Brian as backing vocalist/duet partner - a growing list?

[The Shift]

Someone on another board posted the following list of Brian's work as either a duet partner or backing vocalist on other folks' recordings. I've added several more to the list, taking additions particularly from Andrew G. Does list of guest appearances, over on the Bellagio site (http://www.btinternet.com/~bellagio/guesting.html).

I love Brian's backing vocals on so many of these tracks and it's surprising how busy this "reclusive rock genius" has been over the years. But how many others are out there? Can anyone add to the list?

Some of these, I know, might not merit much listening as on Sakamoto's We Love You -  I can't recall being able to hear Brian in the mix at all - but some others such really be regarded part of his tremendous contributions to listenable music. Love his contributions to the Richard Ashcroft and Neil Diamond tracks, for example.

Maybe Capital can put out a 2/3CD compilation of this kind of work (though I suspect there's more chance of ESQ getting there first! You listening David?!?!?!?)

Anton Fig - Hand On My Shoulder (with Brian Wilson)
Belinda Carlisle - California (with Brian Wilson)
Bill Medley - In My Room (with Brian Wilson)
Brian Setzer - Little Deuce Coupe (with Brian Wilson)
Brian Wilson - A Friend Like You (featuring Paul McCartney)
Brian Wilson - Don't Worry Baby (featuring Carnie & Wendy Wilson)
Brian Wilson - How Could We Still Be Dancin' (featuring Elton John on Lead)
Brian Wilson - I'm Into Something Good (featuring Carole King)
Brian Wilson - In My Moondreams (featuring Andy Paley)
Brian Wilson - Soul Searchin' (featuring Carl Wilson on Lead)
Brian Wilson - The Spirit of Rock n' Roll (with Bob Dylan) (unreleased)
California Music - Jamaica Farewell (with Brian Wilson)
California Music - Why Do Fools Fall in Love (with Brian Wilson)
Carnie Wilson - Heaven (with Brian Wilson)
Carnie Wilson - Your Are So Beautiful (with Brian Wilson)
Celebration - Almost Summer (with Brian Wilson)
Eric Carmen - She Did It (with Brian WIlson)
Eric Carmen - Hey Deanie (with Brian WIlson)
Jacky de Shannon - Boat to Sail (with Brian WIlson)
Jan & Dean - Deadman's Curve (LP version) (with Brian Wilson)
Jan & Dean - Drag City (with Brian Wilson)
Jan & Dean - Surf City (with Brian Wilson)
Jan & Dean - Vegetables (with Brian Wilson)
Jan & Dean - (When Summer Comes) Get A Chance With You (with Brian Wilson)
Jan & Dean - Ride The Wild Surf
Jan & Dean - Audio Montage #3 (featuring Brian Wilson)
Jan Berry - Don't You Just Know it
Jeffrey Foskett & Brian Wilson - Everything I Need
Johnny Rivers - Help Me Rhonda (with Brian Wilson)
Linda Ronstadt - Adios (with Brian Wilson)
Mike Love - Be My Baby (with Brian WIlson)
Nancy Sinatra - California Girls (with Brian Wilson)
Neil Diamond - Delirious Love (with Brian Wilson)
One World Project - Grief Never Grows Old (inc. Brian WIlson)
Paul Schaeffer - Metal Beach (with Brian WIlson)
Pink Lady - Surfin' Pirates (with Brian WIlson)
Richard Ashcroft - Nature is the Law (with Brian Wilson)
Ringo Starr - In A Heartbeat (with Brian Wilson)
Ringo Starr - Without Understanding (with Brian Wilson)
Rob Wasserman - Fantasy Is Reality/Bells of Madness   (with Brian Wilson and Carnie Wilson)   
Ronnie Spector - I Can Hear Music (with Brian Wilson)
Ryuichi Sakamoto - We Love You (with Brian Wilson)
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Calling From Tokyo (with Brian Wilson)
Scott Bennett & The Dotted Line - No Wrong Notes in Heaven (with Brian Wilson)
Spongebob Square Pants & Patrick, Sandy, Mr Krabs and Plankton - Doin' The Krabby Patty (with Brian Wilson)
Steve Dahl & the Dahlfins - Net Surfin' (with Brian Wilson)
Styx - Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hand) (with Brian Wilson
Tammy Wynette - In My Room (with Brian Wilson)
Taylor Mills - Raven (with Brian Wilson)
Taylor Mills  - Cradle Me (with Brian Wilson)
Tim Curry - Just 14 (with Brian Wilson)
Timers - No-Go Showboat (with Brian Wilson)
Various Artists - Spirit Of The Forest (inc. Brian Wilson)
Wilson-Phillips - In My Room (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - Everything I Need (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - Miracle (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - Monday Without You (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - TiI I Die (with Brian Wilson)
Wondermints - Ride (with Brian Wilson)
Wondermints - So Nice (with Brian Wilson)

[Roger Ryan]

You could add the various Spring/American Spring tracks, right? Also, there's Laughing Gravy's cover of "Vegetables". Technically, "In My Moondreams" was released as "Brian Wilson & Andy Paley" so that would be a collaboration as well.

[smile-holland]

Ronnie Spector: I Can Hear Music
Jacky de Shannon: Boat To Sail
Tim Curry: Just 14

and the clasic of all classics:   
Spongebob: Doin' The Krabby Patty

[Emdeeh]

Scott Bennett -- No Wrong Notes in Heaven

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian's not on the Laughing Gravy version of "Vegetables", but he is on the Jan & Dean (in reality only Dean) version.

