# What songs are the signature tunes for more than one musical act? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947 "2010-08-21T03:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/1 "2010-08-21T03:48:04Z")
It recently occurred to me that there is at least one song that is the definite “signature song” (the first song to be associated with a musical act, when you think of that act) of more than one act. “Birdland” is the signature song of both Weather Report, and the Manhattan Transfer. It is easily the best-known song of both these groups. What other songs meet this definition? So far I’ve thought of “How Soon Is Now”, possibly the best-known song for both The Smiths, and Love Spit Love (although not if you open it up to all Richard Butler songs), and, arguably “New York, New York” for Sinatra and Liza Minnelli (but I wonder what Sinatra song would be considered his signature song, and Liza might also be more identified with “Cabaret”). Any others? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/2 "2010-08-21T20:18:38Z")
“Cry Me a River” – Julie London and Joe Cocker “The Letter” – The Box Tops and Joe Cocker “Stormy Weather” – Ethel Waters and Lena Horne ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/3 "2010-08-21T20:51:47Z")
Perhaps “Proud Mary” - Tina & Ike Turner and Creedence Clearwater Revival? ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/4 "2010-08-21T20:53:01Z")
The Ink Spots and The Platters both covered a lot of the same songs, though I’d say “My Prayer” was a signature for both of them. ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/5 "2010-08-21T22:37:22Z")
It’s a stretch, as I’d say Kylie Minogue would have several signature songs (I Should Be So Lucky, Can’t Get You Out Of My Head and Better The Devil You Know are the other contenders) but The Loco-Motion is a signature song for her and also for Little Eva, who sang the original. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/6 "2010-08-22T01:11:19Z")
“Oye Como Va” for Tito Puente and Santana. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/7 "2010-08-22T03:47:07Z")
I’m no expert on rap and hip-hop, but it seems to me that the “signature” song of quite a few rap/hip-hop artists very heavily sample the bass, drums, and often much more from the “signature” song of some other artist (often a Sixties-to-Nineties rock or funk song) – so, not quite the “same song”, but often something not far from that. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/8 "2010-08-22T04:27:18Z")
One unusual case is the song “Wooden Ships” by both Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Jefferson Airplane. The song was co-written by David Crosby & Paul Kantner of the Airplane, each group recorded a distinctly different version of the song, and released them on records at about the same time - on CSN’s debut album, and on the Airplane’s "Volunteers’ lp. On the CSN record, Kantner isn’t given a song-writing credit at his own request; the Airplane had an ongoing suit about song royalties with a former manager, and Kantner didn’t want his friends’ band dragged into his ongoing legal troubles. But the song is credited to both band,s was an FM radio hit for both bands, was a signature staple of their live shows for both bands, and each version of the song is considered to be an “original” - neither band is considered to be doing a cover of the other group. That’s a situation I don’t know has ever been duplicated. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/9 "2010-08-22T05:02:34Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > But the song is credited to both band,s was an FM radio hit for both bands, was a signature staple of their live shows for both bands, and each version of the song is considered to be an “original” - neither band is considered to be doing a cover of the other group. That’s a situation I don’t know has ever been duplicated. Almost duplicated with “Because the Night” - Bruce Springsteen & Patti Smith. Only an FM hit for Patti Smith, but a staple of both artists’ live shows. To the original question, “Stoned Soul Picnic” is _one_ of the 5th Dimension’s signature songs and _one_ of its writer Laura Nyro’s signature songs. Ditto for “Wedding Bell Blues.” Also, perhaps “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for Gladys Knight & Marvin Gaye. “My Way” for Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/10 "2010-08-22T05:11:14Z")
_MacArthur Park_ - Donna Summer and Richard Harris _Putt’n on the Ritz_ - Fred Astaire, Falco and Peter Boyle (The Monster) from _Young Frankenstein_ ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/11 "2010-08-22T05:17:05Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > _MacArthur Park_ - Donna Summer and Richard Harris You just beat me to that one. It might even be a triple signature tune because it’s one of writer Jimmy Webb’s two or three most famous compositions and he is a performer also. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/12 "2010-08-22T09:56:15Z")
“Bizarre Love Triangle” was by far Frente’s biggest hit and signature in the U.S., and I’d say a signature song for New Order. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/13 "2010-08-22T10:03:36Z")
“Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum and Doctor And The Medics. One hit wonder for both as well, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/14 "2010-08-22T10:59:47Z")
“Black Magic Woman”… Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac and Santana… I refer to them as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac because considering the great work Peter, Danny and Jeremy did… shouldn’t be confused with the shit from the early 80’s… ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/15 "2010-08-22T12:16:31Z")
[quote=“Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr, post:9, topic:550947”] > [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > “My Way” for Frank Sinatra and Sid Vicious. You could add Elvis to that. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/16 "2010-08-22T16:37:10Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > _Putt’n on the Ritz_ - Fred Astaire, Falco and Peter Boyle (The Monster) from _Young Frankenstein_ And Taco ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-are-the-signature-tunes-for-more-than-one-musical-act/550947/17 "2010-08-22T18:50:34Z")
“Twist and Shout” is a signature tune for the Isley Brothers as well as the Beatles’ best known cover.