# Travelling Wilburys or Wings **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [July 25, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323 "2020-07-25T16:22:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/1 "2020-07-25T16:22:36Z")
Which do you prefer: The Wilburys or Wings? (Not a poll on which was the better band, just which do you like better, which would you rather put on the ol’ hi-fi and listen to on any given day). _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/2 "2020-07-25T16:28:43Z")
Daddy, what’s a “hi-fi”? 😄 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/3 "2020-07-25T16:42:17Z")
Wings had some good songs, 1 great song and lots of crappy pop songs. Wilburys just had good songs and I loved the concept of the group and their little mythos they built. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/4 "2020-07-25T18:09:21Z")
The Wilburys weren’t around long enough to either put together a large body of good material, or really start sucking hard. Wings were around long enough to do both. So, nothing against the Wilburys but I’d have to lean towards Wings, because early on they were awesome. (There was an old SNL skit with Jon Lovitz as an old washed-up has-been Picasso, basically getting by on just his name and reputation. “I’m Picasso!” he would exclaim. He signs some kid’s drawing and hands it back saying “There! Now it’s worth something!” He blows his nose then signs the handkerchief. “I’m Picasso!” I think Paul McCartney hit a similar stage in his musical career around 1978. He could put out any old crap and people would buy it, because he’s McCartney!) ---
**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:** [July 25, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/5 "2020-07-25T19:51:43Z")
There’s got to be some other choice. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/6 "2020-07-25T20:03:22Z")
Yeah it’s in the thread you start with other choices ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/7 "2020-07-25T21:54:09Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > (There was an old SNL skit with Jon Lovitz as an old washed-up has-been Picasso, basically getting by on just his name and reputation. “I’m Picasso!” he would exclaim. He signs some kid’s drawing and hands it back saying “There! Now it’s worth something!” He blows his nose then signs the handkerchief. “I’m Picasso!” I think Paul McCartney hit a similar stage in his musical career around 1978. He could put out any old crap and people would buy it, because he’s McCartney!) There’s a great story about Paul writing _Picasso’s Last Words_–basically on demand after dining with Dustin Hoffman. From Wikipedia: _…After dinner with Hoffman, with McCartney playing around on guitar, Hoffman did not believe that McCartney could write a song “about anything”, so Hoffman pulled out a magazine where they saw the story of the death of Pablo Picasso and his famous last words, “Drink to me, drink to my health. You know I can’t drink anymore.” McCartney created a demo of the song and lyrics on the spot, prompting Hoffman to exclaim to his wife: “…look, he’s doing it… he’s doing it!”_ [Youtube clip of Paul and Dustin telling the story](https://youtu.be/vtTgnhAQpvA) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/8 "2020-07-25T22:27:31Z")
Oops, missed the edit window…forgot to say I voted for Wings. While I love both Tom Petty and George Harrison, outside of a couple of great tunes, The Wilburys didn’t do much for me. On the other hand, _Band On The Run_ is one of my all-time favorites and _Wings Over America_ is one of my top concert films, showcasing Paul at the top of his game both singing and playing. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/9 "2020-07-26T00:57:58Z")
I voted for the Traveling Wilburys. Superstar musicians and legends, all of them. Roy Orbison had probably the greatest song of his career with _Not Alone Anymore_ on their first album. Too bad he passed away shortly after it was released. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cko3dBWiyus/maxresdefault.jpg "Not Alone Any More") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cko3dBWiyus) ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/10 "2020-07-26T00:59:58Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Daddy, what’s a “hi-fi”? 😄 That’s “_Daddio_, what’s a ‘hi-fi’”? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/11 "2020-07-26T01:32:32Z")
Wings. I like both but Wilburys just were around long enough and not a ‘real’ band ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/12 "2020-07-26T01:50:03Z")
Wilburys by a mile. (Though the first album is much better than the second.) I’ve heard plenty of Wings songs, but none that ever wanted to make me buy an album. Agree about “Not Alone Anymore” but Tequila is hilarious, so is “Dirty World,” “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” pays back Springsteen for ripping off Dylan early in his career, and “End of the Line” is fantastic. I heard an interview with Harrison’s wife on Sirius, she said that when the wives heard “Congratulations” they asked who wrote it. “Not me,” said all the Wilburys. They all had plausible deniability. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/13 "2020-07-26T01:55:56Z")
As melodic as the _Wilburys_ were, there was nothing innovative like _Wings_ constantly proffered - they were experimental but accessible, which I very much like. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/14 "2020-07-26T01:57:20Z")
The _Wilburys_ were great except for when they let Dylan sing. Then they sucked ass. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/15 "2020-07-26T02:01:30Z")
His voice was a good match for “Tweeter” and “Nobody’s Child”. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/16 "2020-07-26T02:03:00Z")
His voice is only a good match for singing in the Mariana Trench. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/17 "2020-07-26T02:08:05Z")
I’ve heard a few versions of “Nobody’s Child” done pretty. The song’s topic is not pretty, Dylan’s raw, harsh voice is a good match for the topic. Tweeter could be done with a better voice but Dylan is still a good match for the topic. Note, I never said he has a _good_ voice. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/18 "2020-07-26T02:21:54Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > There’s got to be some other choice. Yeah, I have to agree that the lack of even being able to vote “I don’t care” in the poll makes me wonder if it’s some sort of play on the idea that there’s no difference in which party you vote for, they’re both milquetoast. But, if it’s not, then I guess I’ll have to vote for the Wilburys, because if I’m at a place that’s going to be playing either, Wings is already on the turntable. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/19 "2020-07-26T02:24:21Z")
True, the Traveling Wilburys weren’t around as long as Wings, but Wings went through so many personnel changes that the only real constant was Paul McCartney and that guy from The Moody Blues. Didn’t McCartney himself say Wings was awful? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/20 "2020-07-26T02:26:17Z")
See the I don’t care about is very obvious, you just don’t vote. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323.md?page=2)