This latest installment of Record Relays…
…the series featuring musical handoffs from one artist to another…
…offers a little something for everyone.
- Pop?
- Country?
- R&B?
- Hip-hop?
They’re all on the menu.
Bring your appetite! Let’s start with:
Timbaland and Katy Perry
“If We Ever Meet Again”
In 2009, one of the top producer/artists of the aughts teamed up with the rising pop princess for this track from the CD “Shock Value II.” This Top 40 track is a solid collaboration, though not nearly as big as Timbaland’s work with other artists or Perry’s next chart hit …
Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg
“California Gurls”
This smash topped the Hot 100 for six weeks in summer 2010. This leadoff single from the “Teenage Dream” CD was a fun bop with Snoop’s guest rap providing just enough sizzle to keep it on the airwaves all season.
(Too bad the company that owns the rights to the Beach Boys’ “California Girls” forced the edit that dropped Snoop’s concluding quote. It was a nice call-out.)
Angie Stone and Snoop Dogg
“I Wanna Thank Ya”
Angie Stone (who recently passed away) released a strong set of albums between 1999 and 2023 that escaped the pop radar.
This jam from her 2004 “Stone Love” CD interpolates DeBarge’s “All This Love” as well as Joyce Sims’ “Come Into My Life,” among other compositions. It went Top 25 adult R&B.
Angie Stone and Eddie Levert
“Rain Down”
This is from the soundtrack of 2003’s The Fighting Temptations, a musical comedy with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce in which Stone played a supporting role. This track is not available on Spotify, but you can hear it on YouTube:
Gerald Levert and Eddie Levert
“Already Missing You”
The O’Jays legend scored a No. 1 R&B hit in 1992 teaming up with his superstar son with “Baby Hold On to Me.” That led to the album “Father and Son” and this Top 10 R&B track. It peaked at No. 75 on the Hot 100.
Gerald Levert, Keith Sweat, and Johnny Gill
“My Body”
The formal name of this superstar trio was LSG. They recorded two albums together. This initial single from album one, Levert. Sweat. Gill went to No. 1 R&B and No. 4 pop in 1997.
After a bit, the chorus becomes monotonous, but the three leads give it more charisma than other R&B jams of that time (think, Next’s “Too Close”).
Johnny Gill and Jaheim
“5,000 Miles”
Gill’s 2014 solo album Game Changer featured this collaboration with Jaheim – like Angie Stone, a consistent 21st century R&B hitmaker whose crossover success was muted. This track is also YouTube-only:
Nelly and Jaheim
“My Place”
Jaheim’s biggest moment in the pop spotlight came as the guest on this Number 4 smash from Nelly’s 2004 Suit.
A 21st century update of Teddy Pendergrass’ “Come Go With Me,” it also quotes a DeBarge hit, this time, “I Like It.” (2004 evidently was DeBarge’s comeback year!) As big a hit as this was, Nelly’s next collaboration was even bigger.
Nelly and Tim McGraw
“Over and Over”
Who in 2003 would have predicted that Nelly would have a Top 3 pop hit with country singer Tim McGraw? This second single from Suit was a multiformat smash, going to No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythmic Top 40 charts and hitting the Top 20 on Adult Top 40.
Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Taylor Swift
“Highway Don’t Care”
This 2013 track unites McGraw with the chart phenomenon whose first hit was “Tim McGraw.” On lead guitar, Urban rises to the challenge of his vocal peers.
It went to No. 1 on country airplay, No. 4 on the overall country chart, and No. 22 on the Hot 100. If you haven’t seen the video, the storyline makes it worth a watch.
Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban and Kid Rock
“Lean on Me”
Bill Withers’ chart-topping chestnut, which returned to the top in Club Nouveau’s 1987 jammin’ update, hit the Hot 100’s Top 50 again in 2010 via this collaboration. It was performed as part of the “Hope for Haiti Now” concert for earthquake relief.
