10 Classic Songs With Killer Guest Stars
7. To Find a Friend - Tom Petty
Tom Petty's Wildflowers is a real anomaly of an album. Being one of the most celebrated records in Petty's catalog, the album has a freewheeling vibe that sounds like everything could have been recorded on a whim. Petty already had most of his chops down to a tee, but when it came to laying down a groove, "To Find a Friend" needed just a little more power.
Granted, this song's story and message is so succinct that it pretty much sounds good without drums, but the real magic came in once Petty drafted Ringo Starr to man the skins.
Though Ringo ends up being the punching bag as the 'least talented Beatle,' his skills behind a kit is something very few can replicate. As opposed to just playing straight, Starr's performance on this song feels worn in, almost as if it's providing a steady heartbeat to the whirlwind life of our protagonist.
Though this never really saw the light of day as a single, it has maintained a long shelf life with fans, with a Beatles' presence being a hidden Easter Egg for fans to decipher. It may be hard to find a friend in times like these, but when you have a solid companion behind the beat, you don't need to worry about a thing.