Edward Cornelius "Ed" Cobb (February 25, 1938, South Pasadena, California – September 19, 1999, Honolulu, Hawaii) was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most notably during the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for writing the song "Tainted Love" for Gloria Jones, which later became a hit worldwide when it was covered by Soft Cell.
Cobb was a member of the pop group the Four Preps[1] from its discovery in 1956 until he left the group in 1966, three years before it disbanded.
His greatest claim to fame was that he wrote the song "Tainted Love" for Gloria Jones, which Soft Cell reworked into one of the biggest pop hits of the 1980s.[2]
Ed Cobb also wrote a number of songs for the American rock band The Standells. He wrote their top ten hit "Dirty Water" and multiple other songs for the band.
Credited for Rihanna’s song “SOS.”
After his performing career ended, Cobb became fully focused on work as a record producer and sound engineer, which he had already begun doing by the Four Preps' breakup.
He worked with such acts as the Standells, the Lettermen, Ketty Lester, the Chocolate Watch Band, the Piltdown Men, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, and Pink Floyd. Cobb also wrote songs for many of his acts, most famously 1966's "Dirty Water" for the Standells, 1964's "Every Little Bit Hurts" for Brenda Holloway, and 1965's "Tainted Love".
Throughout his producing and engineering career, Cobb earned thirty-two gold and platinum records, and three Grammy Award nominations.
In his private life, Cobb was a champion horse breeder and, for a short while, served as president of the Idaho Racing Commission.
Cobb died of leukemia on September 19, 1999, in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the age of 61.[3]
Cobb wrote, or co-wrote the following songs, most notably recorded by the artists noted: