Wait...That Wasn't The Lead Singer?
Here's a fun test. Think about your favorite rock songs.
Now ask yourself this: are you absolutely sure you know who's singing them?
A surprising number of legendary songs weren't sung by the band's lead singer. Some of these will make you do a double take. Others have probably been fooling you for years. So, of course, we had to rank them. Do you agree with our 20? Which songs would make your list?
20: "I'm in Love with My Car" (Queen)
This one fools a lot of people. You hear Queen and your brain automatically expects Freddie Mercury. Instead, it's drummer Roger Taylor behind the microphone. Then again, this is Queen we're talking about. Of course the drummer could sing too. Roger also happened to be completely obsessed with cars, so this song wasn't exactly a stretch.
Screenshot from I'm in Love with My Car, Elektra Records (1975)
19: "Box of Rain" (Grateful Dead)
Ask somebody who sang the Grateful Dead's biggest songs and nine times out of ten they'll say Jerry Garcia. Fair enough. But Box of Rain was sung by bassist Phil Lesh, who wrote it for his dying father. It's one of the band's most emotional songs—and one that still gives longtime fans chills.
Chris Stone https://gratefulphoto.com, Wikimedia Commons
18: "Dirty Work" (Steely Dan)
Admit it. You probably thought Donald Fagen sang every Steely Dan song. Almost everybody does. That's actually David Palmer on Dirty Work, and his smooth vocal helped turn it into one of the band's signature early hits. Classic rock radio has been quietly fooling people with this one for decades.
Distributed by ABC Records, Wikimedia Commons
17: "Happy" (The Rolling Stones)
Keith Richards has always looked like he wandered out of the coolest pirate movie ever made, but he could sing too. Happy became his biggest vocal showcase with the Stones after he reportedly recorded it while waiting for the rest of the band to show up. Talk about making good use of your time.
Ben Merk (ANEFO), Wikimedia Commons
16: "'39" (Queen)
Brian May wrote it. Brian May sang it. And somehow it became one of Queen's most beloved deep cuts. '39 sounds more like a folk song than a rock anthem, but that's part of the charm. It also proves Queen had enough talent to field an entirely different band.
Koh Hasebe; Distributed by Elektra Records, Wikimedia Commons
15: "Eminence Front" (The Who)
Roger Daltrey may be one of rock's most recognizable voices, which is exactly why this song catches people off guard. Pete Townshend handles the lead vocal on Eminence Front, and once somebody points it out, you suddenly wonder how you ever thought it was Roger.
KRLA Beat/Beat Publications, Inc., Wikimedia Commons
14: "Beth" (KISS)
Here's a sentence that still sounds strange: KISS's biggest American hit was a piano ballad sung by drummer Peter Criss. Not Gene Simmons. Not Paul Stanley. Peter Criss. Somehow Beth became a massive hit anyway, proving that even the loudest rock bands occasionally know when to quiet things down.
Casablanca Records, Wikimedia Commons
13: "We're an American Band" (Grand Funk Railroad)
Most people immediately think of guitarist Mark Farner when Grand Funk Railroad comes up. Surprise. Drummer Don Brewer is the one singing We're an American Band, which also happened to become the group's only No. 1 hit. Not bad for the guy sitting behind everybody else.
Carl Lender at https://www.flickr.com/photos/clender/, Wikimedia Commons
12: "Sunshine of Your Love" (Cream)
Most people automatically picture Eric Clapton when they think of Cream. Fair enough. But if you've been singing along to Sunshine of Your Love all these years, you've actually been singing with bassist Jack Bruce. That legendary riff deserves all the praise it gets, but Bruce's vocal is every bit as unforgettable.
11: "Everywhere" (Fleetwood Mac)
Stevie Nicks usually gets most of the attention, but Christine McVie quietly wrote and sang some of Fleetwood Mac's greatest songs. Everywhere is one of them. It's catchy, timeless, and somehow still sounds like it belongs on the radio. Also, good luck getting it out of your head for the rest of the day.
10: "I Can't Tell You Why" (Eagles)
Don Henley and Glenn Frey usually handled the Eagles' biggest hits, but bassist Timothy B. Schmit stepped in here and absolutely nailed it. If you've spent years thinking this was Henley singing, you're far from alone. This one gets people every single time.
Distributed by Asylum Records, Wikimedia Commons
9: "With a Little Help from My Friends" (The Beatles)
Ringo Starr didn't sing many Beatles songs, but the ones he got were usually perfect for him. John Lennon and Paul McCartney actually wrote With a Little Help from My Friends with Ringo's voice in mind. Honestly, it's hard to picture anybody else singing it now.
8: "Can't You See" (The Marshall Tucker Band)
This one surprises even longtime classic rock fans. Doug Gray was The Marshall Tucker Band's longtime frontman and sang most of their hits, but Can't You See belonged to guitarist and songwriter Toy Caldwell. It's become the band's signature song, and once you know whose voice you're hearing, you can never unhear it.
Republic Country Club, Wikimedia Commons
7: "You Make Loving Fun" (Fleetwood Mac)
Fleetwood Mac had no shortage of incredible singers, but Christine McVie had a special gift for making great songs sound completely effortless. She even told the band this one was about her dog instead of the man who inspired it. Probably a smart move, considering who else was in Fleetwood Mac.
Warner Bros. Records, Wikimedia Commons
6: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (The Beatles)
Imagine writing While My Guitar Gently Weeps and still being considered The Beatles' third songwriter. That's the world George Harrison lived in. Add Eric Clapton's unforgettable guitar solo and you've got one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded by anybody, lead singer or not.
Screenshot from The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Apple Records (1968)
5: "Here Comes the Sun" (The Beatles)
George Harrison skipped a business meeting, wandered into Eric Clapton's garden, and came home with Here Comes the Sun. I'd say he made the right decision. More than 50 years later, it's still one of the happiest songs ever recorded and one of the biggest reminders that George was an absolute songwriting genius.
4: "Ooh La La" (Faces)
Here's one that catches almost everybody. Rod Stewart may have been the unmistakable voice of Faces, but he isn't singing Ooh La La. Ronnie Lane originally recorded the lead vocal, but guitarist Ronnie Wood ended up taking over for the version released on the album. Somehow, Plan B turned into one of the band's most beloved songs.
Screenshot from Ooh La La, Warner Bros. Records (1973)
3: "Take It to the Limit" (Eagles)
If you've ever tried singing along to the ending of Take It to the Limit, you already know why Randy Meisner eventually got tired of performing it live. Those soaring notes became one of the Eagles' defining moments, and Meisner absolutely knocked them out of the park every time.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
2: "Songbird" (Fleetwood Mac)
Some songs don't need a wall of guitars or a massive chorus. Songbird is simply Christine McVie at a piano, pouring her heart out for a few unforgettable minutes. It's beautiful, emotional, and somehow gets better with age. Fleetwood Mac had plenty of stars, but Christine McVie may have been the band's secret weapon.
Screenshot from Songbird, Warner Bros. Records (1977)
1: "Something" (The Beatles)
Living in the shadow of John Lennon and Paul McCartney couldn't have been easy. Then George Harrison wrote Something and reminded everybody that The Beatles actually had three songwriting giants. Frank Sinatra famously called it one of the greatest love songs ever written. Coming from Old Blue Eyes, that's about as good a review as you'll ever get.
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