This month’s playlist is all about uncredited guest vocalists. As in, songs released by bands and artists that feature another artist who doesn’t get a credit on the cover. Whilst collaborations are common in pop music – look at all the artists that have recorded with Ed Sheeran, for example – sometimes, the collaborating artist only receives a minor credit in the small print, if at all. That may be because the song was released before they were famous in their own right, due to contractual issues, or they may choose a pseudonym.
As usual, you can follow along with the playlist on Spotify.
- “Wrap Her Up” by Elton John (featuring George Michael and Kiki Dee). Nowadays, George Michael is credited on Spotify, in this song where he sings in falsetto all the way through. However, Bradford’s own Kiki Dee, who famously collaborated with Elton on Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, doesn’t receive the same billing.
- “Danger! High Voltage” by Electric Six (featuring Jack White). In the music video for this song, it’s presented as a duet between Electric Six’s lead singer, Dick Valentine, and the English actress Tina Kanarek. She doesn’t actually sing the vocals, however – they’re provided by Jack White, from the band The White Stripes, again in falsetto.
- “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M. (featuring Kate Pierson). It was listening to this song which prompted me to create this playlist, as R.E.M. is an all-male band. The female vocals are from Kate Pierson, better known as the female vocalist in the band The B52s.
- “Got Your Money” by ODB (featuring Kelis). Like with Wrap Her Up above, Kelis is now credited on Spotify, but she wasn’t at the time. This was released shortly before her debut single, and so she was a relative unknown back then.
- “The Opera Song” by Jurgen Vries featuring CMC. Two pseudonyms here – Jurgen Vries is one of the many names used by Darren Tate (along with Angelic, DT8 Project, Citizen Caned and being one half of KOTA). CMC is a pseudonym used by Charlotte Church, who at the time was only a singer of classical music – her pop album, Tissues and Issues, had yet to be released.
- “The Gathering” by Delain (featuring Marko Hietala). Marko popped up a few times in last month’s symphonic metal covers playlist, and here he is again, uncredited on this single from Delain’s first album. He’s subsequently collaborated on several other Delain songs, including Sing To Me and Your Body Is A Battleground, where he is credited.
- “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence (featuring Paul McCoy). I’ve mentioned in a previous playlist how the male vocal part was added to this song at the insistence of the record label; they’re not in the original demo version, or the re-recorded version from 2017. Paul McCoy, from the band 12 Stones, provides the additional vocals.
- “Just Around The Hill” by Sash! (featuring Tina Cousins). Sash! are no strangers to collaborations, with most of their singles featuring credited guest vocalists. Just Around The Hill was their first attempt at a ballad, rather than the Eurodance that they were better known for, and features vocals from Tina Cousins who wasn’t credited on the cover. Which is odd, as she previously collaborated with Sash! on Mysterious Times, their sixth single, where she was credited.
- “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by The Righteous Brothers (featuring Cher). Way back at the beginning of her music career, over 60 years ago, Cher recorded backing vocals for this song before she was well-known in her own right.
- “Killer” by Adamski (featuring Seal). Nowadays, Seal is credited on Spotify, but at release in 1990 he wasn’t, as this was before he was established as an act in his own right. Seal later recorded his own version of the song for his 1991 debut album. ATB covered Killer in 2000, and that version also has uncredited vocals from Drue Williams (who, to be fair, isn’t famous enough to have his own Wikipedia page).
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