Bands with more than two great songwriters

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I was listening to the new Drive-By Truckers disc "The Dirty South" - it's great, of course - and it struck me that bands with three (or more?) ace songwriters are pretty rare. I was able to think of the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, the Byrds, Mission of Burma ... any others?

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)

buffalo springfield

― duke poco, Friday, 21 May 2004 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Definitely not The Beatles, as Paul MacCartney was of course a showtune knees-up rumpy-pumpy end-of-the-pier jingle writer at best.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:49 (twenty-two years ago)

The Wailers.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:49 (twenty-two years ago)

It's hard enough to find a band with two.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Pink Floyd.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:50 (twenty-two years ago)

None of the great songwriters in the Byrds were really great at the some time were they (kinda like Pink Floyd in that regard, if you regard either Barrett or Waters as great songrwriters)?

Oh yeah also the Zombies, Fairport Convention.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh wait, I thought this was two or more, not more than two.

Only the Wailers then.

Mission of Burma?!?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:52 (twenty-two years ago)

the hummingbirds

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:53 (twenty-two years ago)

cold chisel

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

BUZZCOCKS (if you count Devoto along with Shelley and Diggle)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The Go-Betweens?

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I am so missing the point of this thread as I did not read the title possibly.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Obv rappers should be ruling this thread.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Kraftwerk?

I know! Fleetwood Mac!

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

the clean

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Wu-Tang Clan

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Def Squad

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Brand Nubian

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Beastie Boys

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:02 (twenty-two years ago)

SLOAN!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:03 (twenty-two years ago)

QUEEN!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:03 (twenty-two years ago)

good one

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:04 (twenty-two years ago)

New York Dolls! (Syl, David and Johnny)

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't count one there.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to get some stick for this but......The Clash

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:07 (twenty-two years ago)

the clean

-- the surface noise made by people (electricsoun...), May 21st, 2004.

yup, all 3..

i would nominate sonic youth, but y'all might scoff..

― chris andrews (fraew), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:07 (twenty-two years ago)

AC/DC and, maybe, Sloan.

― The Velvet Overlord (The Velvet Overlord), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Do these have to be songwriters who write the entire song by themselves? Cuz in Aerosmith, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and Joe Perry have all written great music, but only Perry has ever written an Aerosmith track without input from Steve Tyler.

Sonic Youth definitely count(ed at sometime in the past).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

THE BAND!!!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to get some stick for this but......The Clash

are we a big proponent of Havana 3 A.M.?

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Buffalo Springfield is an obvious choice. And I wouldn't scoff at Sonic Youth either, it's just that they're all so hit or miss.

― Rubberband Man (Rubberband Man), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:11 (twenty-two years ago)

scorched earth policy / the terminals
(stapleton / cogle / elborado / crook)

― chris andrews (fraew), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:14 (twenty-two years ago)

WIRE!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to get some stick for this but......The Clash

are we a big proponent of Havana 3 A.M.?

Well, Simonon did write "Guns of Brixton", which is fucking classic.

Havana 3am's "Reach the Rock" is better than Good Charlotte's entire catalog.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

mental as anything

― mullygrubber (gaz), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Spacemen 3

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:28 (twenty-two years ago)

No way.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

well, who was the third spaceman? (I know I have heard some really great songs from some of the sideprojects/spinoff bands)

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:35 (twenty-two years ago)

It wasn't from any of Pete Bassman's projects, believe me.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Wire OTM.

I wasn't counting super-groups or bands that write together, either.

I like everything Mission of Burma did, and all three of them write, so that's why I counted them.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought Conley and Miller were the primary songwriters. Did Pressler (?, is that the right name) actually right tracks? Which ones?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I just did a little research, and It is some of Mark Refoy's songs that I really like, but it looks like he was only in Spiritualized.

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Roxy music!

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

In other words, bands with more than two writers who get sole writing credit on records.

Prescott wrote "Learn How" on "Vs," plus three on the new one. Well, maybe that's a stretch, then.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

the byrds win-Roger Mguinn, Gene Clark, Dave Crosby, Graham Parsons and Chris Hillman all wrote great songs. I'm probably missing some more. As far as "at the same time", on Younger Then Yesterday Mguinn, Crosby and Hillman all contributed excellent songs.

