relatively unknown people who wrote at least 3 big hits

Ed Cobb - Dirty Water, Tainted Love, Every Little Bit Hurts

1. Is Ed Cobb relatively unknown?
2. Were those big hits?

i think so!

i guess one person's "relatively unknown" is another person's "wtf are you talkin about?"

that said, cowboy jack clement?

Yeah, it's pretty subjective.
How about Otis Blackwell - Great Balls Of Fire, Fever, All Shook Up, Don't Be Cruel etc.? Is he too well-known?

Harold Arlen - Over The Rainbow, That Old Black Magic, Stormy Weather

Now you're being silly

do you think he's well-known?

If you know anything about songwriting

Lashawn Daniels ("The Boy is Mine," "Say My Name," "It's Not Right (But It's Okay)", etc.)

Sure, people who are really interested in music are more apt to know these folks but I think 9 out of 10 people wouldn't recognize Harold Arlen's name, or Otis Blackwell for that matter. But you may be right.

until three minutes ago i didn't know that clement has a show on sirius, so i guess that insures a significant number of people knowing him by name

What about Jack Lawrence, the reluctant podiatrist: "If I Didn't Care," "All Or Nothing At All," "Tenderly," "Beyond the Sea," "Never Smile At A Crocodile"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Temperton

Never knew a white guy from Cleethorpes was responsible for many of Jacko's hits.

Rod Temperton is well-known I think, he was in Heatwave

1. Is Ed Cobb relatively unknown?
2. Were those big hits?

― Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Tuesday, April 21, 2009 9:08 AM (51 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

good point, you should start a thread for famous people who didn't write any hits

jim carrey

Sure, people who are really interested in music are more apt to know these folks but I think 9999 out of 101000 people wouldn't recognize Harold Arlen's name, or Otis Blackwell for that matter.

For real.

ditto for temperton

jim carrey

― rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Tuesday, April 21, 2009 10:02 AM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

http://www.jimcarreyonline.com/info/faqs.html?answer=54

hi dere

http://www.jimcarreyonline.com/img/info/faqs/faq.gif

Tony Macaulay - "Baby Now That I've Found You", "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All", "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)", "Don't Give Up on Us"

Dino Fekaris - I Will Survive, I Just Want To Celebrate, Reunited, Shake Your Groove Thing

maybe a stretch on both the "relatively unknown" and "big hits" parameters but:
Bobby Charles - See You Later Alligator, Ain't Got No Home, Walkin' To New Orleans

Not that he's "unknown" per se, but Tommy James' name recognition/ hit song ratio is pretty skewed. The dude has a laundry list of oldies-radio staples, but few casual listeners know who the hell he is, as opposed to, say, The Monkees or something.

Russ Ballard was mentioned around here the other day, so he is only relatively unknown, but he's always been a favorite hit writer.

"I Know There's Something Going On" - Frida, "Since You Been Gone" - Rainbow, "Winning" - Santana, "New York Groove" - Ace Frehley.

He was a member of Argent and had some small solo success in the 80s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
re, Tommy James. "I Think We're Alone Now", "Crimson and Clover", and "Mony Mony" could possibly be known for reasons other than Tommy James. He was a childhood favorite of mine by inheriting some old 45's. I think his record label's issues Roulettecould have contributed to his drifting out of the public's oldies consciousness.

ditto for temperton

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Tuesday, 21 April 2009 16:04 (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah, I knew he wrote the songs, but I never knew he was English until recently.

Toni Wine: "A Groovy Kind of Love," "Candida" (Dawn), and "Black Pearl" (Sonny Charles & the Checkmates Ltd.)

borderline case -->
Tony Joe White: "Polk Salad Annie," "Rainy Night in Georgia," and "Steamy Windows" (Tina Turner)

There was this guy called Simon Climie who used to write songs for a lot of people, and still hardly anyone knew who he was. Then he got together with Rob Fisher and formed Climie Fisher, and even though they didn't last long, that put and end to his obscurity.

I don't think I recognise any of these names, so, y'know, you're all winners.

Then again I don't give a shit.

I'm way stretching the "big hits" part because a total unknown wrote three of my all-time favorite songs: Skip Prokop, drummer for Lighthouse - Three Dog Night's "I'd Be So Happy" and Lighthouse's "One Fine Morning" and "Pretty Lady."

Then again I don't give a shit.― Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy),

P.F. Sloan wrote "Eve of Destruction", "Secret Agent Man", and "Where Were You When I Needed You"

having stomach trouble down the hall, mouthing scik.

Stephen Bishop (On and On; It Might Be You (theme from Tootsie); and he wrote the song Separate Lives (from the movie)). I thought he also wrote the theme song to The Greatest American Hero TV show. Turns out that was Joey Bishop.

P.F. Sloan wrote "Eve of Destruction", "Secret Agent Man", and "Where Were You When I Needed You"

Didn't he write several of The Turtles' bigger hit songs too? Together with Steve Barri, who may be another call.

Chip Taylor: "Wild Thing," "Any Way That You Want Me," "Angel of the Morning"

How about Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart? Surely two giant hits for The Monkees with "Last Train To Clarksville" and "Theme From The Monkees", plus several other songs from that famous first album and their own "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight".

Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg:
"Alone", recorded by Heart
"Eternal Flame", recorded by The Bangles (co-written with Susanna Hoffs)
"I'll Stand by You", recorded by The Pretenders (co-written with Chrissie Hynde)
"I Touch Myself", recorded by Divinyls (co-written with Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee)
"Like a Virgin", recorded by Madonna
"So Emotional", recorded by Whitney Houston
"True Colors", recorded by Cyndi Lauper

As far as Tommy James goes, I think the real unsung hero is Richie Cordell - he co-wrote Mony Mony and Think We're Alone Now... plus he wrote Gimme Gimme Good Lovin', Indian Giver and a bunch of other bubblegum tunes.

"Then again I don't give a shit."

Nobody gives a shit. You are on an internet music board.