# 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:** 19\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/101 "2020-07-31T20:15:04Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > That’s the same way I feel about Wings. That “band’s” oeuvre would not have been much different without the contributions of Denny Laine and Linda McCartney. In structure, the Wilbury’s are more like Ringo’s All-Star Band, But, at least Wings were together for several albums (and several lineups); Plastic Ono Band did one album with John (and two with Yoko, I think); “Ringo and his All Star Band” never did a studio album, only Drug Rehab Tours. Paul tried to make Wings a real band and pushed it as such, but you’re probably right - it wouldn’t have been any different if Linda and Denny were replaced with studio musicians. I have no idea if they actually added anything to the creative process. I see your point comparing Wilburys with All Star Band, except Wilburys did new music together, not individuals rehashing old stuff. And, considering that Wilburys had so many big names together, it certainly wasn’t one man’s backup band. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/102 "2020-07-31T20:54:06Z")
I would also posit that The Traveling Wilburys weren’t even a band - they were a vocal group. What kind of organically grown band do you know has five rhythm guitar/lead vocalists? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/103 "2020-07-31T21:05:08Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > > [@digs](#): > > > > _dare ya)_ > > Wings was Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles band. The Willburys were George Harrison’s post-Beatles band. Both men were in the Beatles. No, Wings was Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles band; The Wilburys were a band George Harrison was in, post-Beatles. ---
**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 31, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/104 "2020-07-31T21:17:03Z")
George Harrison formed the Wilburys and was the de facto leader. You can call it “his band” as much as you can call WIngs “Paul’s band.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/105 "2020-07-31T21:25:08Z")
He was the leader in the same sense as John Lennon was the leader of the Beatles. Would you call the Beatles “John Lennon’s band”? ---
**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:** [July 31, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/106 "2020-07-31T21:28:05Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Has anyone else been seeing the thread title for the better part of a week and wondered _what the heck?_ > > Why Wilburys and Wings? There’s almost no overlap in music style or fan base. Why not? Two bands don’t have to have a lot in common for “Which do you prefer?” to be an interesting question. (See the [Let’s Play Music Artist vs Music Artist!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-play-music-artist-vs-music-artist/716306) thread from a few years back.) And I suspect there’s more overlap than you think among people who enjoy both bands. ---
**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:** [July 31, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/107 "2020-07-31T21:34:38Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I would also posit that The Traveling Wilburys weren’t even a band - they were a vocal group. What kind of organically grown band do you know has five rhythm guitar/lead vocalists? They were more of a “supergroup” than an “organically grown band,” but they definitely weren’t just a “vocal group.” They wrote all their own songs and played most of the instruments (except for the drums, played by unofficial sixth Wilbury Jim Keltner). > [@Alessan](#): > > No, Wings was Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles band; The Wilburys were a band George Harrison was in, post-Beatles. It’s true that Paul’s importance to Wings was much greater than George’s importance to the Wilburys. But based on what I’ve read, to the extent that the Wilburys had a leader, it was George. > [@Quoth Wikipedia](#): > > Petty later described Harrison as the Wilburys’ “leader and manager”,[[47]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveling_Wilburys#cite_note-FOOTNOTEZollo2005124-49) and credited him with being a bandleader and producer that had a natural instinct for bringing out the best in people and keeping a recording session productive.[[46]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveling_Wilburys#cite_note-FOOTNOTERotondo2014150-48)[[nb 3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveling_Wilburys#cite_note-53) As the group’s producers, Harrison and Lynne directed the sessions, with Harrison often auditioning each member to decide who should sing a particular lead vocal part. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/108 "2020-07-31T21:35:42Z")
Well, there’s the fact that they were known as McCartney and Wings to much of the population. ---
