Some collaborations make total sense, and some will leave you scratching your head wondering “how did that happen?” Here are three collaborations in classic rock that may fall into that latter category, depending on your view of things.
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Cher and Meat Loaf
In 1981, Meat Loaf released his second album, Dead Ringer, which included a collaboration with Cher. “Dead Ringer For Love” was originally the theme for the short-lived sitcom Delta House. However, writer Jim Steinman reworked it into a song for Meat Loaf, using the melody for “Dead Ringer For Love” and other lyrics for a song from the Streets Of Fire soundtrack.
While Cher and Meat Loaf performed the song together in the music video, they never sang it together live. Still, Meat Loaf often played the song at his concerts, while Cher never did. Dead Ringer wasn’t as successful an album as Bat Out Of Hell from 1977, or the subsequent sequels to Bat Out Of Hell, but it still contained that wonderfully bizarre collaboration.
Tina Turner and Frank Zappa
You wouldn’t immediately think of Tina Turner and Frank Zappa collaborating on an album together, but in 1973, they did just that. At this time, Turner was still performing with The Ikettes under the rule of husband Ike Turner. While this may have been one of the more precarious times in Turner’s life, she was still determined to perform at the top of her game for this collaboration.
Tina Turner and The Ikettes sang back-up on Zappa’s album Over-Nite Sensation. Zappa later shared some insights into those recording sessions, recalling Tina’s vocal skill, warmth, and graciousness. He also noted the overbearing relationship between Tina and Ike.
“I don’t know how she managed to stick with that guy for so long,” Zappa once admitted. “He treated her terribly and she’s a really nice lady.”
David Bowie and Steeleye Span
In 1974, Steeleye Span released the album Now We Are Six, which included an interesting collaboration. First, the band decided to employ a full-time drummer, recruiting Nigel Pegrum. His addition partly inspired the album’s title, as the band had grown to six members.
The interesting collaboration stemmed from Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, who produced the album. Anderson didn’t do much supervising of the album’s inception, but he did invite David Bowie to feature. However, Bowie didn’t provide backing vocals; he played the saxophone instead.
Bowie played the alto sax on the track “To Know Him Is To Love Him.” This was a cover of a Phil Spector song originally recorded by The Teddy Bears. In 1987, country trio Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt covered it as well, notably without David Bowie’s saxophone prowess.
Photo by Martina Raddatz/Redferns
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