# About Song Credits...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-song-credits/834155>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 18, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-song-credits/834155 "2019-05-18T18:30:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-song-credits/834155/1 "2019-05-18T18:30:42Z")

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What is the difference between these two credits on a song: “Song by Joe Doe” vs. “Songwriters: Mike Moe and Larry Loe”? Is the former the singer, perhaps? …and the latter the lyricists?

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-song-credits/834155/2 "2019-05-18T19:12:34Z")

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Lyrics + music. IMO

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-song-credits/834155/3 "2019-05-19T00:24:21Z")

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Can you give us some examples of “song by” as a credit? I’ve never seen that. I’ve seen “music by” and “lyrics by” but never song by.

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**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-song-credits/834155/4 "2019-05-19T01:25:35Z")

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I, too, would like some context/examples. Are these both on the same song? Or are you seeing them in different places?