#512668 - 03/21/02 08:17 PM
Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Tedster
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Not only the superfamous ones like Dylan, Lennon/McCartney, Holland-Dozier-Holland, King/Goffin, etc...but some of the more obscure ones.
Any genre...
Oh yeah...why are they your faves? Great melodies? Lyrics?
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#512669 - 03/21/02 08:41 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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aaron.p
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Ok, I know there'll be some yucks and blahs at this one, but I have to mention Tony Banks from Genesis. It's been so long since anything of quality has been heard by that band that I think people have either forgotten or flat out missed his (and their) ability to squeeze amazing melodies out of thin air. The band is really before my time and their stuff is sounding dated now, but I went through a big Genesis craze about ten years ago in college (regarding their 70's and early 80's stuff). I was studying music composition. I burned out on them around '95, but aside from Lennon n McCartney, I've never been as moved by someone's tunes as much as these guys. I'm not even going to get all worked up about naming tunes and such, cause I can hear the rebuttles already. I'll just leave it at that.
aaron p.
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#512670 - 03/21/02 08:46 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Sylver
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Tough question. I think it would have to be Roger Waters. His lyrics are otherworldly and he writes some pretty good music(with the help of somme very talented friends).
Peter Gabriel is up there too. He may actually be more well rounded than Waters.
Not to mention some pretty terrific songwriting teams. Who were those guys who wrote all those hits in the 60's and 70's? John what's his name and Paul somebody ...
Jack
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#512671 - 03/21/02 11:02 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Dak Lander
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Two songs each by 6 of my favorites:
Fred Eaglesmith "He's A Good Dog" "Livin' Out On The Road"
Richard Thompson "Bee's Wing" "1952 Vincent Black Lightning"
Todd Snider "That Was Me" "You Think You Know Somebody"
John Prine "Blue Umbrella" "Bruised Orange"(Chain of Sorrow)
Merle Haggard "Momma Tried" "Hungry Eyes"
Johnny Cash "Drive On" "Flesh And Blood"
These are songs with some meaning but, obviously, they do other, lighter stuff, up tempo & all...
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#512672 - 03/21/02 11:35 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Jedi
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O.K. I know you said besides the biggies, but I got to say it, Dylan. He is it. I think you could put Dylan's words up to Shakespeare, a true poet, his lyrics come from that sublime realm. Melody lines are incredible as well. Alright, now that I've got that out of my system. Smokey Robinson is one of the best ever. For me, he's on the same level as Dylan, I just lean more to Dylan's works because he has a more versatile range of topics.
Now, a group of guys I believe are totally underrated as songwriters are Nash Kato, and "Eddie" King Roeser from Urgeoverkill. These guys write killer songs. The melodies, lyrics, themes, contrast, artistic balls, and emotional content. Did I mention the arrangements? man these guys are the shit. Oh yeah, Sting is a kick ass songwriter. And this new kid, Pete Yorn, I think we'll be hearing great things from this guy for sure.
Namaste
Jedi
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"All conditioned things are impermanent. Work out your own salvation with diligence."
The Buddha's Last Words
R.I.P. RobT
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#512673 - 03/21/02 11:59 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Steve LeBlanc
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Leave it to Tedster... 
OK, if I had to just name a few:
John Prine - Major influence on my writing...I grew up on him...hell my Dad played on his first 6 albums his influence was unavoidable. I also met the guy several times and he is as real as he seems.
Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken, Father and Son, Peace Train, Hardheaded Woman...the guy was/is a genius.
Carole King - "You've Got a Friend"...if that was the only tune she ever wrote it would be enough to put her on my best of list.
Ian Anderson - Wow...I love Jethro Tull, his lyrics astound me...even the newer stuff...have you read the lyrics for "Farm On The Freeway"?
Bob Dylan - You know.
Stevie Wonder - Very underrated as a writer...his catalog is unbelievable really.
Norman Whitfield - Another great writer I've had the pleasure of meeting...so many classic songs I can't just mention a few.
OK, there are many more...but these popped into my head first.
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#512674 - 03/22/02 12:02 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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coolhouse
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I had once contemplated starting a thread with a similar theme on SSS(who writes most of their own material & is successful but isn't thought of foremost as a songwriter).
