Studio Album · No. 4

Tell Me I'm Pretty Songwriting Credits by Cage the Elephant

2015 RCA Records 10 tracks 38 min

Produced by Dan Auerbach  ·  Engineered by Collin Dupuis

RCA Records Alternative RockGarage Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Cage the Elephant carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Cage the Elephant 0 tracksoutside writers
Cage the Elephant's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
5
Lyricists
1
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
2015
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Grammy Award for Best Rock Album (2017)
Data Insight

The album's paperwork carries a single collective credit, Cage the Elephant, on every track, but the two names behind that credit never change: Matt Shultz and Brad Shultz. Bandmates Daniel Tichenor and Jared Champion share the same collective credit as full writing members, confirmed on the individual song listing for 'Mess Around.' Producer Dan Auerbach breaks from a pure hired-hand role on 'Trouble' and 'Cold Cold Cold,' where he is named alongside the band as a co-writer, and he also picks up guitar and keyboard parts on several tracks he produced. The result is a catalog entry where authorship reads as band-collective by default, with Auerbach's fingerprints on the two songs where his creative input went beyond the booth.

Tell Me I'm Pretty is the fourth studio album by Cage the Elephant, released December 18, 2015 on RCA Records. The band handed production to Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, who cut the record at his own Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville in spring 2015 and pushed the group toward a warmer, vintage 1960s garage-rock palette. Matt Shultz and Brad Shultz remain the constant writing pair across the tracklist, joined by bandmates Daniel Tichenor and Jared Champion under the group's collective Cage the Elephant credit, with Auerbach stepping in as a co-writer on the singles 'Trouble' and 'Cold Cold Cold.' The album produced two Billboard Alternative Songs number ones in 'Mess Around' and 'Trouble,' plus the additional single 'Cold Cold Cold.' It won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2017, the band's first Grammy win, and was later certified Gold by the RIAA.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Cry Baby
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Instrumentation)
2
Mess Around #1
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Instrumentation)
3
Sweetie Little Jean
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Guitar, Additional Keyboards)
4
Too Late to Say Goodbye
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Instrumentation)
5
Cold Cold Cold #5
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared ChampionDan Auerbach Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd ChampionDaniel Auerbach Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)
6
Trouble #1
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared ChampionDan Auerbach Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd ChampionDaniel Auerbach Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Guitar, Additional Keyboards)
7
How Are You True
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)
8
That's Right
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)
9
Punchin' Bag
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Instrumentation)
10
Portuguese Knife Fight
Matt ShultzBrad ShultzDaniel TichenorJared Champion Matthew Ray ShultzDonald Bradley Shultz Jr.Daniel TichenorJared Lloyd Champion Dan Auerbach Matt Shultz (Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar)Daniel Tichenor (Bass)Jared Champion (Drums)Nick Bockrath (Guitar, Backing Vocals)Matthan Minster (Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Percussion)Dan Auerbach (Additional Instrumentation)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 11 contributors

More from Cage the Elephant

Frequently Asked Questions Tell Me I'm Pretty

Who wrote the songs on Tell Me I'm Pretty?
Every track carries the collective Cage the Elephant credit, anchored by Matt Shultz and Brad Shultz alongside bandmates Daniel Tichenor and Jared Champion. Producer Dan Auerbach is credited as an additional co-writer on 'Trouble' and 'Cold Cold Cold.'
Who produced the album?
Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys produced the entire record at his own Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville in spring 2015.
Did Tell Me I'm Pretty win a Grammy?
Yes. It won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2017, the band's first Grammy win.
What were the singles from the album?
'Mess Around,' 'Trouble,' and 'Cold Cold Cold.' Both 'Mess Around' and 'Trouble' topped Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, the band's sixth and seventh number ones there, while 'Cold Cold Cold' peaked at number five.
Where was the album recorded?
At Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee, during spring 2015.
Did Dan Auerbach perform on the album, not just produce it?
Yes. Beyond producing, he added guitar and keyboard parts on several tracks, most notably the two songs he is credited as co-writing.
How was the album certified commercially?
It has been certified Gold by the RIAA for more than 500,000 units in the United States.
What sound did the band go for on this album?
The band described wanting to experiment with a more vintage 1960s sound, a shift Auerbach's production leaned into with a warmer, garage-rock feel.

Sources