3 Classic Rockers From the 60s Who Wrote Songs for Others

You know, it’s not all about you. At least, for many classic rock songwriters from the 1960s, they knew it wasn’t all about them. They knew that collaboration, working together, and helping their contemporaries was a good thing. They believed what goes around comes around, and so they did what they could to co-write with their peers.

Videos by American Songwriter

Below, we wanted to examine three times that happened. Three occasions when some of the biggest names in classic rock got together to work on new material. Indeed, these are three classic rockers from the 1960s who wrote songs for others.

Ray Davies

In the 1960s, the British-born Ray Davies rose to fame and fortune thanks to his band the Kinks, which also included his brother Dave on lead guitar. Growing up with his sibling perhaps taught Ray how to work well with others, because during his career, he also wrote tunes for other artists, including the English artist Dave Berry. Ray wrote one of Berry’s biggest hits, “This Strange Effect”, which was released in 1965. The dreamy song might be your new British Invasion fave from the middle of the decade.

Keith Richards

In the 1960s (and beyond), Keith Richards was part of one of the greatest songwriting duos of all time. He and Mick Jagger wrote songs for the Rolling Stones that will go on to live forever. But Richards also helped others with their songs, including Marianne Faithfull. Richards and Jagger co-wrote Faithfull’s popular 1969 song, “Sister Morphine”. The acoustic-driven number is emotive and makes you feel like you’ve fallen into the middle of a noir film plot.

Joni Mitchell

When you’re one of the greatest songwriters of your generation, chances are you’re going to pen tunes for others in your atmosphere. Such was the case for Joni Mitchell, who not only wrote hit songs for herself but also did so for others, including the likes of Judy Collins. Indeed, two of the “voices” of the 1960s got together on the 1967 offering, “Michael from Mountains”. Bask in the 60s sonic bliss as you let the song wash over you.

Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images