Sonic Youth is pretty close for me as well. I'm not a huge fan of all of Kim's songs, but she has enough that I love, esp on Evol(Shadow of a Doubt/Starpower), Thurston's written tons and tons of great songs, and I'm one of those closet Lee's the best types. Eric's Trip, Hey Joni, Pipeline/Kill Time, Mote are all favorites.

Oh yeah, Wire, totally.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I forgot that they are all close to their peaks on Younger Than Yesterday.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Led Zeppelin! Page, Plant, and Jones all wrote.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

There are Zep songs credited solely to Plant?

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:49 (twenty-two years ago)

What, "The Magic Helium Skin Flute" b-side?

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I wasn't aware the rules involved writing separately, and anyway quit being a jerk.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:52 (twenty-two years ago)

plus Zep were never a band I read the liner notes all that closely on.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(obv.)

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Is that "The Magic Helium Skin Flute" b-side good? Great title.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(the "jerk" was more of a punch-you-in-the-arm kind of comment than a fuck-you-assole-I-cry-now one, btw)

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

haha that should be 'asshole' but I almost like it better w/o the L!

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Asshoe.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I'd have to say separate credits. There are too many bands like R.E.M. or New Order or Fugazi that may very well count if it weren't so unclear just who does what.

(That was just my not so subtle wish that one day an obscure Led Zep single will appear called "The Magic Helium Skin Flute)

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

or the H!

xpost

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The Church

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:00 (twenty-two years ago)

'Roger Mguinn, Gene Clark, Dave Crosby, Graham Parsons and Chris Hillman'

Graham Parsons. GRAHAM PARSONS.

There is no punishment too extreme for this.

― Patrick Kinghorn, Friday, 21 May 2004 02:03 (twenty-two years ago)

??? Did he spell his name wrong or something?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Who's Graham Parsons 'zactly?

― Patrick Kinghorn, Friday, 21 May 2004 02:05 (twenty-two years ago)

pet peeve - when people misspell Gram Parsons's name

um, so, how did 60 people respond to this and not ONE asked HOW Josh got to hear The Dirty South early?? Promo? Filesharing? I need to hear this now!

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:06 (twenty-two years ago)

silkworm

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:08 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah it's gram parsons...whatever, overrated loser anyway. Gene Clark can wipe the floor with Grayam Parsons.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan OTFM.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:09 (twenty-two years ago)

(His name was Cecil InGRAM Parsons, there was also a Gene Parsons later, yes it's my pet peeve too)

― Patrick Kinghorn, Friday, 21 May 2004 02:09 (twenty-two years ago)

And did Dennis, Carl and Bruce write enough good songs for the Beach Boys to be considered? Disney Girls alone makes Bruce a great songwriter(and Pipeline makes him a great disco producer...)

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

DBT, promo-style!

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:12 (twenty-two years ago)

thinking fellers? Mark, Anne and Brian.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:13 (twenty-two years ago)

MENDOZA LINE!!!

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

silkworm

Yay! great band!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:39 (twenty-two years ago)

does crosby stills and nash count?

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:40 (twenty-two years ago)

and I'm one of those closet Lee's the best types. Eric's Trip, Hey Joni, Pipeline/Kill Time, Mote are all favorites.

Why would you have to be in the closet about that?

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Only Crosby was great. Stills has never written anyting close to what could be considered a halfway decent song, and Nash comprised the worst elements of Paul McCartney and Glen Frey (but he's Dylan compared to Stills)

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Nash wrote some great songs with the Hollies! I've never been a fan of Stills though. And they all got worse in CSN any way you look at it.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't mean "closet". I just mean growing up most everyone associated Thurston's vocals w/ Sonic Youth, and it was this eureka moment realizing I prefered the songs Lee sings. I know others who feel similarly.

Didn't Stills write a decent song or two in the Buffalo days? Sit Down I Think I Love You? And Nash is credited as songwriter on some of the Hollies best.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Agreed about Nash. I have no real problem with The Hollies. A buddy of mine (who actually records for a well known hip hop label) is a HUGE Hollies fan, got really mad at me in high school for trashin' em once

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I totally agree. I thought you meant you were in the closet because it was the popular opinion and you didn't want to seem like you was joining a bandwagon or something.

