• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Who can claim this title?
Speaking of the period: contemporary songwriters, so NO MOZART, BEETHOVEN,  BACH.

We can also add famous composers like IRVING BERLIN, LEONARD BERNSTEIN, GEORGE GERSHWIN, LEIBER & STOLLER. Who CAN FORGET THAT IMMORTAL SONG "WHITE CHRISTMAS" by Irving BERLIN?
So what I loved was opinions, answers, and MORE INFORMATION, sharing it here in this topic. I can't remember if we had already a topic about "The Greatest Songwriters."
HIT MACHINES like STOCK, AITKIN AND WATERMAN responsible for a LOT of HITS, dominating the British (and European) pop charts from the early eighties to the early nineties, with their saccarine throwaway nonsense. I don't doubt: THEY ARE very talented people, having an almost spooky ability to write catchy melodies. MACHINES: WHY = "Never Gonna Give You Up? (Rick Astley's biggest hit) was written in 4 minutes. They wrote like 10 songs a day, resulting in maybe one great song, matter of speaking. About 65 tracks made the charts. Kylie Minogue, Banarama...
READ THIS, following the link http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1100933.
They should have a prominent place in my list, but I prefer the NON-PREFAB composers.

1) John Lennon/Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
2) Bob Dylan
3) Jagger and Richards
4) Beach Boys (BRIAN WILSON)
5) Don Henley/Glenn Frey (The Eagles)
6) Ray Davies (The Kinks)
7) Bee Gees (Barry, Robin & the late Maurice Gibb)
SO FAR MY LIST, WHAT IS YOURS?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
  • Offline
  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

How about Burton Cummings and Randy Backman from the band  The Guess Who. They truly wrote great songs.

.....Badeye.

one caper after another
  • From: Stockton Ca
  • Registered: 2007-10-19
  • Posts: 192

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Joni Mitchell
Bruce Springsteen
Johnny Cash
Buddy Holly
Hank Williams
Neil Young
Carrol King (a prefab I know, but grew way beyond it)

  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
  • Unofficial king of Scotland
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  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

roger waters.......probably in my top three of songwriters if not the best.

there are so many great songwriters it would be impossible to mention them all that I admire, even if I do not listen to their music.

and then it will come down to personal opinions. everyone knows Lennon / MCartney but not everyone likes them, so ye will get people saying they were overrated etc.

Oh yeah another one of my all time superb writers and will defintely be in my top 3 is
Pete Townshend

but then back to this Lennon/Macca thing, msot of the songs were written by Lennon but they were put down as the two of them, just like Richards/Jagger. they do not write every single song together but share the credit.

Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • From: tennessee
  • Registered: 2007-08-02
  • Posts: 176

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Doc,
     
1) Gene Autry
2) James Taylor
3) John Denver
4) Eddie Rabbit
5) Lorreta Lynn

If you look at groups
1) Beatles
2) Eagles

There were musicians that wrote songs for other artists
1) Eddie Rabbit wrote 'Kentucky Rain,' which was sung by Elvis
2) James Taylor and Corral King wrote songs for the group called "The Monkeys".

If you're not happy with what you have...
Then you'll never be happy with what you get...
  • etc_04
  • Senior Member
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  • From: OHIO
  • Registered: 2007-07-25
  • Posts: 204

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

1. Bob Dylan
2. The Beatles
3. The Eagles
4. Neil Young
5. The Rolling Stones

You have to forget about what other people say; when you're supposed to die, when you're supposed to be lovin'. You have to forget about all these things. You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like heaven.
                                                        -James Marshall Hendrix
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

JESUS, I forgot Pink Floyd (shame on me crazy dia ia iamont). I'M SO GLAD, POSTING this topic.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW ALREADY that I am an USA lover, INCLUDING CANADA.
And very interesting, to see names I never heard of
I FORGOT:
- JACQUES BREL, a brilliant songwriter, probably even  of the best songwriters
He is from my country BELGIUM, of course FRANCE consider him as one  of them They abused us already with FRENCH FRIES, invented HERE
- ERIC CLAPTON
- ELTON JOHN (with BERNIE TAUPIN) without Bernie, worse
- QUEEN, who can forget some of their great songs, like Bohemian Rhapsody, Love of my life
- DAVID BOWIE
- CHIN & CHAPMAN, they were a song composing COMPUTER and played a big role in the bubblegum, glim, glam rockers, like Marc Bolan, even the Stones didn't escape this style If you should see them in the early Seventies, JAGGER with make-up, this was also an "era of telling that you were BISEXUAL: see BOWIE in the early 70-ties, and compare him today versus that period He seems to be a happy married man, dressed in fancy costumes, Armani, Hugo Boss (DID YOU KNOW HAT BOSS designed the uniforms of the German Officers, who were really beautiful compared to other army costumes)

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Registered: 2008-02-19
  • Posts: 2

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Wanna start a band. KZN South Africa. Contact Farhad on this site

9 Reply by slaya (edited by slaya 2008-02-19 17:13:00)

  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 75

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

I like McCartney

  • From: Woodbridge, VA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-19
  • Posts: 245

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Well, I am glad to see Neil Young and Bob Dylan recognized here, truly two of the most prolific, as well as John Denver, and, slightly more recently, Vince Gill.

