What to do with this "work is also frequently attributed to" case

MusicBrainz
,
1

https://www.discogs.com/release/5310016-The-Sandmen-I-Can-Tell/image/SW1hZ2U6MTEwNzM1Mzk=
https://www.discogs.com/artist/863100

The songs is often mentioned as cowritten by Samuel Smith & Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley), but sometimes just to Samuel Smith.

But I can’t find any additional info about how to read that.
Bo Diddley was the first to perform it, and the initial single mentions both names. The version from the Sandmen also mentions both names.

I can’t seem to find any source for how secondhandsongs.com represents the writers, the info here on MB is clearly taken from there.

Anyone has a clue to whether Ellas McDaniel should be considered a cowriter or not?
I requested a source on secondhandsongs.com , but I’m not familiar with the site, not sure what I should expect.

1 Like
2

Not sure this helps, I found the following on ISWC

T-700.024.649-3 I CAN TELL SMITH SAMUEL 00029006701

T-900.758.018-9 JE LE VOIS CHAMBET HUBERT CHARLES VICTOR, SMITH SAMUEL, MC DANIEL ELLAS
00005822213, 00029006701, 00063640292

T-932.145.749-2 I CAN TELL SMITH SAMUEL, MC DANIEL ELLAS
00029006701, 00063640292

T-314.434.008-5 I CAN TELL SMITH SAMUEL, DIDDLEY BO, ITHIER HUBERT
00029006701, 00040717996, 00014896371

1 Like
3

Thanks, secondhandsongs.com let me know they used the copyright databases as reference. I sent them the ISWC #s you provided to evaluate.

I don’t find any information about why there are two entries. I suspect this might have started as a song written by Samuel Smith, which was then worked out further by or with McDaniel/Diddley, which then became the most widely known version. But that’s just a hypotheses at this point.

Not sure how to handle the MB entry…
Should we create an entry for Smith only, and another one for Smith & McDaniel?