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually "Sit Down I Think I Love You" is a much better song when the Mojo Men (I think) or whoever covered it. I only like a few of the Neil Young Buffalo Springfield songs. Most of the rest of it is really obnoxious.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)

pah. Neil's never played a bad note.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:53 (twenty-two years ago)

"Mr Soul" sucks.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:53 (twenty-two years ago)

blasphemy! it's a far greater rock and roll song than anything The Stones, The Who or Black Sabbath ever wrote

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:56 (twenty-two years ago)

After 1982, yes?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck even that's not true. There are Stones tracks from after '82 which are a million times better.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 02:59 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry. I love The Stones but I'd still rather hear Landing On Water than Exile oN Main Street (which I admit is one of the greatest rock albums ever made). Perhaps I'm just sick in the head, but Neil (and Royal Trux) represents everything great about rock and roll to me. Call it unconditional love.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Friday, 21 May 2004 03:04 (twenty-two years ago)

He also wrote and performed "I Am A Child" with the Springfield.

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 21 May 2004 03:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't dislike Neil at all (although he has written his share of bad songs, he's been around for nearly 40 years and it happens, ya know.) I just think that he wrote his share of dull/uninteresting songs for Buffalo Springfield and that "Mr Soul" is really irritating. And I don't like Stills and the Poco guy at all. But Neil is definitely the best part of a band that obv I don't rate at all.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 21 May 2004 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Paradise Motel - five, baby!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Kiss had both Frehley ("Shock Me") and Criss ("Dirty Livin'")

― dave q, Friday, 21 May 2004 04:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Blue Oyster Cult (Roeser, Lanier, Bloom, Bouchard, Bouchard, Meltzer, Pearlman, Pynchon, Lovecraft, etc)

― dave q, Friday, 21 May 2004 04:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Styx, if you just agree to ignore the singing and words on James Young's contributions

― dave q, Friday, 21 May 2004 04:19 (twenty-two years ago)

The Moody Blues

John Lodge / Mike Pinder / Justin Hayward / Ray Thomas / Graeme Edge

From their pre-'72 era.

All right, dammit, I thought I'd try using slashes.

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I just did a little research, and It is some of Mark Refoy's songs that I really like, but it looks like he was only in Spiritualized.
Refoy was in Spacemen 3, from around the release of "Playing With Fire" until the end.
So I second S3.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:31 (twenty-two years ago)

los lobos (hidalgo, perez, rosas)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:37 (twenty-two years ago)

for all their faults, and they were many, the eagles had more decent songwriters than you could shake several sticks at.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Chicago had about VIII or IX

― dave q, Friday, 21 May 2004 04:42 (twenty-two years ago)

the flatlanders

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Skatalites
several Miles Davis quintets

― oops (Oops), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Add Jefferson Airplane/Starship and James Gang to the list.

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 21 May 2004 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

nrbq (all hit-or-miss but all capable of greatness)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 21 May 2004 05:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Teenage Fanclub

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Friday, 21 May 2004 05:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Were Jackie Mittoo and Leroy Sibbles both in Sound Dimension?

― oops (Oops), Friday, 21 May 2004 05:04 (twenty-two years ago)

The Doobie Brothers

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 21 May 2004 05:11 (twenty-two years ago)

why yes they were, oops

― anonymous source (Oops), Friday, 21 May 2004 05:15 (twenty-two years ago)

The Fall.

― Sasha (sgh), Friday, 21 May 2004 07:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Madness had the highest number of
1) Songwriters (i.e. all seven/eight)
2) Combinations (i.e. any combination of the above)

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 21 May 2004 07:22 (twenty-two years ago)

10cc. Every member of the band could write alone, or with any other member (or members) of the band.

― harveyw (harveyw), Friday, 21 May 2004 07:34 (twenty-two years ago)

WIRE!
-- Alex in SF

Thank you, Alex in SF.

― Buster (mokey), Friday, 21 May 2004 07:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Moby Grape

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Friday, 21 May 2004 08:28 (twenty-two years ago)

The New Pornographers?

Newman, Collins, Bejar and Case. (Although Collins and Case mostly write for their solo projects).

― minolta (minolta), Friday, 21 May 2004 21:40 (twenty-two years ago)

woody guthrie had a touring band with pete seger and leadbelly, thus wins.

― matthew james (matthew james), Friday, 21 May 2004 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

noel, liam, gem...

― matthew james (matthew james), Friday, 21 May 2004 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

The Rheostatics

― Chris Davis (Chris Davis), Saturday, 22 May 2004 02:25 (twenty-two years ago)

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