**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 31, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/109 "2020-07-31T22:02:57Z")
You’re arguing ridiculous semantics. You knew bloody well what I meant when I said “Paul’s post-Beatles band” and “George’s post-Beatles band.” It didn’t need your correcting to begin with. But that being said, the very guys in the Wilburys called it George’s band. I guess if we’re going to get pedantic about this, I’ll go with Tom Petty’s and Jeff Lynne’s words. ---
**Author:** ![HyacinthBucket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hyacinthbucket/32/3063_2.png) [@HyacinthBucket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HyacinthBucket)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/110 "2020-07-31T23:44:43Z")
Pleonast said: Roy had the voice of an angel. It’s pure, clean, tuneful. Even when I don’t like a song he’s singing, I still love his voice. I can’t think of a man with a more beautiful voice. Art Garfunkel ---
**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:** [July 31, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/111 "2020-07-31T23:51:54Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > You knew bloody well what I meant when I said “Paul’s post-Beatles band” and “George’s post-Beatles band.” Yes, we all did. Some of us are just nitpicky… And if you look at the bands that way, then the thread makes more sense. But I really saw the TWs as more of a team than just “George’s band”. If anything, I think Jeff Lynne’s “sound” dominated. But listening to all their stuff, I really don’t think George dominated at all (which says good things about his ego). George might have had the idea, but musically, it was a team effort. And nothing like Wings . . . _😝_ ---
**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:** [August 1, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/112 "2020-08-01T01:20:35Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > And no one is going to vote the Plastic Ono Band as better than either Wings or the Traveling Wilburys. “Better” may be a strong word, but I would have picked it were it an option. My little brother had a pretty strong post-Beatles Beatles fixation for several years, and I heard a lot of it on repeat. I’d prefer Plastic Ono Band, myself. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/113 "2020-08-01T02:49:38Z")
I’m glad to see this poll going the correct way. I have no problems with Wings, but I’d never ever pay to put them on jukebox like I have with Wilburys. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/114 "2020-08-02T03:07:42Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > But based on what I’ve read, to the extent that the Wilburys had a leader, it was George. Interesting - I didn’t know that. I would’ve guessed Jeff Lynne, who seems more like the kind of personality to organize something like this. Also, just noticed that Lynne and Harrison are credited co-producers. You can definitely hear Lynne’s “stamp” on a number of songs. (Which I complained about earlier in this thread, as I think it mars the album.) Anyways, I learned something today. Ignorance fought! Thanks. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/115 "2020-12-20T12:49:07Z")
My wife started watching a show called New Tricks. It was a BBC show from 2003 to 2015. A team of mostly retired police officers. (but none of that really matters). The Theme song is very good and caught my attention. Then I realized it sounds like a Travelling WIlburys’ song, specifically End of the Line. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FiEJWbik43k/maxresdefault.jpg "New Tricks Title Sequence | Drama") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiEJWbik43k) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/116 "2020-12-20T17:21:01Z")
I’m going to have to go with Wings. But mainly because I can’t think of a single Wilbury song without looking it up. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/117 "2020-12-20T17:31:22Z")
That’s not too surprising, given that the Wilburys only had two albums, and relatively few people ever heard the second one anyway, whereas Wings were around for a decade. ---
**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:** [December 22, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/118 "2020-12-22T22:26:26Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The Theme song is very good and caught my attention. Then I realized it sounds like a Travelling WIlburys’ song, specifically End of the Line. And it was sung by one of the original cast. New Tricks had quite a bit of cast turnover, the original set was by far the best. We watched about 10 seasons of it. ---
**Author:** ![its\_the\_daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@its\_the\_daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/its_the_daddy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323/119 "2020-12-23T16:34:20Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > And it was sung by one of the original cast. Dennis Waterman. He also sang “I Could Be So Good for You”, the theme song to the even more successful 1979-1994 TV series “Minder” (in which he was the lead - maybe no.2 - actor); that song was co-written by his first wife and Gerard Kenny, was a UK no.3 single, and won an Ivor Novello Award. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travelling-wilburys-or-wings/916323.md?page=5)