Best Songs Written FOR Other People - Not Covers

[Final]

That's not quite what the thread's about is it?

humbug.

 

[Macaroni Pony]

Does Xenomania not count as well then?

They're written some top stuff for Girls Aloud

 

[Dubversion]

no, because they're not recording artists in their own right.

Otherwise we'd be listing Leiber & Stoller, Holland, Holland, Dozier etc.

Some are tricky - Neil Diamond, Isaac Hayes etc - cos they were jobbing songwriters before they were performers, but such pedantry aside, the idea behind the thread is pretty fucking simple

 

[Negativland]

Yello w/ Shirley Bassey - The Rhythm Divine was written by Billy Mackenzie!

 

[Reno]

Was (Not Was) wrote 'Zaz Turned Blue' for Mel Torme which later got covered by PJ Harvey.

 

[Final]

ok.

The best I can offer is a co-writer, who didn't perform the song.

West Arkeen, guitarist with Outpatience, has loads of song-writing credits on various Guns'n'Roses tracks.

The best of which (imho), is "It's so easy".

 

[Macaroni Pony]

Prince songs have been done by other artists, but i'm not sure if he *specifically* wrote the songs for them.

its quite hard this....

 

[ohmyliver]

Yes, that's a good song, though I never much cared for Lemper's retro-Weimar shtick.

aw come on she sang the lead on one of the finest versions of 'the threepenny opera' by Brecht/Wiel... mebbe its rubbed off on her...

 

[Reno]

Prince songs have been done by other artists, but i'm not sure if he *specifically* wrote the songs for them.

its quite hard this....

Manic Monday was written for The Bangels and Nothing Compares 2 You was written for a Paisley Park act called The Family and later it got covered by Sinead O'Connor. He wrote a lot of other songs for Paisley Park acts too.

 

[Reno]

aw come on she sang the lead on one of the finest versions of 'the threepenny opera' by Brecht/Wiel... mebbe its rubbed off on her...

I prefer Lotte Lenya myself.

There also have been more interesting Brecht/Weill interpretators since, but they weren't as photogenic and marketable as Lemper.

 

[spanglechick]

Jarvis Cocker wrote "walk like a panther" for Tony Christie to record with All Seeing I.

I rather like it (certainly beats the crap out of "... Amarillo") - but sadly Christie couldn't make the Top of the Pops recording when it charted - so Cocker did it anyway, and now it's muddied as being one of his own tracks, which it was never meant to be. I love Jarvis's vocal - but it's not the loungey croon that the song needs.

 

[ohmyliver]

I prefer Lotte Lenya myself.

There also have been more interesting Brecht/Weill interpretators since, but they weren't as photogenic and marketable as Lemper.

Even though ms Lenya sings it in the wrong key? What others would you recomend then?

 

[rekil]

Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing by The Minutemen. Don't think Jacko ever got round to doing it though.

"Scout leader nazi tagged as big sin"

 

[stavros]

Does Xenomania not count as well then?

They're written some top stuff for Girls Aloud

Very true, but Xenomania is strictly the writing and production team based around the genius of Brian Higgins. They've produced awesome stuff for GA, the Sugababes, Kylie and Cher, but I don't think we can count them strictly unless we count the like of Leiber & Stoller, etc.

However, my favourite Girls Aloud song "No Good Advice" was co-written by them with Lene Nystrom who was the girl in Aqua of "Barbie Girl" fame. She also co-wrote "You Freak Me Out" for them too.