Tom Petty
Sheryl Crow
Todd Rundgren
Butif you want to know my favorite songwriter,it's Jackson Browne.
later,
Mike
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#512675 - 03/22/02 01:03 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Tedster
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Originally posted by coolhouse:
I had once contemplated starting a thread with a similar theme on SSS(who writes most of their own material & is successful but isn't thought of foremost as a songwriter).
Tom Petty
Sheryl Crow
Todd Rundgren
Butif you want to know my favorite songwriter,it's Jackson Browne.
later,
Mike 
Okay...Lennon McCartney for the obvious. Dylan as well.
Let's see...Todd Rundgren. Definitely...such a range of stuff, from Philly soul to surrealistic prog to pure pop...
Don Henley. Love his stuff. Well, most of it.
James Taylor
Elvis Costello. Quite a melodic guy...
On the down home side...Lyle Lovett, Bob McDill...
Shel Silverstein (for the humorous stuff)...
That's a few...
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"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#512676 - 03/22/02 06:13 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Dan Worley
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Boy, it's hard to keep the list short. I'll leave out composers like Mozart and Bach, but they were songwriters too.
Duke Ellington: No one could ever say enough about this man to match his talent, volume of work and quality. I believe he's the best songwriter of all time. And he did it with class!!!
George Gershwin: George didn't get respect from the snobs of jazz or classical music, but that and his lack of formal training never stopped him. The public loved his music.
Lennon & McCartney: The reason I do what I do.
Weber & Rice: I'm into music theatre and these guys are the best.
Bob Dylan: Listen to "Hey, Landlord" and you'll know why. Yeah, right, like I have to convince you.
Jackson Browne: "and we'll fill in the missing colors of each other's paint by number dreams."
Neil Young: Simple and powerful. I love Neil.
Bruce Springsteen: "I gotta '69 Chevy with a 396." Bruce can make me feel like I can make it through anything.
Keith Green: Keith was the first Christian artist I ever heard that didn't sound whimpy. He floored me with his powerful lyrics, melodies and piano playing. He was awesome. Rest in peace, Keith.
Bryan Duncan: Another Christian artist. Bryan writes about what I struggle with. He can take complex feelings and emotions and compress them down to a single short verse or phrase.
James Taylor: "Frozen Man" says it all.
Cat Stevens: I almost didn't put Cat on the list, but I listened to him so much that I just have to. He did so much with so little.
It's bothering me that there are no women songwriters on my list, but none of them made the cut. I'll have to think about it some more. Paul Simon didn't make the cut either. I couldn't believe that.
Regards,
Dan Worley
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#512677 - 03/22/02 08:56 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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coolhouse
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Originally posted by Tedster:
Cool...our tastes are durn near exact. Wanna start a band?
later,
Mike
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#512678 - 03/22/02 12:18 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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henrysb3
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After Dylan and L & Mc, there are those families:
The Simons - Paul & Carly
The Williams - Hank (Sr.), Dar, and Lucinda
DNA tests are pending.
I'm off to Colorado.
Seeya next week.
.............
"He not busy being born is busy dyin.'"
"I've been in trouble ever since
I set my suitcase down."
Dylan, about four decades apart.
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He not busy being born
Is busy dyin'.
...Bob Dylan
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#512679 - 03/22/02 12:27 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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jackpine
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Originally posted by Tedster:Cool...our tastes are durn near exact. Wanna start a band? [/QB]
Throw in a bit of Neil Young and a nod to the jazzier side of life with Joni Mitchell.
jim
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#512680 - 03/22/02 12:38 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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strat0124
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Steve Earle
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#512681 - 03/22/02 01:49 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Rob4CU
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John Hyatt
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#512682 - 03/22/02 04:00 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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rog951
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Lotsa people mentioned John and Paul but I wanna give George Harrison his due too. For me, I think he's been more capable of the "goosebump factor" than anyone else...
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#512683 - 03/22/02 07:36 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Tedster
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Sure thing, Jackpine...
And yes to Steve Earle and John Hiatt, too...and of course, the late, great George...
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"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#512684 - 03/22/02 07:43 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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profesrgeo
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Ok, I'll bite...
a few that haven't been mentioned yet...
Joni Mitchell: especially the Court & Spark and Hejira albums
Warren Zevon: Lots a great stuff
Natalie Merchant: Tigerlilly
geo
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#512685 - 03/22/02 09:12 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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robmix
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Peter Gabriel and Julia Fordham. Lately I've been digging the new Jewel record, there's some great songs on there.
Rob
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#512686 - 03/24/02 10:06 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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coolhouse
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Yeah Jackpine now we can have a trio. Alright,let's get back to the band name. If we don't pick one of mine,I'm gonna quit.
later,
Mike
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#512687 - 03/24/02 10:50 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Imbecilia
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Originally posted by Sylver:
Tough question. I think it would have to be Roger Waters. His lyrics are otherworldly and he writes some pretty good music(with the help of somme very talented friends).
Then Lou Reed, Andrew Eldritch etc.
Oh, I forgot the Oscar-Winner:
R A N D Y N E W M A N!
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#512688 - 03/25/02 01:03 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Tedster
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Wie geht's Imb...und willkommen...
Meine deutsch ist nicht gut......uh..that's why I don't go over to Dr. Walker's place...but it's nice to have you aboard!
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"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#512689 - 03/25/02 01:13 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Imbecilia
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Originally posted by Tedster:
Wie geht's Imb...und willkommen...
Meine deutsch ist nicht gut......uh..that's why I don't go over to Dr. Walker's place...but it's nice to have you aboard!
Schön, wenn man so begrüßt wird...
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#512690 - 03/25/02 11:33 AM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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DC
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Beside's the Fab Four guys; Buckingham & Nicks, Pagey & Plant, Paul Simon, Randy Neuman, Elton and Billie J., Rick Ocasik, Elvis C., Joni M., Mick and Keef, Bob Dylon., Ann and Nancy Wilson when they were writing with Roger Fisher, Richard Tompson, Roger Waters, Ian Anderson, Jeff Lynn, Steven Page and Ed Robinson, Ray Davies, Chrissy Hide, Sheryl Crowe, Tyler and Perry, did Anderson and Squire write all those Yessongs?, Neil Diamond, Albert Lee, EC, I know there's a bunch of good writers I'm leaving out...
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#512691 - 03/30/02 07:27 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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lane2
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Jim Morrison to me is the best lyrical writer i have found. but i guess its just my opinion right.
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#512692 - 03/30/02 09:34 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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saucyjack
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I'll throw out a couple...Pete Townshend sure he has ups and downs but he didn't have a misstep from like 66-76.
How bout Elliot Smith? Tom Verlaine?
And lastly the criminally overlooked Andy Partridge/Colin Moulding from XTC.
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#512693 - 03/30/02 11:37 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Barknbite4
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My favorite songwriters have always been Paul McCartney and John Lennon. But lately, I have gotten into Chris Carraba (Dashboard Confessional) He does all acoustics and the lyrics just have so much meaning in them. "Waiting here with hopes the phone will ring and I'm thinking awful things, Pretty sure that few will notice. And this apartment is starving for an argument. Anything at all to break the silence"
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#512694 - 03/31/02 04:11 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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dondottcomm
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Tom Waits,Paul Westerberg,Sara McLachlan,John Mellencamp,Carol King and of course those Beatles guys.
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What? you mean I can take this block of fine swiss and make a song??...COOL!
Don
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#512695 - 04/03/02 04:39 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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desoto
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Ooo, nice topic. Here are my faves with some album references.
Tom Waits: all of Rain Dogs shows his versatility and wacked out sense of humor
Keith Richards: love him, love him, love him
Lucinda Williams: gotta tip the hat to the Car Wheels on a Gravel Road album, just gorgeous
Mark Knopfler: Mr. Dire Straits really got it together with his last solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia
Van Morrison: Has he been mentioned yet? So many incredible tunes. You just have to ignore all the ones where he whines about how unfair the music industry is.
Mr. Dylan: Of course. His latest album is a beauty.
John Prine: We don't perform many covers, but "Unwed Fathers" made the list. He's great in concert, too.
Amanda
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#512696 - 04/04/02 12:04 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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JemsData_Joel
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Registered: 08/27/01
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Van "The Man" Morrison
Dave Matthews... yes I'm serious
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#512697 - 04/04/02 01:47 PM
Re: Who's your favorite songwriter?
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Rusrant@aol.com
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Umm, John Hiatt, Daneil Lanois and Ed roland
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