The track is not on Spotify, but here’s a video of that performance:
Sheryl Crow and Sting
“Always on Your Side”
From Crow’s 2005 CD “Wildflower,” the original version was a solo. But a duet single version became a hit, going top 15 on adult contemporary and hitting No. 33 on the Hot 100.
Sting and Shaggy
“Don’t Make Me Wait”
In 2018, Sting teamed up with Jamaican pop/reggae singer Shaggy for the CD 44/876. The lead-off single, it failed to chart, although its parent album went to No. 40 on Billboard’s album chart.
Shaggy and Janet Jackson
“Luv Me, Luv Me”
The 1998 soundtrack to the movie “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” provides this heated romp, with Janet singing the chorus of Rose Royce’s “Ooh Boy” and playfully stopping Shaggy from using a certain expletive…
Janet Jackson and Carly Simon
“Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)
… The same expletive she uses in this track from her 2000 CD “All for You.” Referencing Simon’s 1973 chart-topper “You’re So Vain,” this song doesn’t merely sample it; Janet invited Carly to re-record and build on her previous work.
It’s hard to believe this was a single (peaking at No. 28 pop), although it’s a fascinating album track with both artists riffing and playing off each other.
Carly Simon and James Taylor
“Mockingbird”
Then-married superstars Simon and Taylor hit the pop Top 10 in 1974 with this single, remaking Inez and Charlie Foxx’s hit from 1962.
James Taylor and J.D. Souther
“Her Town Too”
Taylor and Simon had split up by the time this duet hit the pop Top 15 and No. 5 adult contemporary. It’s hard not to think of Simon while listening to it, although Taylor has said the song was about someone else.
The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band
“Fallin’ in Love”
Besides “Her Town Too,” Souther hit the top 40 as a singer twice. He’s most known for his Top 10 solo hit, “You’re Only Lonely.” Five years before that, he went to No. 27 as part of a short-lived trio.
Like LSG above, this trio released a part of albums before its members went back to their solo work.
McGuinn, Clark and Hillman
“Don’t You Write Her Off”
Chris Hillman, the former Byrd who teamed with J.D. Souther and Richie Furay, tried the trio concept one more time. This time, he reconnected with former Byrds teammates Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark.
This track went to the pop Top 40 in spring 1979. Two albums (yep!) were released in 1979 and 1980 before a split. McGuinn and Hillman then released one album as a duo.
So, which did you find tastiest?
Did anything give you heartburn?
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Like LSG above, this trio released a part of albums before its members went back to their solo work.
That would be a pair of albums …
I wasn’t aware of some of these and “Son Of A Gun” really surprises me. It’s an OK song but there’s some enjoyable chemistry between Jackson and Simon. Simon sure knows her clouds. And that bass sample works perfectly.
The video for “Highway Don’t Care” shows a few Tennessee locales I know. I work for a competing hospital but it was good that Vanderbilt showed up. I frequently see the LifeFlight helicopter on its way there and always worry about the people on board.
It’s slim pickings for me. I’m very familiar with California Gurls from radio play. I vaguely recall the two Janet Jackson songs. It’s possible I’ve heard this version of Mockingbird and the Shaggy / Sting collaboration that the world had no idea it needed.
On the basis of being the only one I know well, California Gurls wins by default.
I am intrigued as to what the Snoop line was that fell foul of corporate oversight.
He just chuckled and said, “I wish they all could be California Gurls,” a quote that got the copyright folks all flustered.
I only knew 3 of these, so not much to say, except my favorite version of Mockingbird would be this one-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsvfS0lnCYU
These are always fun to read, though I must admit I only knew two of them, too. Nice work, Chuck!
I’m a fan of the James Taylor and J.D. Souther colab. Whenever it comes on the radio, I’ll try to properly sing the James parts exclusively, and the next time, I hear it, just sing along with the JD parts.
It’s a fun vocal study, and you never know when it’s going to pop up. Most recently, it was in a frozen foods aisle, and a week later the shoe department at Kohls.
The other shoppers were entranced. I think.