Greatest Songwriter Of All Time?

[Kharmalina]

Bobby D is definitely top 3. [And ya, a lack of Blonde on Blonde is an embarassment (see High Fidelity for further information)]

His songs are usually fairly simple, yet strikingly beautiful. And I think that simplicity is something that is lacking a great deal in lots of music. Obviously the complicated layered stuff can also sound amazing, but I think the mark of true talent is being able to take music down to 4 chords on a guitar and still have it make your head spin.

 

Roger Waters is also an excellent choice, and I will also throw Ani DiFranco into the mix. Not to say she's the ultra all-time best, but women seem to get overlooked, and I do think she has quite a lot of talent.

[saturnine]

lennon/mccartney. nothing too over-the-top, just straightforward pop ditties.

 

if they were in love with a girl, you didn't have to dissect and analyze the lyrics to find that out.

[cavalier_eternal]

tough call. i doubt i'd be able to put any of my choices in order... are we talking influence?

 

but on that list. (no particular order)

 

bob dylan

john lennon

paul mcartney

elliot smith

haydyn

neil young

 

and a bunch i forgot, no doubt.

[THE MAN]

Neil Young

Waters/Gilmour

Jagger/Richards

Jimmy Page

Joe Strummer

[saturnine]

chris bell

[zenkey]

At the moment...

 

Kevin Shields

Morrissey

Lou Reed

[troy]

Nobody gets me going like Johnny Cash does. A true poet.

[CaptainRocket]

I have to say John and Paul, as no one can touch the Beatles. Hey Jude = perfect.

[spiritofeden]

John Lennon/Paul McCartney

Bob Dylan

Joe Strummer

Frank Black

Neil Young

David Byrne

Elvis Costello

Nick Drake

Mick Jagger/Keith Richards

Jeff Tweedy

Noel Galagher

Beck

Damon Alburn/Graham Coxon

Brian Wilson

Kevin Sheilds

Ian Brown/John Squire

Morrissey/Marr

Mark Hollis

 

thats all i can think of off the top of my head

[The_Rat_Who_Would_be_King]

I'd have to say Paul and John as a team but John by himself. And since this is a matter of taste no one can bitch at me, so I'd have to say pre/post-MGB Matt Good. Trent Reznor owns as well.

[THE MAN]

I totally forgot to add Josh Hommes(Kyuss and QOTSA), Kurt Cobain and Steve Jones (the sex pistols).

 

 

I'm hitting myself in the head for forgetting those three.

Edited January 27, 2005 by THE MAN

[mrs jesus]

I totally forgot to add Josh Holmes(Kyuss and QOTSA), Kurt Cobain and Steve Jones (the sex pistols).

 

 

I'm hitting myself in the head for forgetting those three.

kurt cobain? steve jones?

 

greatest songwriters of ALL TIME?

 

youre joking, right?

 

and its josh homme, not josh holmes ;)

Edited January 27, 2005 by mrs jesus

[THE MAN]

Kurt and Steve kick ass.

 

(and i have fixed my spelling mistake)

[mrs jesus]

Kurt and Steve kick ass.

 

(and i have fixed my spelling mistake)

kurt is cool and all, im just kinda surprised to see him on a greatest songwriters of all time list

 

<shrug>

 

(theres no s on the end of homme, silly)

[spiritofeden]

Kurt and Steve kick ass.

 

(and i have fixed my spelling mistake)

kurt is cool and all, im just kinda surprised to see him on a greatest songwriters of all time list

 

<shrug>

 

(theres no s on the end of homme, silly)

I like the cut of your jib, and agree with you on Mr.Cobain.

 

 

I would also like to add Lou Reed and David Bowie to my list.

what was i thinking?

 

as for Steve Jones. He played power chords, and essentially just elaborated on what The Ramones and New York Dolls were doing. If I were to include the Pistols in my list, its would be Mr. Rotton, not Mr. Jones.

[pvnc]

I've already named my choice, but I can't believe that no one's mentioned Pete Townshend. Or Paul Simon.

[no yu begin wher i end]

My list: Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, Elliot Smith, Matt Good, Jeff Tweedy, Roger Waters, John Lennon, Johnny Cash and Bob Marley.

[THE MAN]

as for Steve Jones. He played power chords, and essentially just elaborated on what The Ramones and New York Dolls were doing. If I were to include the Pistols in my list, its would be Mr. Rotton, not Mr. Jones.

A valid point, but the way I see it, Never mind the Bolluks is the holy bible of punk rock.

 

and as for who actually wrote the riffs, its hard to say. Glen Matlock was the original bass player, so Rotten may not have had much to do with many of the songs.

[habsfan6969]

I agree Leonard Cohen is a great songwriter but that doesn't change the fact that I think most of his stuff is hard to listen to.

[mrs jesus]

...and as for who actually wrote the riffs, its hard to say. Glen Matlock was the original bass player, so Rotten may not have had much to do with many of the songs.

johnny rotten was the singer..

[THE MAN]

Sid vicious was the singer.

 

Rotten played bass.

[mrs jesus]

Sid vicious was the singer.

 

Rotten played bass.

um, right, if you say so

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_Pistols

Edited January 27, 2005 by mrs jesus

[spiritofeden]

Sid vicious was the singer.

 

Rotten played bass.

any opinion you have of music is now null and void.

 

Vicious was just a shitty herion filled shit stain on the punk landscape.

[ecnarf]

Has nobody mentioned Jimi Hendrix?

[mrs jesus]

he was a great guitar player.. i dont really think that he was a great songwriter, though