On radio, I hear “Want You to Want Me” about ten times for every one of “The Flame.”
And, because of Guitar Hero II, I probably hear (a true-as-they-could-make-it cover of) “Surrender” once every couple of days.
I didn’t realize, young’un that I am, they didn’t write “The Flame.”
And Shel Silverstein wrote “Boy named Sue”, one of Johnny Cash’s bigger hits.
(He also wrote most of the material for Dr. Hook notably “Sylvia’s Mother” and “Cover of the Rolling Stone”.)
Van Halen wrote most of their own songs, but are still widely known for their covers of the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.”
John Denver wrote most of his own songs, but one of his biggest hits, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” was written by the fiddler in his band.
Mott the Hoople wrote most of their own songs, but did do covers, too. Hunter and Mike Ralphs (who wrote the song that brought them to attention, “Rock and Roll Queen”) both wrote, and, of course, their classic album Mott was entirely self-written.
The Beach Boys “Barbara Ann” wasn’t written by the group, though nearly all of their other hits were.
The Who had a hit with a cover of “Summertime Blues.” In fact, much of the original release of their “Live at Leeds” album contained other people’s songs. Later released have added additional material from the concert, including all of “Tommy,” (which has always included a Sonny Boy Williamson song).
They did have a string of self-penned top ten hits in Britain before they had any number ones. Their early stuff is much better than the schlock they turned out later.
More British ones:
Robbie Williams’ “She’s the One” is one of his few hits that he didn’t co-write. It’s by Karl Wallinger. William’s co-writer Guy Chambers was in Wallinger’s band World Party, which may explain why the two versions are so similar.
Wet Wet Wet wrote most of their singles, but their biggest hit by far (number one for 15 weeks) was the cover of the Troggs’ “Love is All Around” that featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Phil Collins’ first UK number one was “You Can’t Hurry Love”, a Holland-Dozier-Holland song.
Maybe it balances things out a bit that John wrote Peter, Paul & Mary’s hit “Leaving On a Jet Plane.”
Robert Wyatt wrote almost all his own material, but his only UK hit (for good reason – his material, while brilliant, was too avant garde) was a cover of “I’m a Believer.”
I think Rufus Wainwright is a bit more well-known now than he was four years ago, but when I started college most of my classmates had only ever heard of him because of his “Instant Pleasure” on the Big Daddy soundtrack.
Even now, he’s probably best known, like Buckley, for covering “Hallelujah.” But he’s an amazing songwriter.