Elton John‘s catalog is robust enough. He certainly didn’t have to take on any side projects or feature slots. Nevertheless, John has made it a point to collaborate with his fellow artists. Moreover, there might be even more John features than his casual listeners realize.
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With a very close friend of mine
But let me clue you in, it ain’t like him
To argue or pretend
Honey let me introduce you to my redneck friend
In 1973, Jackson Browne shared a song titled “Red Neck Friend.” The track saw Browne let loose with his lover and lean into a fun-loving country persona. We’re going to forget all about the battle / It’s gonna feel so fine…Honey let me introduce you to my redneck friend, he sings.
Hidden behind Browne’s signature, easy-breezy musicality is a jaunty piano riff–courtesy of John. John flexes his prowess on his instrument, as well as his affinity for classic rockabilly songs. Despite his indelible contribution, the “Rocketman” singer isn’t credited as a featured artist on this track. Instead, his part was credited to the pseudonym “Rockaday Johnny.”
Well they’ve got a little list of all those things
Of which they don’t approve
Well they’ve got to keep their eyes on you
Or you might make your move
Word on the street is, John didn’t exactly have the right permits to be recording in America. But, John was and is a rockstar of the highest order. He certainly didn’t let little things like work permits slow him down–which is lucky for us, given how stellar the piano line in this song is.
John wasn’t the only artist to get a feature on this track. Also in the mix are Glenn Frey and Browne’s go-to guitarist David Lindley. Needless to say, “Red Neck Friend” is a powerful amalgamation of talent. Revisit the track, below.
(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation)
