David Bowie’s Backing Vocals on The Rolling Stones’ ‘It’s Only Rock ’n Roll (But I Like It)’

David Bowie’s most famous contribution to the Rolling Stones’ 1974 single is his unmistakable “I like it” backing vocal that punctuates the chorus. He didn’t just pop in for a quick session—he was hanging out at the recording studio with Mick Jagger and ended up spontaneously joining the track. The story goes that Bowie was visiting the Rolling Stones at the Musicland Studios in Munich and, after a few glasses of wine, climbed on a cushion to reach the microphone and sang the call-and-response parts.

Bowie’s involvement wasn’t limited to vocals. Some accounts suggest he also helped arrange the song’s harmonies and even played some percussion. But the most concrete legacy is that his voice is woven into one of the Stones’ biggest hits of the mid-