)

[Max_Torque]

I have a version of “My Back Pages” that includes Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, George Harrison, and Tom Petty.

[I_m_No_Saint]

‘All For Love’ had Sting, Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams.

Man, I used to love that song.

[whole_bean]

@Uncommon Sense

• You don’t have to call me darlin’* is also referred to as The greatest country and western song. The recordings I’ve heard Coe was not imitating the other guys but I suppose there might be versions like that out there. Actually my sources tell me that only Merle and Charlie recorded that with David, Waylon was not mention in the credits, although it sounded like he sang at least that one verse in the song.

The name of the song is “You Never Even Call Me By My Name.” Part of the parody of the song is the whole “greatest country and western song” bit, but that’s not its title. I’d love to see a cite for a recording with Coe, Haggard and Charlie Pride. I am pretty sure every version you’ve heard had Coe doing all the “parts,” again it’s a parody song. And Coe likes to say his name in the company of greats.