Musical collaborations help artists take their songs to a new level they might not have been able to achieve alone, and these classic rock features where the guest artist steals the show are no exceptions.
Videos by American Songwriter
Collabs distribute creative weight and bring fresh ideas to the table. Sometimes, these musical mash-ups help elevate an artist whose celebrity pales in comparison to the track’s headliner. Simply put, they’re a wealth of musical innovation, community, and plain good music.
Here are some of our favorites.
Merry Clayton in “Gimme Shelter”
We’d like to humbly argue that at no point in Mick Jagger’s decades-long career as the Rolling Stones frontman did he ever produce a vocal take with as much pain, power, and presence as Merry Clayton in “Gimme Shelter.” (And frankly, we’d guess that Jagger would agree.) Her intensely emotional vocal delivery added a whole new layer to the Stones’ 1969 track from Let It Bleed. Even more amazingly, Clayton managed to get these iconic takes in only a couple of passes during an impromptu recording session in the middle of the night, pregnant, with curlers still in her hair.
Roy Harper in “Have a Cigar”
When Roger Waters first presented “Have a Cigar” to Pink Floyd for inclusion on Wish You Were Here, guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour couldn’t relate to the sardonic lyrics enough to sing lead. The melody was out of Waters’ vocal range, so they had to implement a guest feature for their iconic rock song. They employed vocalist Roy Harper, who brought an even more tongue-in-cheek cynicism to the track. Waters later expressed regret for not trying to sing it himself, saying that Harper turned the track into more of a parody than he intended. Nevertheless, we’d say the song’s credibility stands.
John Lennon in “Fame”
John Lennon might not have been singing lead vocals on David Bowie’s 1975 track, “Fame,” but it’s certainly a feature worth remembering. Lennon served as a co-vocalist during his guest artist spot on the rock-funk fusion track, contributing the earworm shouts of “fame” behind Bowie’s powerful vocal delivery. “He was probably one of the brightest, quickest-witted, earnestly socialist men I’ve ever met in my life, the “Ziggy Stardust” rock star said of his guest artist. “And a really spiteful sense of humor, which, of course, being English, I adored. I just thought we’d be buddies forever and get on better.”
Eddie Van Halen in “Beat It”
Imagine the song “Beat It” by Michael Jackson. Some people will imagine Jackson singing the distinct chorus. Others will rightfully recall the ripping guitar solos that permeate the pop-rock track. Eddie Van Halen lent his rock chops as a guest artist on Jackson’s 1982 record, and the result was highly effective. Interestingly, Eddie’s decision to be a guest artist on Jackson’s transition into rock music angered his brother, Alex Van Halen, who thought it would distract Eddie from their band, Van Halen. And while it very well might have, we did get a highly memorable and fun guitar riff out of it.
Eric Clapton in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
Given how insular the Beatles tended to be with their recording process, even rejecting fellow band members’ compositions in favor of John Lennon and Paul McCartney songs, it’s surprising that the Fab Four would have approved having another bigwig guitarist in the studio while they tracked. But “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was a George Harrison composition, and Harrison wanted friend and colleague Eric Clapton to come on as a guest artist for the slow rock ballad. Another bonus of Clapton’s presence in the studio, Harrison would later say, is that it kept the other Beatles on their best behavior.
Stevie Nicks in “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”
The final track in our “best guest artist on a rock song” list needs a minor asterisk. Stevie Nicks’ “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” appeared on her solo debut, Bella Donna, from 1980. But before it was her song, it was a song that Tom Petty considered recording long enough to cut a rough demo with a scratch vocal. After Petty scrapped the song, Nicks took a stab at it, keeping Petty’s vocals on the tape and turning it into the iconic rock ‘n’ roll duet we know it as today. Petty wasn’t sold at first, but the song’s success speaks for itself.
Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images
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