Springsteen, Lady Gaga Rock Epic Journey Duet at Rainforest Benefit

Last night at Carnegie Hall, it was hard to imagine anything could top Sting covering the Fine Young Cannibals, Elton John leading eight dancers in minuscule bathing suits through an uproarious "Like a Virgin" and surprise guest Bruce Springsteen rocking an impassioned, nearly 10-minute Bryan Adams cover. That was until Lady Gaga emerged and Bruce began playing the opening notes of "Don't Stop Believing" (check out YouTube footage of the song). The next five minutes were like a psychotic fever dream. If the sight of Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga embracing each other as they traded lines on a Journey song wasn't enough, Elton's nearly nude dance squad returned as Sting, Debbie Harry, Shirley Bassey and John joined in (Sting said he'd never heard of the song until rehearsals). Bruce blasted out the track's famous guitar solo before briefly joining the dance line, giving Lady Gaga a giant hug and walking offstage looking as stunned as the audience at what had just transpired.

Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and more: experience the Rainforest Fund benefit in photos.

A finale this mind-bloggling is only possible at Sting and Trudie Styler's annual Rainforest benefit in New York. Since 1989, the pair have been raising money for the cause by putting on the most bizarre show imaginable. Most year's concerts begin with a rotating cast of artists singing duets on their hits, followed by a second act in which every song shares a theme. If you couldn't guess, this year's organizing principle was the 1980s. Band leader Nile Rodgers kicked off that part of the evening with his classic disco hit "Le Freak." The song is from 1978, but nobody — especially the upper-crust crowd dancing in the aisles — seemed to care about the slight transgression. Elton John briefly deviated from the theme to sing the Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City" as a tribute to John Sebastian, who was sitting in with the band on guitar. Debbie Harry, looking ravishing in a red dress, got the 1980s dance party started for real with the Blondie hit "Call Me."

"This is one of those moments where 10 years from now you'll be saying, 'Remember when Elton did that?' " John announced before launching into a spirited cover of Madonna's "Material Girl" featuring some nice dance moves by the Rocket Man. The dance troupe arrived for an absolutely bonkers "Like a Virgin" as Sting stood on the side of the stage cracking up. "As they say in show business," Sting said, " 'Follow that!' " He came pretty close by busting out the Fine Young Cannibals' 1989 hit "She Drives Me Crazy" with incredible commitment and gusto.

The only person capable of boosting the energy in the room suddenly took the stage next. "This show needs a cardiac event," Sting said as Bruce began singing "Dancing in the Dark" from offstage. "I'm the hired gun for the evening," Springsteen announced. "Sting told me we're doing a show of '80s nostalgia. I said, 'That's easy! We're both '80s nostalgia!' "

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

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