It was CPL593H, rather than 'A'. H was the then current registration letter.

For the Doo-Wop "Fuck All That", whilst Gilmour gleefully sings about how poor the British work ethic is, whilst presumably glaring at Roger, who wouldn't even let him near the microphone for the rest of the LP.

It's this...

The backing singers are the Mellomen, fact fans.

It's just a shot away....

...it's the ghostly, distant, reverb-drenched stuff that first pops up at 1:16 here:

That "Here... I... am" towards the end (3:12) is one of the moments that will never ever get old, for me. I do love a good backing vocal.

Gladys Knight & The Pips, Midnight Train To Georgia (whoo whoo)

Aretha's version, obviously, which is really a duet between her and the backing vocalists

A proper call and response, practically a duet like Respect, dramatic, funky, short, perfect.

good ambivalence of delivery there.
Likewise, erm .... well done Sting... I suppose ...*mutters to self*

from Fleetwood Mac's Big Love.

Not sure about it being the best, but it was certainly memorable.

the backing vocalists on Frank Zappa's Dinah Moe Humm included Tina Turner

Lindsay Buckingham's backing vox on Tom Petty &TH's Walls (Circus) kick a great song into space.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5yEpB2g3CbuVk4YmAkzkOK

Simply gorgeous.

as a backing vocal as such, but Liz Fraser on Felt's Primitive Painters?

God knows what key Keith is singing in but it's perfect

I'm pretty sure I read an interview with Bryan McLean where he said that the dominant lead vocal by Arthur Lee was actually the backing vocal, and his (weaker) voice was the lead. They got switched around in mixing, which was something he wasn't particularly happy about, and the melody of the song was thus changed forever (pun intended).

... kicks in around 6.20 in this clip.

On Robbie Williams' No Regrets. Lovely.

... without a shadow of a doubt.

... "Put a Straw Under Baby" are certainly , erm, distinctive.

All that 'This time I know I have to go this time I know"

And Gladys Knight & The Pips' Midnight Train To Georgia.

There's only really two contenders for me. On the previously mentioned Gimme Shelter (Mary M?) and David Crosby, on Neil Young's Ohio.

Randy Newman having an argument with his own backing singers on " Shame" from " Bad Love"

I love the little "Spliff!" on the end here:

"Excuse me while I light my spliff" (BV: "Spliff!")

And I love the conversational backing vocals on Shangri-Las records - a bunch of gossiping girls and no limits on scansion:

"You get the picture?" (BV: "Yes, we see")

"My folks were always putting him down"
(BV: "Down, down")
"They said he came from the wrong side of town"
(BV: "What d'ya mean when you say that he came from the wrong side of town?")

Harry Nilsson's backing vocals steal the song.

Success by Iggy Pop in which Iggy's largely improvised lead vocal is echoed by David Bowie and a bunch of brickies (aka Tin Machine) having a laugh. The best bit is when Iggy runs out of steam, stutters and splutters out '..oh shit', the BVs continue to replicate him faithfully.

...Hooray Success!!

Shooo BopBopBopBop!

Meaningless but joyful.

I offer "I Say a Little Prayer". Forever, forever...

Where the BV (M. Jagger) threatens to overwhelm the lead.

Also, a big Up Arrow for Gladys and the boys.

I heard this for the first time recently and it's a bit mad to say the least. I'd love to know what the backing singers made of it when they were given their parts...

Oh just thought. BEATLES. She's Leaving Home. John's Backing vocal...

"SHE...(BV "We never thought of ourselves. Never A thought for ourselves. We struggled hard all our lives to get by...")

Oh I'm welling up...

So if it's gonna be doo wop, it's gotta be the king of doo wop songs: "I Only Have Eyes For You"... "sha-boop sha-bop!"

but to my knowledge the only song named after the backing vocals;
"It's In His Kiss ( The Shoop Shoop Song )"...

And if there is another I'm sure someone in the Massive will set me straight soon enough :)

Surely the Beloved Kate's finest hour? Or 5m28s anyway.

tears me up like confetti.

Beryl Marsden on easily Rod Stewart's greatest, or should that be only, claim to fame.
Mod-tastic.

Fie and for shame! Here's California Dreamin'. And here are the hairs on the back of my neck rising of their own volition.

The BVs are good for their harmonies and sassiness. What I love, though, is the way, when Amy sings "What kind of fuckery are we? Nowadays you don't mean dick to me," the BVs prettily echo "...dick to me." Amy Winehouse is bloody great.

on almost any early REM track. He's singing a different lyric so maybe it doesn't count as backing vocals. But hey its fab either way.

Kylie Minogue track 'Shocked'. During the chorus where Miss M implores that she was 'shocked to my very foundations', the BV implies that she was actually '****ed' to her core fundamentals.

Somebody to Love.

D*v*d B*wie: Young Americans (though I could never work out if it was "aaaalll RIGHT" or "aaaalll NIGHT").

(Oh, and the "I heard the news today oh boy" bit is cheekily good as well)

...and it takes some back up to make Collins sound that good

The only possible backing vocal for a song about a train?

Choo-choo, pum pum.

Jordanaires?

Great track, fantastic production, the girls leap out into the room (heard on a good hifi)..

Mike Mills' backing vocal, the 'Time I spent.." line makes the song the triumph it is. I'd also be tempted to include Get Up and Near Wild Heaven. Both Mr. Stipe and Mills are wonderful lead and backing vocalists. Can we remind them of this since they seem to have forgotten, sadly.

...but I'm really fond of the BVs on 'Going For The One' by Yes (studio version). Give it a fresh ears listen. Amazing!

Walk On Gilded Splinters by one Mac Rebbenak... the way he stood all the singers at different distances from the mic gives it this amazing spatial feel like the voices are coming at you from out of the darkness.. voodoo recording magic fo sho.

BVs by Marc Almond

"I'm waiting - for something - I'm only - passing time"

Well I like it.

Love Child. Just love it when they sing 'Tenement slum' as a backing vocal.

Also Barry Gibb singing "It out to be illegal" behind Barbra Streisand always raises a smile.

or maybe even 20th Century Boy

Some of these will probably raise an eyebrow, but they were songs I loved before I began to worry about what was cool.

The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star (I love the girl vox - they sing in such an affected accent)

Squeeze - Black Coffee In Bed (Elvis Costello and Paul Young, with one of my favourite Costello moments of all time when he starts ad-libbing into the fade)

Kid Creole And The Coconuts - Annie I'm Not Your Daddy (all of it is just superb, and the backing vocals are hooky as anything)

The Go-Gos - Our Lips Are Sealed (There's a Jane Wiedlin backing vocal that's lovely)

OK, here's where I start losing you...

Bucks Fizz - My Camera Never Lies (there's a moment when one of them sings 'my camera has good eyes' that still gets me now. I know it's not a cool tune, but I still love it...)

Dollar - Give Me Back My Heart (the multi-tracked harmony vocals over the end are just superb - it's no wonder that everyone wanted to work with Trevor Horn after he did his work with Dollar, they are superb productions. Honestly, they really are..)

How about Give a Life, Take a Life from Clear Spirit or Nature's Way from Dr Sardonicus?

so how about Brian Wilson on backing vocals for Belinda Carlisle?

The prosecution rests, your honour.