# Songs that are greater than the sum of their parts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts/943223>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** music\
**Created:** [May 30, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts/943223 "2021-05-30T16:42:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts/943223/1 "2021-05-30T16:42:37Z")

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This is a great song. But why? The melody and chord changes aren’t particularly interesting. The lyrics are ordinary, some might say almost trite or cliched. Still, I always love hearing it. What have you got along the same lines?

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KoI2-JK4ZvI/maxresdefault.jpg "Fred Neil - The Dolphins") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoI2-JK4ZvI)

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**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts/943223/2 "2021-05-30T17:13:23Z")

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I’m not at all a country fan, but one of the first “country rock” bands added Paul Cotton (a New Orleans roots-rock guy). He and Richie Furay worked well together, and somehow on this song all the pieces fit together.

[Bad Weather … studio version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soWQ6huD8oc) - - with Rusty Young’s tasty steel guitar.

[Bad Weather … live version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHnHFg1F2I8) - - thirty years later, with Richie back as a guest.