Valentines and uncredited cameos and so on

 

Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, and Kim Carnes record "We Are The World"

Unless you were really able to tune it out, you probably know yesterday was Valentine's Day.

And, in a related story, I didn't concern myself with it too much and the world kept spinning.

Don't misunderstand me. I wished a happy one to those with who I wanted to share such sentiment, but overall, it can be easy for V-Day to feel 1) vastly overrated and 2) a ton of pressure about it.

Furthermore, don't read this as a commentary about being a romantic. Oh, I'm a sap, quite honestly. That being said, my style doesn't have to be flashy. 

I'm also not denouncing Valentine's Day. I think that depends on if there's a special person and their own style. 

But I feel sad for those who feel lost or lonely or minimized on Valentine's Day. There's enough pressure in this world that V-Day can really be a drag and I guess I'm content that I felt the love of those who care about me.

So, I guess what I'm saying is I sort of felt I had a healthy approach to it for 2021. It was low-key. Maybe 2022 will be different.

I guess I'm also saying to those who felt such feelings that there are people who understand and that Valentine's Day is not some end all be all thing. 

*****

I was talking with a friend (OK, it was Susan) who popped an idea into my head for a topic for today's show to mix it up in the non-sports department.

Basically, come up with uncredited and/or secret and offbeat cameos on various songs. The obvious ones are things like Mick Jagger singing backup on "You're So Vain" for Carly Simon and Eric Clapton playing guitar on "Whily My Guitar Gently Weeps."

When it came time for the show, I brain locked and somehow forgot Eddie Van Halen on "Beat It." 

There are other fun ones, like Paul McCartney singing spontaneously, and sounding like a kazoo, on Ringo's "You're 16." Harry Nilsson and a few other lads name John Lennon and George Harrison also show up on that same album.

Harrison also shows up on Badge, working with Eric Clapton and Cream.

There's Stevie Wonder on Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call it The Blues" and Chaka Kahn's "I Feel For You."

While doing some research on this, I discovered it was Paul Weller -- and not Noel Gallagher -- who played the mid-song guitar solo on "Champagne Supernova."

And I could do a whole collection of Beatles appearances, like John Lennon on "Fame" with David Bowie.

Some of these might have been uncredited at the time and are so well-known now that we've forgotten or we simply thought they were.

And sometimes, you don't need to read the liner notes to confirm if it was credited or uncredited. Honestly, did you not immediately recognize Phil Collins just from his drumming on "No One Is To Blame" by Howard Jones, or was his backup vocal enough to cement it?

With little to no fanfare, both Joni Mitchell and James Taylor helped out on Carole King's Tapestry album. King and Taylor eventually performed the song together in concert.

Oh, there are others, and I suppose I'm going to throw it out to you to come up with those that I forgot or just didn't mention.

I guess where I'm struggling is there are those songs -- actual duets -- that are known. "Code of Silence" on Billy Joel's The Bridge album is a duet with Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis plays harmonica and sings backup on a couple of things, including "Down The Road Tonight" by Bruce Hornsby and the Range. I'll admit I bought that album as soon as I found out that fact about the latter.

So, have at it, friends. Duet with me -- uncredited or otherwise -- as we compile this collection of songs.

And why did I use that picture of Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, and Kim Carnes? Because I could, I guess.