Uncredited background singer

Uncredited background vocals are common in music, including popular music, even when the unnamed performer adds significantly to the performance. It is uncommon for background singers to be credited. Usually credit is withheld so as to highlight the performance of the lead artist and sometimes the extra singer simply happened to be in the studio. Unknown background singers may also come to prominence in later remixes or edits.

Significant uncredited background vocals appear in the following songs:

• John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles perform on the Rolling Stones' "We Love You".^[1]
• Brian Jones on the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine"
• "Roll with Me, Henry" by Etta James includes Richard Berry, author of "Louie Louie", performing the role of "Henry".^[2]
• Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me" has vocal responses by Lou Rawls matching Cooke word for word and note for note.^[3]
• Mick Jagger performs uncredited background vocals on Carly Simon's recording of "You're So Vain", which led to the apparently erroneous theory that the song was about Jagger.^[4]
• Howlin' Wolf sings uncredited on Koko Taylor's version of "Wang Dang Doodle", which Wolf had recorded previously.
• Jimmy Reed's wife, Mary "Mama" Reed, sings uncredited unison harmony on many of his songs, including two of his biggest hits, "Big Boss Man" and "Bright Lights, Big City".
• Dean Friedman's UK hit "Lucky Stars" features the uncredited Denise Marsa.^[5]
• Jonathan Richman's "The Neighbors" features Jody Ross.^[6]
• Andrew Gold's "Never Let Her Slip Away" features sparse harmony vocals from Freddie Mercury.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}
• Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" featured backing vocals by Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson.^[12]
• "Bad Blood" by Neil Sedaka features uncredited backing vocals by Elton John.^[13]
• Usher's "Superstar" feature uncredited vocals from Faith Evans.^[14]
• Paul McCartney can be heard as one of the background revellers on Donovan's 1966 "Mellow Yellow". (Contrary to popular belief, it is not McCartney whispering the "quite rightly" answering lines in the chorus, but rather Donovan himself).^[15]
• Babyface contributed uncredited background vocals on "Tears" by The Isley Brothers, a song he penned for them on their 1996 album Mission to Please.
• Mýa performs uncredited background vocals on "Get None", the debut single released by singer Tamar Braxton.^[16]
• Joe performed uncredited background vocals on SWV's single "Use Your Heart", although he was credited for vocal arrangement and vocal production on the song.^[17]
• Brandy sang uncredited background vocals on the remixed version of Luther Vandross' Nights in Harlem, which was remixed by the former's longtime associate Rodney Jerkins.
• Al B. Sure! contributed uncredited background vocals to Guy's song "You Can Call Me Crazy". According to producer Teddy Riley, the song was originally planned for Sure!'s debut album In Effect Mode but the song never made the final cut.^[18]
• Mint Condition frontman Stokley Williams performs uncredited background vocals on "The Curse Of The Gifted", from Wale's 2013 album The Gifted.^[19]
• Jamie Foxx performs uncredited vocals on Ariana Grande's 2015 single "Focus".^[20]
• Eric Roberson performs uncredited background vocals on Cam'ron's song "Tomorrow" from his 2002 album, Come Home with Me.^[21]

See also

• Cameo appearance

References

1. Walter Everett, The Beatles As Musicians, p.129
2. Nick Talevski, Knocking on Heaven's Door: Rock Obituaries, p.31
3. Talevski, p.535
4. Carly Simon.com
5. DeanFriedman.com
6. Wilson & Alroy Record Reviews
7. Sweeting, Adam. Andrew Gold obituary. The Guardian. June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
8. "Never Let Her Slip Away". Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s. BBC Radio 2. 5 Feb 2012.
9. O'Neal, Sean. R.I.P. Andrew Gold, songwriter of "Lonely Boy" and The Golden Girls theme. The A.V. Club. June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
10. Singer/Songwriter Andrew Gold Dies. Contactmusic. June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
11. Drive with Russell Woolf; Andrew Gold - Lonely Boy. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. June 16, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
12. Craig Halstead, Michael Jackson: the solo years, p.58
13. "Bad Blood Music Video" at ovguide.com
14. Ramirez, Erika. "Usher's 'Confessions' at 10: An Oral History with Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri & More". interview. billboard.com. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
15. "Mellow Yellow". Donovan Unofficial. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
16. "Revisiting the Overlooked Debut Album from Tamar Braxton, “Tamar” from 2000". youknowigotsoul.com. You Know I Got Soul. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
17. "SWV – Use Your Heart (The Remixes)". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
18. "Class Of ’88: GUY". interview. allhiphop.com. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
19. Phillips, Noel. "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STOKLEY WILLIAMS SPEAKS ON PRODUCING WALE’S "THE GIFTED" LP". interview. respect-mag.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
20. Goodman, Jessica. "Ariana Grande reveals Jamie Foxx's vocals are featured on 'Focus'". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
21. Whitener, Connie. "5 things you did not know about Eric Roberson". axs.com. AXS. Retrieved 2016-02-18.