# I write the songs I sing,but I'm known for singing the song I didn't writei **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724 "2007-04-26T12:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/1 "2007-04-26T12:34:48Z")
Inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=417951) thread, let’s make a list of songs sung by singers who write most of their own songs, but are really well known for the singing a song they didn’t write, but only sang; i.e. Barry Manilow–I Write the Songs, written by Bruce Johnston The Beatles–Twist & Shout, written by the Isley Brothers Bruce Springsteen–Jersey Girl, written by Tom Waite ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/2 "2007-04-26T12:55:15Z")
Patsy Cline - [Crazy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_(Willie_Nelson_song)) - Written by Willie Nelson Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower - Written by Bob Dylan ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/3 "2007-04-26T13:02:38Z")
The Lemonheads - Mrs. Robinson ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/4 "2007-04-26T13:05:10Z")
\*\*The Byrds: \*\* “Mr. Tambourine Man” (Bob Dylan) **Rolling Stones:** “It’s All Over Now” (Bobby Womack) \*\*Arlo Guthrie: \*\* “The City of New Orleans” (Steve Goodman) – Arlo’s biggest hit single \*\*James Taylor: \*\*“What a Wonderful World” (Sam Cooke/Lou Adler/Herb Alpert), “You’ve Got a Friend” (Carole King), “How Sweet It is (To Be Loved by You)” (Dozier/Holland/Holland), “Handy Man” (Otis Blackwell), and “Mockingbird” (traditional). For someone known as almost the perfect example of a singer/songwriter, a surprisingly high percentage of Taylor’s hit singles have been by other songwriters. **Pearl Jam** : “Last Kiss” (Wayne Cochran) ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/5 "2007-04-26T13:08:07Z")
Jeff Buckley only released one album, _Grace_, before his death, and two more, _Sketches for my Sweetheart the Drunk_ and _Songs to No One_ (which has a few re-treads) were released by his mother after his death. He wrote a lot of beautiful music in so short a career, but he’s probably best known for the definitive cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/6 "2007-04-26T13:30:09Z")
**Hank Williams:** “Lovesick Blues” (Cliff Friend and Irving Mills) - his first #1 hit and arguably his best-known song. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/7 "2007-04-26T13:42:04Z")
Elton John–“Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” (Lennon & McCartney} ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/8 "2007-04-26T14:03:20Z")
“Blinded by the Light” is probably the only Manfred Mann song most people could name, written by Bruce Springsteen. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/9 "2007-04-26T14:03:57Z")
Michael Hedges - All Along the Watchtower - Bob Dylan Michael Hedges - A Love Bizarre - Not sure… Prince (and… Sheila E?) Michael Hedges - Come Together - Beatles (or parts thereof) Gerry Boulet - Toujours vivant - (lyrics by Michel Rivard. Boulet actually had other lyricists as well, but gave his tunes such a personal gusto, it’s hard to believe he didn’t write all of the lyrics himself) Muskrat Love (I’m not even gonna touch this one - it’s got a long and confused history, not just C&T and America) ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/10 "2007-04-26T14:06:59Z")
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat] “Blinded by the Light” is probably the only Manfred Mann song most people could name, written by Bruce Springsteen. [/QUOTE] I just love Springsteen’s original. Has anyone else done Blinded by the Light? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/11 "2007-04-26T14:07:42Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=417951) thread, let’s make a list of songs sung by singers who write most of their own songs, but are really well known for the singing a song they didn’t write, but only sang; i.e. Barry Manilow–I Write the Songs, written by Bruce Johnston The Beatles–Twist & Shout, written by the Isley Brothers Bruce Springsteen–Jersey Girl, written by Tom Waite [/QUOTE] Nitpick - Tom **Waits** Bonnie Raitt’s signature song, “Angel From Montgomery”, was written by John Prine. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/12 "2007-04-26T14:13:39Z")
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat] “Blinded by the Light” is probably the only Manfred Mann song most people could name, written by Bruce Springsteen. [/QUOTE] Funny, the only other Manfred Mann song I could name off the top of my head is [Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinn_the_eskimo), which is a cover of a Bob Dylan song. ---
**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:** [April 26, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/13 "2007-04-26T14:59:36Z")
George Harrison’s big hit from his _Cloud Nine_ album, “Got My Mind Set On You,” is the only one not written by George. The Bangles wrote the majority of their own songs, but it’s the ones they didn’t write that they’re famous for (“Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Manic Monday,” “If She Knew What She Wants,” “Going Down To Liverpool”). ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/14 "2007-04-26T15:40:45Z")
Back in the late 80s, X were known pretty well for “Fourth of July,” which was a cover of The Blasters’ original. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/15 "2007-04-26T15:43:41Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] Funny, the only other Manfred Mann song I could name off the top of my head is [Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinn_the_eskimo), which is a cover of a Bob Dylan song. [/QUOTE] There’s no love left in the world for “Doo Wah Diddy” (Barry/Greenwich)? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/16 "2007-04-26T15:48:10Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] I just love Springsteen’s original. Has anyone else done Blinded by the Light? [/QUOTE] According to [Allmusic.com](http://Allmusic.com), there’s Allan Clarke, and Funkstar de Luxe, plus a couple dance remixes and some other entries that don’t look like notable covers. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/17 "2007-04-26T15:53:44Z")
**Cake** is famous for “I Will Survive,” their cover of a 70’s disco hit sung by Gloria Gaynor (but written by a coupla dudes) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/18 "2007-04-26T15:56:05Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] The Bangles wrote the majority of their own songs, but it’s the ones they didn’t write that they’re famous for (“Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Manic Monday,” “If She Knew What She Wants,” “Going Down To Liverpool”). [/QUOTE] I was going to mention them for their cover of “Hazy Shade of Winter”. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/19 "2007-04-26T15:57:25Z")
[QUOTE=scotandrsn] There’s no love left in the world for “Doo Wah Diddy” (Barry/Greenwich)? [/QUOTE] “Doo Wah Diddy” doesn’t register in my mind as “a Manfred Mann song.” It’s “execrably fluffy sock hop pop with interchangeable artists.” ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724/20 "2007-04-26T15:57:49Z")
“Nothing Compares 2 U”, written by Prince, is probably the song Sinead O’Connor is best known for. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-write-the-songs-i-sing-but-im-known-for-singing-the-song-i-didnt-writei/401724.md?page=2)