And, although not particularly my favorite genre, I have always been awed by the ability of Rogers and Hammerstein to pump out all the songs they did for their plays. I mean, each musical would have many songs, and no two sounded alike!

Pretty amazing, and worth a mention.

Just play

Oldnewbie's Website

  • From: San Antonio, Texas
  • Registered: 2007-06-12
  • Posts: 353

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Bernie Taupin (Collaborated w/Elton John on alot of his songs)

Electric:  Gibson Les Paul Studio, Schecter Omen 6, PRS SE Custom
Acoustic:  Fender Talman, Yamaha
Amp:  Fender Super Champ XD/Line6 Spider III 75

Tim0473's Website

  • mrjay
  • Senior Member
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  • Registered: 2007-04-19
  • Posts: 174

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

I see some great names here. Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Roger Waters, etc... are truly among the greatest. But I think we're overlooking the "modern-day" talents :

- Ray Lamontagne (some people don't like his voice, but his song Jolene really shows his writing ability. It's almost as if he paints the picture of his story with his words)
- Dave Matthews (great performer & song-writer)
etc...

Many people say that the folk genre isn't what it used to be, and people have lost interest in "real" music. I thought the same way until I found out about all the artists that seem to be overshadowed by the commercial pop & rap & "rock" bands. I think we just need to look a bit harder for them because the industry isn't as keen to bring them into the public eye as in the 60s/70s. It's a shame really... there are still many artists out there who still feel that music is an expression of the soul rather than a way to be rich & famous.

Anyway, my top 5 (at the moment) list:

1) Bob Dylan
2) The Beatles (G. Harrison especially)
3) Neil Young
4) Dave Matthews
5) Roger Waters

and because I agree with Doc and I'm a fan of francophone music, an honorable mention for the great Jacques Brel.

Play on Chordians...

  • From: Scotland.
  • Registered: 2006-07-13
  • Posts: 218

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

I'd agree with most of the names above, all very talented, especially Townshend.

Paul Weller should be included as well, he's written loads of fantastic songs. Also, a somewhat overlooked one in my opinion, Jake Burns of SLF. Not forgetting Strummer/Jones of The Clash.

One I reckon deserves a mention is Shaun Ryder of Happy Mondays, not the best song writer as such I agree, but his ability to steal lyrics from 2 or 3 songs and weld them round about his own lyrics and come up with something totaly unique is probably more difficult than you'd imagine.

Craig.

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.
  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,862

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

theres an interesting story about rogers his first song writting partner was hart and how he wound up with hammerstein was due to harts drinking and poor health they wrote some beautiful music under rogers and hart

Oldnewbie wrote:

Well, I am glad to see Neil Young and Bob Dylan recognized here, truly two of the most prolific, as well as John Denver, and, slightly more recently, Vince Gill.

And, although not particularly my favorite genre, I have always been awed by the ability of Rogers and Hammerstein to pump out all the songs they did for their plays. I mean, each musical would have many songs, and no two sounded alike!

Pretty amazing, and worth a mention.

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Bay Area, Skalifornia.Nor-CAL
  • Registered: 2008-02-12
  • Posts: 34

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

I agree with everyones post
But no one put
JOE STRUMMER!
or Mick Jones
Cheers

-Tron

OH!
I justed remembered
Woody Guthrie!

-Tron

"When the mode of the music changes, the wall of the city shake"
-Plato
  • From: Bay Area, Skalifornia.Nor-CAL
  • Registered: 2008-02-12
  • Posts: 34

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

moddish wrote:

I'd agree with most of the names above, all very talented, especially Townshend.

Paul Weller should be included as well, he's written loads of fantastic songs. Also, a somewhat overlooked one in my opinion, Jake Burns of SLF. Not forgetting Strummer/Jones of The Clash.

One I reckon deserves a mention is Shaun Ryder of Happy Mondays, not the best song writer as such I agree, but his ability to steal lyrics from 2 or 3 songs and weld them round about his own lyrics and come up with something totaly unique is probably more difficult than you'd imagine.

Craig.

Hell Ya Strummer/Jones

"When the mode of the music changes, the wall of the city shake"
-Plato

17 Reply by gnomefry (edited by gnomefry 2008-03-09 20:09:16)

  • From: over there........(kensucky)
  • Registered: 2008-03-01
  • Posts: 215

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

i think cobain(like his lyrics), matlock,john lennon,jim morrison. those are just the ones on the top of my head.also hendrix.

tongue:P:P:P:P

18 Reply by tonydr (edited by tonydr 2008-03-12 05:07:57)

  • tonydr
  • tonydr
  • Senior Member
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  • From: New Jersey
  • Registered: 2008-03-06
  • Posts: 144

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

Now unless I missed it, no one mentioned Paul Simon.  Not one of my favorites but deserving of recognition and consideration, maybe just for Bridge over Troubled Water.

These might not make my top 5 but are prolific and MIA from the conversation:
Billy Joel
Jon Anderson
David Crosby
Stephen Stills
Roger McGuin
Donald Fagan and Walter Becker
Don't make me say it... Elton John

...and Buddy Holly!!!

That's alright, I got my guitar
-Jimi Hendrix
  • From: Ontario
  • Registered: 2008-03-07
  • Posts: 19

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

NEIL YOUNG........enough said

Greendale's Website

  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 75

Re: THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS: ALONE, a DUO, a BAND.

But paul simon is nice too smile