Who's written the best songs?

Bidley

I'm shocked Tom Petty hasn't been mentioned.

mooncat

lemmy kilmister.

guitarjack66

mooncat said:

lemmy kilmister.

Are there any other lyrics other than 'Ace of Spades?' lol.

HAL9000

Bidley said:

I'm shocked Tom Petty hasn't been mentioned.

…or John Fogerty. A surprising number of instantly recognisable and catchy songs.

hollywoodrox

Kip winger ,Reb beach & Paul Taylor  of Winger  

Tannin

Anyone who reckons Paul McCartney is "the greatest" has never listened to his most awful dross (such as Silly Love Songs, not to mention many others almost equally bad). 

Mind you, I said Dylan (unquestionably a far finer artist than McCartney could ever hope to be) and Dylan has turned out some shockers in his time. 

But the reality of McCartney is that he was never much on his own, and nor was Lennon. They turned out just a handful of top-class songs each. As a partnership, they were awesomely good: Lennon's acid taming McCartney's sickly sweet, McCartney's sugar making Lennon palatable. And all the time you had George in the background keeping them honest with with a pile of talent and Ringo keeping everything down to earth and never, ever getting the timing wrong. Just a great band. 

But the correct answer is still Bob Dylan. 

Creed_Clicks

Ringo Starr

Flanging_Fred

Tim Smith

JezWynd

SteveRobinson said:

Chinn and Chapman.

(I'll get my coat...)

Flanders and Swann

(get mine while you're there)

4on6

Has anyone mentioned Donald Fagen??? Surely up on the top shelf somewhere??

prowla

Tannin said:

Anyone who reckons Paul McCartney is "the greatest" has never listened to his most awful dross (such as Silly Love Songs, not to mention many others almost equally bad). 

Mind you, I said Dylan (unquestionably a far finer artist than McCartney could ever hope to be) and Dylan has turned out some shockers in his time. 

But the reality of McCartney is that he was never much on his own, and nor was Lennon. They turned out just a handful of top-class songs each. As a partnership, they were awesomely good: Lennon's acid taming McCartney's sickly sweet, McCartney's sugar making Lennon palatable. And all the time you had George in the background keeping them honest with with a pile of talent and Ringo keeping everything down to earth and never, ever getting the timing wrong. Just a great band. 

But the correct answer is still Bob Dylan. 

I would question that; Bob Dylan wrote decent prose for his time, but to call his warbling "songs" is a stretch.

His best song is Mr. Tabourine Man, which is hardly the height of the art.

Now, if the question was "Who thinks he's the greatest songwriter ever", then that correct answer might indeed be correct.

prowla

Incidentally, has anybody mentioned Page & Plant?
They wrote some great stuff.

Rocker

Kris Kristofferson. 

robinbowes

prowla said:

Tannin said:

Anyone who reckons Paul McCartney is "the greatest" has never listened to his most awful dross (such as Silly Love Songs, not to mention many others almost equally bad). 

Mind you, I said Dylan (unquestionably a far finer artist than McCartney could ever hope to be) and Dylan has turned out some shockers in his time. 

But the reality of McCartney is that he was never much on his own, and nor was Lennon. They turned out just a handful of top-class songs each. As a partnership, they were awesomely good: Lennon's acid taming McCartney's sickly sweet, McCartney's sugar making Lennon palatable. And all the time you had George in the background keeping them honest with with a pile of talent and Ringo keeping everything down to earth and never, ever getting the timing wrong. Just a great band. 

But the correct answer is still Bob Dylan. 

I would question that; Bob Dylan wrote decent prose for his time, but to call his warbling "songs" is a stretch.

His best song is Mr. Tabourine Man, which is hardly the height of the art.

Now, if the question was "Who thinks he's the greatest songwriter ever", then that correct answer might indeed be correct.

Dylan sounds awful, but his songs are superb.

The trick is to listen to other people performing them.

ICBM

prowla said:

Incidentally, has anybody mentioned Page & Plant?
They stole some great stuff.

FTFY

Philly_Q

So has every recording artist ever been named yet?  I guess not, only five pages.

robgilmo

Nick Drake? Considering his circumstances, or , Beethoven, I mean, the man was deaf?

robgilmo

And lets not forget people like Art Blakey, Miles Davis , Charles Mingus , John Coltrane, Laurel Aitken , Leonard Cohen, Pablo Casals , Stan Getz , Dave Brubeck, Thelonius Monk , Van Morrison , Chick Corea, or the superb Sonny Clark but to name a few?
There is soo much good music out there.


Oscar Peterson and Clark Terry, one of my fave albums.

prowla

ICBM said:

prowla said:

Incidentally, has anybody mentioned Page & Plant?
They stole some great stuff.

FTFY

I'll cross the ball and you head it in! :-)

robgilmo

Lightnin Hopkins wrote some corkers too, Blind lemon Jefferson, Frankie Lee Sims? Careful though, page and plant might re-record their music and call it their own.


If you do anything today, l;isten to this.