# 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:** 2
**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, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/21 "2020-07-26T02:27:16Z")
But then again, I did. I’m just unsatisfied with my vote, like a normal election. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/22 "2020-07-26T03:07:01Z")
Wilburys. Every time. Handle With Care may be my favorite song - tied with What Is Life for the top spot. I can put Wilburys Vol 1 or 3 on and not skip any songs. Very few albums can I say that about (off the top of my head, I think Revolver and Flaming Pie may be the only other ones with that distinction). The Wilbury story, both the real one and the produced one, make it all that much better. ---
**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 26, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/23 "2020-07-26T12:07:04Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > 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? Denny Laine. And don’t forget Linda, who I think was below the Mendoza line for keyboard players. ---
**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 26, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/24 "2020-07-26T13:09:20Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > His voice is only a good match for singing in the Mariana Trench. That’s the kind of thing my parents said, back in the 60s. They preferred Perry Como. ---
**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, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/25 "2020-07-26T13:47:35Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > That’s the kind of thing my parents said, back in the 60s. They preferred Perry Como. I’d prefer a cat in heat, or even Leonard Cohen. ---
**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, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/26 "2020-07-26T14:52:27Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Denny Laine. And don’t forget Linda, who I think was below the Mendoza line for keyboard players. Q. What do you call a dog with wings? A. Linda McCartney. ---
**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 27, 2020, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/27 "2020-07-27T02:38:01Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Q. What do you call a dog with wings? > > A. Linda McCartney. Don’t look now, but misogyny disguised as a joke is still misogyny. In fact, it is one of the worst kinds of bigotry. ---
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/28 "2020-07-27T07:46:36Z")
and the light-hearted thread is killed … Now I know Roy, George and Tom could likely write and perform a damn good tune about that too. I liked them both but it was different eras so hard to choose Wings had the nostalgia but the Wilbury’s was talent upon talent even with Dylan being an acquired taste. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/29 "2020-07-27T13:59:35Z")
I never like Wings. The Traveling Wilburys I really like. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/30 "2020-07-27T14:10:33Z")
Traveling\* Wilburys\*\* by far. Who knew five brothers could end up with such a great sound? Their short career as a band is an asset: all of their songs are good, because they didn’t have time to put out filler. I made a playlist of their songs. It was too short, but adding in good songs from each member’s pre-band life makes for a great set. Still waiting to see who will win the tontine. I expect it’ll be Lucky. \*Note 1: only one “l” even though it looks stupid. \*\*Note 2: should be “ies”, but I guess orthography wasn’t their thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/31 "2020-07-27T14:12:59Z")
Yes, Wings sure had one great song. Do you like “Band on the Run” as much as I do? ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/32 "2020-07-27T14:22:34Z")
Dave Marsh (or maybe some other Rolling Stone magazine critic, I’m not sure at this point) on Dylan: He doesn’t have a great voice. But he has a great rock-and-roll voice. Wilburys for me. Never got into a lot of Wings, mostly Band on the Run album. Title track is amazing, the rest, while okay to listen to, just aren’t a lot of fun, for lack of a better word. There’s no bite to them. ETA: An by implication, I hope it’s clear that I think the Wilburys songs had that essential “bite”, more often than not. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/33 "2020-07-27T14:53:51Z")
The Wilburys were ok…nothing special. McCartney did put out some really good stuff and some really questionable stuff but he put out a lot more. I’ll pick through those. I’m trying to type this as a countdown from 10 to 1, but preview shows it automatically numbering 10, 11, 12…? 1. With a little luck 2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey 3. Junior’s Farm 4. Jet 5. Band on the Run 6. Live and Let Die 7. My Love 8. Another Day 9. Listen to what the man said 10. Maybe I’m Amazed ---
**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 27, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/34 "2020-07-27T15:15:50Z")
Live and Let Die is to me their great song. “Band on the Run” is one of the good ones. But so much of Wings’ catalog is not good. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/35 "2020-07-27T15:51:36Z")
🙂 Yeah, that is a great song. I forgot about that one. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/36 "2020-07-27T16:06:27Z")
Travelling Wilburys was a bunch of great musicians in a generic band. Wings was a bunch of generic musicians plus Paul McCartney doing a lot of original and innovative stuff, with results varying from great to terrible. I’ll take Wings. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/37 "2020-07-27T16:21:53Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Travelling Wilburys was a bunch of great musicians in a generic band. Wings was a bunch of generic musicians plus Paul McCartney doing a lot of original and innovative stuff, with results varying from great to terrible. It’s interesting to hear different views. I always thought of Wings as a bland remake of the Beatles–proving that Paul was great, but really needed John as a counterbalance. The Traveling Wilburies might not have had flash, but they had a lot of soul. Their songs are meaningful. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/38 "2020-07-27T16:28:07Z")
The Travelling Wilburys was five (then four) lead singers in a gimmick band dreamed up by George Harrison, with fake backstory liner notes written by Eric Idle(first album) and Michael Palin(second album). Some of it was good, but as a whole I found it to be artificial. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/39 "2020-07-27T16:32:06Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > as a whole I found it to be artificial. What?! Next, you’ll be telling us that there never really was a circus owned by a Mr Python. ---
**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 27, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/40 "2020-07-27T16:34:33Z")
I am grateful to all of you for bringing the Traveling Wilburies to my attention. I was intrigued by the posted question, googled the Wilburies, went to YouTube just to check them out-fell head first into the first song and spent several hours delightfully lost in their sound. Made a plan to go back often. How I missed it their first time, I will never know (graduated from high school in 1968, dyed in the wool hippie and all). Investigating the Wilburies sent me into listening to Roy Orbison’s Black and White Night. Another few delightful hours. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/D3a8Seh3Cp4/maxresdefault.jpg "Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman (Black & White Night 30)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3a8Seh3Cp4) So, thank you all!👏🏼 Keep up the good work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323.md?page=3)