It’s always a treat when rock songs feature a few famous guests, either via vocals or some other contribution. However, there are a ton of songs out there that secretly feature famous musicians… and a few of them might just surprise you.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “With A Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Coker Features Jimmy Page
Before Jimmy Page became a major part of Led Zeppelin, he worked as a session and studio guitarist. We all gotta pay the bills, you know? He’s contributed to quite a few songs through the years, but the most surprising Jimmy Page Easter egg out there has to be his contribution to Joe Cocker’s next-level cover of a Beatles classic, “With A Little Help From My Friends”. Page’s guitar track can be heard in the song.
2. “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon Features Mick Jagger
Out of all the rock songs that feature famous guests on this list, “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon is on the more obvious side. After all, The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger has a pretty distinct voice that’s hard to miss. Jagger contributes some backing vocals to the song, though he was originally uncredited.
Simon said that Jagger called her studio the day they were recording the track, and she asked him to stop by and sing. Surprisingly, he obliged.
3. “Leave A Light On” by Belinda Carlisle Features George Harrison
The Beatles have a tendency to show up in the most random songs. In one example, George Harrison once provided a guitar track to Belinda Carlisle’s hit 1989 song “Leave A Light On”.
It’s not abundantly clear why Harrison decided to collaborate with Carlisle, but Harrison’s widow once said that he simply enjoyed the way Carlisle sang. Allegedly, he got a nasty blister from recording this guitar track.
4. “Walking A Line” by Foo Fighters Features Krist Novoselic
When Nirvana came to an end after the death of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl wanted Krist Novoselic to join Foo Fighters. Afraid that it would cause discomfort among the other members, that partnership never came to fruition. However, “Walking A Line” makes our list of rock songs featuring famous guests with the rare addition of Novoselic’s vocals. You’ll have to listen very closely, though. Novoselic’s voice gets a bit lost in the mix.
Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
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