He Wrote That? The Surprising Songwriters Behind Some Of Our Favorite Songs

March 28th, 2012 - By Drenna Armstrong

 

"MarshaAmbrosiusLead"

urbaninformer.com

Some people have all the talent: they’re blessed enough to have their own singing careers and they write huge hits for some of their peers. Color me jealous!  Here’s a SHORT list of some of the songs I deemed noteworthy (and trust me, I could have gone on for pages and pages). What are some of your favorite songs written by singers for other singers? Let us know…

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  • Tai

    Thanks to all the contributors in the comments section! They gave some REAL shockers!
    Better than the article, SMH (I already knew 99% of these).

  • MRVIC

    Another interesting tid-bit about Pharrell – he said the memorable words “S – W – V” during the bridge of S.W.V’s ’92 Hit “Right Here (Human Nature Remix)”…

    • Truthhurtz

      Wow…never knew that :)

  • Pingback: Singers who Wrote Some of our Favorite Songs | EURweb

  • QuestionsBeforeAnswers

    Or how about Robin Thicke writing “Can U Handle It” by Usher? Justin Timberlake writing “Rehab” by Rihanna?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=790994644 Julianna Koster

    Butterflies was GENIUS!!!!  It’s so good that Michael Jackson sang over the demo… One of my all time faces!!!!  Love Marsha Ambrosius!!!

  • loopdedoop

    where is Trent Reznor writing “Hurt” and Johnny Cash covering it?

  • Str8muzik321

    Where are….
    Ryan Leslie (Karina Pasian, Donell Jones)
    Keith Sweat (Isley Brothers, Silk, Dru Hill)
    Alicia Keys (Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Keyshia Cole)
    Eugene Wilde (Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears)
    Missy Elliott (nearly every-daggone-body)
    ?

    • Simba711

      If I’m not mistaken Donell Jones wrote “Get It Together” for 702.

  • E Mercedes86

    Clearly this article was written by an old person.

  • Liz

    Babyface is a genius! He wrote “I choose You” performed by Mario. That song is just beautiful, the writing, the singing and everything. Akon also wrote “Do Right” and that song holds such a positive message. I know we’re talking about songwriters but it’s a shame Mario isn’t more successful. Solange wrote a lot of songs for Destiny’s Child and Beyonce

  • http://www.facebook.com/aliagmama Alia Green

    what is crazy is that I can imagine the artists who wrote these songs for others singing that very same song they wrote for themselves.

  • Yamini

    Let’s not forget the countless songs Prince has written for other artists…Chaka Khan “I Feel For You”, Bangles “Manic Monday”, Sinead O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”, MC Hammer “Pray”, Tevin Campbell “Shh…Break It Down”, Sheila E. “The Glamorous life”, and so on

    • Gregg1029

      Prince did not write I Feel for You for Chaka Khan, he sang it on his “Prince” album in 1979. Chaka COVERED the song in 1984.

  • Slim Shady

    Never Can Say Goodbye by the Jackson 5 was written by Clifton Davis aka. Rueben Gregory from the TV show Amen

    • Papillon

      Thelma’s boo was a songwriter? I never knew that!

    • BrandonCroweIII

      He also wrote “Lookin’ Through the Windows” for the J5.

    • Simba711

      I knew that.

  • Lisa

    Toni Braxtons song (I dont want to) was written by R Kelly. 

  • http://twitter.com/liviasangel Courtney L Puzzo

    you forgot to mention Daryl Hall’s 1993 song Help Me Find A Way To Your Heart was co-written by Mariah Carey or that a few of Mariah’s songs back then were Co Written by Babyface Never Forget You & Melt Away are the two that come to mind easily NFY from Music Box  & Melt Away from Daydream.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1604244 Raimi Nicte

    Most of these are collaborations people who are fans of the artist should already know. Kandi talked about No Scrubs all the time on RHOA during her 1st season with the show. Whitney was very vocal about I look to you being written by R. Kelly, things you should have included would be anything Beyonce takes credit for because chances are it was written by someone else. She claimed for a long time that she had written Irreplaceable when it was actually penned by Ne-Yo. 

    • Simba711

      In there any song Beyonce can make a legitimate claim to? Most know R. Kelly and Babyface have written many hits for others. People know about Kandi and “No Scrubs” too. Where’s Prince? He’s written many hits for others.

  • Airhaash

    R.kelly also wrote “you are not alone” for michael jackson. Crazzyy

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VDTCQTT6HFWDG7ECJMYALAR6JY Shayla

      that was a great collabo.

  • guest

    The site is swamped with ads!!! Its impossible to pay attention to the story with 1 thousand ads going on. I hate the site!!!

  • classic

    I JERKED BACK WHEN I SAW PHARELL WROTE “YOU DON’T HAVE TO CALL”

    • G flyy

      P, also wrote Tonites the Nite for Blackstreet when he was only 18 and still in high school, dang that was the JJJJJJJJJJJJJam for a player like me to put on at the crib for a Honey Dip :)

      • chevonne22

         HaHa “Honey Dip” took me right back

  • Tiffanyc

    When you write most of the songs on the Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack, you Babyface are a beast….:-)

    • Truthhurtz

      And that album is still a banger!

  • Alert

    Butterflies is such a beautiful song!  Wonder why the great songwriter and 2nd Black female winner of the ASCAP award (Bey) hasn’t written for anyone?  hmmm.  
    (hint it’s because she’s a fraud)

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