Also -

California Music - Why Do Fools Fall in Love
Jan Berry - Don't You Just Know it
Jan & Dean - Surf City, Deadman's Curve (LP version), Drag City
Johnny Rivers - Help me Rhonda
Pink Lady - Surfin' Pirates
Timers - No-Go Showboat
various - Spirit Of The Forest


... and a whole lot more. :-)

[Smilin Ed H]

Which tracks does he contribute his vocals to on the two Celebration albums?  Anything apart from Almost Summer?  Are Carl and Al on any of these tracks?  Sounds like Carl on the bvs for Country Pie...

[GoofyJeff]

It's been a while since I've listened to it, but there was a cover by Carnie and Wendy of "Dont Worry Baby" that was an iTunes bonus track for GIOMH.  I don't recall if BW was on that one or not, though I would assume he was.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Which tracks does he contribute his vocals to on the two Celebration albums?  Anything apart from Almost Summer?  Are Carl and Al on any of these tracks?  Sounds like Carl on the bvs for Country Pie...

Brian's allegedly on "Almost Summer", nothing else. I can't prove it, but my spider senses tell me that Carl's on both "Country Pie" and "How's About A Little Bit".

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Carl WAS  on "How's about a little bit". Actually, didn't that start off as a BB song? Same which Country Pie.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Hang on, I'll just check...

Yup, says so on my website, so it must be true. 

[Wilsonista]

Scott Bennett -- No Wrong Notes in Heaven

Wee Helper already listed that one.

[Mark A. Moore]

Jan & Dean - Ride the Wild Surf

The bonus track on our Jan Berry trbute album (Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1) featuring Jan and Brian interacting in the studio is from a "Ride the Wild Surf" session in 1964.

Track #28. Audio Montage #3 — Jan & Dean — Featuring Brian Wilson and Others (Warning: Strong Language)

M.

[Smilin Ed H]

Thanks 

While you're here, Mark, do you know if Dean sang on any of the Celebration stuff (apart from joining them live)?

[Mark A. Moore]

Thanks 

While you're here, Mark, do you know if Dean sang on any of the Celebration stuff (apart from joining them live)?

I don't know about Dean singing, but I do know he designed the Celebration album cover.

M.

[TonyW]

Bob Dylan: The Spirit of Rock'n'Roll

[The Shift]

Scott Bennett -- No Wrong Notes in Heaven

Wee Helper already listed that one.

Nope, Emdeeh's right, I'd got it down under the album name, not the artist... apols, Scott!

[The Shift]

You could add the various Spring/American Spring tracks, right? Also, there's Laughing Gravy's cover of "Vegetables". Technically, "In My Moondreams" was released as "Brian Wilson & Andy Paley" so that would be a collaboration as well.

Not sure which of the Spring/AS tracks BW actually sings on, ... does Paley sing on Moondreams?

[adamghost]

I thought Eric Carmen has denied that he used Brian on "She Did It."  And I never heard that he was on "Hey Deanie" at all (as opposed to being mixed out, as on SDI).

[The Shift]

I' e amended the list at the top of the thread taking into account everyone's contributions, many thanks all!

Anyone know what Spring/American Spring tracks Brian contributed vocally to?

And I'm sure there'll be a million Jan & Dean tracks he's on somewhere..

I'd intended the list to be either duets or those tracks on which Brian is the sole backing vocalist, but what the heck, it gets bigger and better every day.

Post any amendments/corrections/additions, and I'll amend/correct/add to the list accordingly.

Thanks again!

PS -  The Krabby Patty song sounds great fun! Much better than the Speed Turtle track I heard recently...

[Andrew G. Doe]

I thought Eric Carmen has denied that he used Brian on "She Did It."  And I never heard that he was on "Hey Deanie" at all (as opposed to being mixed out, as on SDI).

Both song's vocals were cut at the same session. Carmen & Bruce have denied he's on the released version as his performance was well below par. But Curt Becher, who was also at the session, says he's on the released tracks, albeit mixed way down. Go figure.

Thing is, in 1977/8 interview (pretty sure it was a Brian Wilson issue of Phonograph Record Magazine), Carmen stated that Brian was on the session (after Carl couldn't make it) and that he performed well. Go figure part 2.

[Smilin Ed H]

Thanks, Mark

[mrski]

What about "My Stingray" by The Four Speeds, one of Gary Usher early groups...? I've read that Brian sings on this although maybe this is yet to be 100% confirmed...

[Andrew G. Doe]

What about "My Stingray" by The Four Speeds, one of Gary Usher early groups...? I've read that Brian sings on this although maybe this is yet to be 100% confirmed...

Someone's mis-remembering and conflating. Dennis drums on the Four Speeds single "My Sting Ray/RPM", and with Carl, contributes to the Tri-Five single "Come And get It/Like Chop", which Brian was once rumored be on as well.

[Wilsonista]

Scott Bennett -- No Wrong Notes in Heaven

Wee Helper already listed that one.

Nope, Emdeeh's right, I'd got it down under the album name, not the artist... apols, Scott!

Not quite.  The album name IS the name of the artist - Dotted Line was  a band name of Scott's a la Derek and the Dominos.

[Aegir]

The ESQ CD credits it to Scott Bennett.