Music Break: Singing Drummers

Here are a few more selections that I've enjoyed listening to over the years, which all include lead or backing vocals by a drummer.  Let's start out with the man who is arguably the most famous singing drummer in all of rock and roll.

In late 1974, Ringo Starr released the Goodnight Vienna album, which included All By Myself, written by Starr and Vini Poncia.  This track features John Lennon on guitar and (if I'm not mistaken) Dr. John (real name Malcolm John Rebennack) on piano.  The bass vocal is by Richard Perry, who produced the album.  I assure everyone that this song is very different from the Eric Carmen song of the same title.

In the video for their version of Going Down To Liverpool, with drummer Debbi Peterson taking the lead vocal, the Bangles take a ride in a taxi driven by Leonard Nimoy.  He doesn't appear to be pleased with having the four women in his car, and in his alter-ego as Spock, probably wishes that they could be beamed out of there.  But in reality, his appearance came about because his son was a college friend of guitarist-singer Susanna Hoffs.  The other band members are guitarist-singer Vicki Peterson and bassist-singer Michael Steele (real name Susan Nancy Thomas).  The song was written by Kimberley Rew and first recorded by his (yes, "his") band Katrina and the Waves.

Jimmy Marinos of the Romantics, known for What I Like About You, also sings lead on Rock You Up, from their 1983 album In Heat.  Guitarist-singer Wally Palmar adds some harmonica.  The band also included Coz Canler on guitar and Mike Skill on bass.

During the 1970's the J. Geils Band had a radio hit with a short version of Give It To Me.  The full version includes the same organ solo as the short version, played by keyboardist-backing vocalist Seth Justman, but unlike the short version continues with a harmonica solo by Magic Dick (real name Richard Salwitz) and a guitar solo by the band's namesake.  The band also included Peter Wolf on lead vocals, Danny Klein on bass, and Steven Bladd on drums and backing vocals.  Magic Dick has also played sax and trumpet.  The band is still around, but Geils and Bladd are no longer in it.

In keeping with the season, let's finish with Elton John's Step Into Christmas.  Elton is joined by guitarist Davey Johnstone, bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olson, all of whom contribute backing vocals.