Famous People Playing "Under the Radar" On Other Bands' Hits

There are other threads where we've talked about this before, for sure...but, frankly, I don't care.

Besides, I'm more interested in finding the lesser known "nuggets"...people who are famous on their own who play significant parts on other people's famous tracks. Like...

Leon Russell playing the piano on Badfinger's "Day After Day"
Peter Frampton playing guitar on Harry Nilsson's "Spaceman"

We all know Clapton played on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", but can you name some less talked-about instances of stars playing "under the radar" on other stars' hits?

 

John Lennon guitar on David Bowie's Fame
Dean Torrence lead vocals on Beach Boys Barbara Ann

One I just learned about ... John Sebastian playing harmonica on The Doors Roadhouse Blues

 

Russell and Frampton (esp. Russell) both did a lot of studio/freelance work before (and after) they were famous in their own right.

 

Walter Egan - Magnet & Steel features Buckingham/Nicks

John Stewart - Gold also features Buckingham/Nicks

 

I read somewhere that Joe Satriani is one of the background singers on "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House.

Brian May takes a solo on Black Sabbath's "When Death Calls".

 

"My Dark Hour" on Steve Miller's "Brave New World", when Paul McCartney perfomed as 'Paul Ramon'..one of his aliases in hotels..which The Ramones later pinched?

 

Cool!

 

Is true. Also Richard Thompson guitar solo on "Sister Madly" by Crowded House

 

In remberance:
Michael Jackson singing background vocals on Joe "King" Carrasco's Synapse Gap album.

 

And what's interesting about that song is that Paul is playing drums!

 

Although it wasn't a hit, Jackson Browne's "Redneck Friend" features Elton John on piano, credited as Rockaday Johnny.

 

Very cool, I never knew that. John Sebastian just doesn't seem like the type of guy to be hanging out with The Doors.

 

Great one!

Elvis Costello sings a few lines on Squeeze's "Tempted"...

 

Sometimes The Doors didn't seem like the types of guys to be hanging out with The Doors.

 

Very true!

By the way ....... very interesting thread idea, Mark. I hope there are lots of contributions.
I know I'll be thinking about it & see what I can come up with. One thing, though. You mention the word "hits" in your thread title. That's gonna make it quite a bit tougher. Do you prefer to keep it very well known songs, or pretty much anything at all. I'll be honest, I've never heard of a couple of the songs already mentioned.

 

Lou Reed singing on Simple Minds' This is your land

 

I think it was more that they had the same producer Paul Rothchild who brought Sebastian in for the gig.

Didn't Michael Jackson claim in an interview that he sang backups on a lot of the Doobie Brothers hits. I did find his claim doobious at best but who knows ...

 

According to Densmore's book Sebastian asked to be billed under a pseudonym because the Doors weren't "hip" at that time.

Sebastian also played on CSNY's "Deja Vu" and, later, on Laura Nyro's album Nested.

 

He and Paul Young sing backing vocals on "Black Coffee In Bed."

 

although he played on many releases as a guest, jerry garcia on brewer and shipley's one toke over the line and david bromberg's demon is disguise always come to mind.

 

Bruce Springsteen sings backup on the title song of Lou Reed's Street Hassle
Jackson Browne, Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison play on Nico's Chelsea Girl

 

Eddie Van Halen playing guitar solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It"

Jack White singing backing vocals on Electric Six's song "Danger! High Voltage!"

 

Billy Joel (piano), Clarence Clemons(sax), Brian Setzer(guitar solo) and Alice Cooper(co-lead vocals) on Twisted Sister's "Be Chrool To Your Scuel"

 

Prince playing synths on Stevie Nicks's "Stand Back".

Michael Jackson singing the memorable chorus on Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me".

 

Robert Fripp - guitar solo Blondie's "Fade Away and Radiate"

Joe Lynn Turner - backing vocals on Cher's self-titled album, Bonnie Tyler's "Notes From Amercia" album and Lita Ford's "Dangerous Curves" album

Paul Stanley: backing vocals on Robin Beck's "Trouble or Nothin" and House Of Lord's "Johnny's Got A Mind of His Own" off the "Demons Down" album