I was listening to my tunes the other day and this song came up:
I’m not thinking supergroups or disparate people who get together all the time (think Rat Pack), but one-offs — probably just a song or two, but maybe an album or live performance.
In no particular order– and in addition to Iggy Pop and Kate Pierson of The B-52s on Candy — I’ll add
2. Michael Jackson and Eddie Van Halen on “Beat It” — off of Thriller (and in Texas Stadium on the Victory Tour)
3. Eric Clapton and The Beatles on While My Guitar Gently Weeps — the “White” album
4. Bono and The Corrs — Summer Wine — VH-1
5. Lindsey Buckingham with Little Big Town from CMT’s Country Crossroads — a GREAT show doing Not Too Late — great picking and great harmonies. Little Big Town is like a country Fleetwood Mac.
Honorable Mention to U2 and Johnny Cash on The Wanderer from Zooropa.
Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits and Gordon Sumner on “Money for Nothing” and then Knopfler with “Weird Al” Yankovic on “Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies”.
Frank Zappa and John Lennon in “Playground Psychotics”. Stuff left out of the “Live at the Fillmore East” album. At the end you get the a six minute track titled “A Small Eternity With Yoko Ono”, featuring hecklers yelling “get off the stage” and similar compliments.
Love the Pierson with the Igster (she was everywhere in a good way ’round that time, “Shiny Happy People” notwithstanding — but, oh, “Me in Honey”) and also seconding Michael & Eddie. Mine’d go a little somethin’ like this…
Hank Williams III with ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons on Trashville, from the album Lovesick, Broke and Driftin’
INXS & Ray Charles — “Please (You Got That)”
Foo Fighters w/John Paul Jones & Jimmy Page — “Rock and Roll” (they did not also perform “Ramble On,” did NOT)
Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings & Kris Kristofferson — The Highwaymen
Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos — Talk Is Cheap, AKA best Stones album of the 80s
Honorable Mention: Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott guesting on Ron Wood’s “Always Wanted More,” from Slide on This, AKA the best Stones album of the 90s; Queen & David Bowie — “Under Pressure”; Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes
You mean this one wasn’t on the list?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaZCZnmdmbA
What about The Traveling Wilburys? George Harrison, from some crappy 60s hippie-crap band I’d never heard of; Jeff Lynn from the best non-punk band of the 70s: ELO; Roy Orbison (Elvis’ favorite singer), Tom Petty (Of Mudcrutch, and some other band called “The Heartbreakers” that I’ve never heard of); and a homeless-lookin’ dude named “Bob Zimmerman.” Also, though not famous in his own right, uber-session drummer Jim Keltner.
then there’s “The Firm” with…oh, wait, you just want vocal duets, not supergroups. Got it. Uhm…Bowie and Crosby? Bowie and Queen/Freddy Mercury. I’m told that they found a ton of Freddy Mercury/Michael Jackson duets in MJ’s vault when he died, I’d *love* to hear some of those. Petty/Stevie Nicks. And this one always kills me, particularly in the hard part where Ozzy makes the “Ozzy Face.” That always cracks me up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loyTCkV06xQ
Jeff Lynne’s inclusion in the Wilburys ultimately kept them off my list, R3. Do loves me some Firm, though.
Freddie Mercury & David Bowie, “Under Pressure”
Jagger & Bowie, “Dancing in the Streets”
Stevie Nicks & Don Henley, “Leather and Lace”
Carly Simon & James Taylor, “Mockingbird”
George Michael & Aretha Franklin, “Knew You Were Waiting”
I mentioned the video for Jagger & Bowie, “Dancing in the Streets” in my comment above…the cheesy video automatically removes it from contention for any list except gayest performance by a rocker not named Freddie Mercury.
Strong contender in this category…
Chicago & The Beach Boys, “Wishing You Were Here”
Buck Owens & Dwight Yoakam, “The Streets Of Bakersfield”
Mark Knopfler & Gerry Rafferty, “The Way It Always Starts”
The Supremes & The Temptations, “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”
Tony Bennett & k.d. lang, A Wonderful World
Hon. Mention: Elton John & The Beach Boys, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
Floyd, I surely do loves me some Lindsey Buckingham. What a unique guitar playing style, what a songwriter, and what a producer.
Wankette, I loved your choice of Carly & James singing “Mockingbird.” Vivid memories of me and my high school chums on a break from musical rehearsals, driving to the convenience store for chips and soda, and listening to this on the radio.
One of my favs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ynkQt8NLYY
I’m pretty sure Neil didn’t mean that song to have the same meaning that I give to it.
I know I have a “kinder, gentler machine-gun hand.” Keep on rockin’ in the free world!
I had a similar one on SWAT. I like our version.
Aerosmith & Run DMC – Walk This Way
Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
Johnny Cash & Hank Williams – I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry