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Songwriters

dan_vedderdan_vedder Posts: 213
edited February 2006 in Other Music
Bob Dylan, Neil Young and our Eddie must be two of the greatest lyrical songwriters of all time but i really like Lou Reed, his songs tell amazing stories, i can listen to hours and hours of him. I just love Transformer and New York.

What do you think?
Who are the best song writers?
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Comments

  • CuriousCurious Posts: 732
    dan_vedder wrote:
    Bob Dylan, Neil Young and our Eddie must be two of the greatest lyrical songwriters of all time...

    Pssst... three.

    I'd go with Lennon and Cash as well as those mentioned.
    "The secret of creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." - Einstein
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    Neil is my favorite.
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  • mookie blaylock 10mookie blaylock 10 Posts: 4,042
    neil young.
  • reachdown12reachdown12 Posts: 693
    I love Neil and Eddie's songwriting..absolutely amazing with what they do.

    I also love Chris Cornell's..the way he paints a picture with his lyrics and the abstract quality of his writing, unbelievable.


    Robert Smith, I love his poetic use and the way his imagery comes through is just beautiful and flawless.

    And also Jim Morrison. His poetic view and the many topics within his writings, and the pictures formed in any song off of the Soft Parade LP, absolutely gorgeous.
    "Everyone wants to be the sun that lights up your life, but I'd rather be your moon so I can shine on you during your darkest hour when your sun's not around."
  • kdpjamkdpjam Posts: 2,303
    McCartney/Lennon/Harrison
    Neil Young
    Bowie
    Pete Townshend

    of course, Eddie V more recently..........
    lay down all thoughts; surrender to the void
    ~it is shining it is shining~
  • direwolf74direwolf74 Posts: 1,622
    You want great lyrics and storytelling? Check these guys out:

    Tom Waits
    Jeff Tweedy
    Gord Downie (The Tragically Hip)
    Steve Earle
    Bruce Springsteen
    John K. Samson (the Weakerthans)
    Warren Zevon
    Paul Westerberg
    Ryan Adams
    Sarah Harmer
    Hayden
    Ron Hawkins (Lowest of the Low)
    The Cash Brothers
    Ron Sexsmith
    Kathleen Edwards
    Dan Bern
    Greg Macpherson
    K-OS
    Joel Plaskett
    The Jayhawks
    Elliott Smith
    Danny Michel
    Chris Brown & Kate Fenner

    ...and that's just off the top of my head.
    "I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."

    -Tom Waits
  • IgottagoIgottago Posts: 483
    That's a good list, some great canadian talent on it..Hayden is awesome..glad you mention Gord Downie..this guy has a way with words that is pretty much unmatched. He just keeps getting better and better as a lyricist too, his first solo project is an absolute masterwork.

    Jeff Tweedy, also one of my faves. Summerteeth has some of the best lyrics ever.

    I've been on a huge Dylan kick lately. The guy was/is nothing short of a genius. I don't listen to his songs like they are relics of some ancient past, they seem so relevent right now. Blood on the Tracks is just kicking my ass these days.
  • floyd1975floyd1975 Posts: 1,350
    Harry Chapin deserves a mention in this thread. His stories are unmatched in my mind. Also Josh Ritter.
  • whatsthefreezerwhatsthefreezer Posts: 347
    I think Thom Yorke deserves a place on any greatest songwriters list.
  • IgottagoIgottago Posts: 483
    whatsthefreezer wrote:
    I think Thom Yorke deserves a place on any greatest songwriters list.

    Don't get me wrong, Thom Yorke is amazing, I love his words..but to me, there's some singers whose words just seem to carry the song (like Dylan)..Yorke's haunting vocal melodies would be great to listen to even if he was talking shit. So, yes, he is a great songwriter, but in my mind I am more likely to remember a Thom Yorke melody, but with a guy like Dylan, specific phrases just get you, regardless of the music behind it. Yorke could sing a mediocre line (not that they are) and make it sound incredible.

    Not really disagreeing with you, just another perspective on it. I do think Thom Yorke has pretty much summed up political paranoia better than anyone could have in the last decade or so (from OK computer onward).
  • fadafada Posts: 1,032
    One of the greatest lyrics of a song is "Imagine a Man" By the who.
  • Green GiantGreen Giant Posts: 32
    Don't forget the Finn Brothers, they've written some awesome songs over the years!
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    No one, not even eddie can touch Dylan for songwriting in my opinion (singing is another matter obviously). From simple songs like blowin' in the wind and let me die in my footsteps to abstract poem/songs like gates of eden and long narrative poems like Lily Rosmary and the Jack of hearts, he is unsurpassed by anyone.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • IgottagoIgottago Posts: 483
    We cant forget Morrissey either...yes, he can be a pompous ass, but he is one of the best/most fastinating lyricists of the last quarter century, easily.
  • DeetroitBaasketballDeetroitBaasketball Posts: 379
    Nick Drake anyone?

    Also, I really like Martin Sexton, but that's a bit more of a vocal thing. Though some of his songs mean a lot to me in a lyrical way as well.
  • floyd1975floyd1975 Posts: 1,350
    I forgot to put Neil Diamond in my earlier post.
  • bladworth116bladworth116 Posts: 344
    No love for Michael Stipe? wow
  • EchoesEchoes Posts: 1,279
    John Darnielle
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
  • KravenKraven Posts: 829
    Lennon/McCartney
    Warren Zevon
    Eddie Vedder
    Chris Cornell
    The Glimmer Twins
    32 shows and counting...
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    Ben Harper
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • ms11781ms11781 Posts: 88
    Strummer/Jones. My personal favorite.
  • wpost211wpost211 Posts: 124
    Brian Wilson
    Paul Simon
    "there's a lot to be said for nowhere...."

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  • NoLongerOverwhelmedNoLongerOverwhelmed Posts: 82
    I'll throw in

    Nick Cave and Robyn Hitchcock
    Rock over London... Rock on Chicago... I love what you do for me Toyota - Wesley Willis
  • merkinballmerkinball Posts: 2,262
    zstillings wrote:
    Harry Chapin deserves a mention in this thread. His stories are unmatched in my mind. Also Josh Ritter.

    Good one. Harry was amazing, I just listened to Greatest Stories Live today. He put every part of himself into his music.
    "You're no help," he told the lime. This was unfair. It was only a lime; there was nothing special about it at all. It was doing the best it could.

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  • mariposamariposa Posts: 2,523
    direwolf74 has some awesome list! :D

    Aside from the obvious...Uncle Neil, Ed and Gord Downie...

    Neil Finn/Finn Brothers! (more love for the Finn Brothers :) )
    Joni Mitchell
    Robert Smith
    Morissey
    Bob Dylan
    Robert Plant/Jimmy Page
    Jim Morrison
    "All the strength that you might think would disappear, resolving..."
  • PiCTuReKePTPiCTuReKePT Posts: 311
    EDDIE VEDDER!!!!!!!!!

    George Harrison
    John Lennon
  • PearlrushstonesPearlrushstones Posts: 15
    Gordon Lightfoot
    Neil Peart
  • CodeRiotCodeRiot Posts: 115
    Now if only someone would throw in some surprising, unpredicted songwriters.
    I tried to be a better me
    In the end I looked like the rest of them.
  • floyd1975floyd1975 Posts: 1,350
    merkinball wrote:
    Good one. Harry was amazing, I just listened to Greatest Stories Live today. He put every part of himself into his music.

    That is one of my favorite CD's. Better Place to be is one of the best and most feeling songs around.

    A couple of other younger guys who should get a nod as songwriters are Rhett Miller and Griffin House.
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