Best Songwriters of all time?


David C
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David C
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07/09/2002 4:08 pm
I am curious, who do you think is the best songwriter (who also plays guitar of course) of all time? I would have to say Bob Dylan, with Neil Young coming a close second. Many people would get honorable mentions, but Dylan is the greatest. And he is still writing great lyrics in his informal yet brilliant style--check out Love & Theft.
What do you think?
David
"It's all right son . . . we told you what to dream"
# 1
zepp_rules
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zepp_rules
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07/15/2002 5:28 pm
Steve Harris and Roger Waters are my favorite
To improve technique and of course trying to keep all as clean as possible. I know my own limits and speed limits and so on I never play anything I'm not capable of. That wouldn't make any sense. After three years of playing I tried to play everything as fast as possible and that sounded, I would say, like shit, and I didn't realize that if I'd play bit slower things than I was capable of playing then everything would sound much better.

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# 2
lalimacefolle
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lalimacefolle
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07/15/2002 5:53 pm
John Lennon
# 3
MikeP.
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MikeP.
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07/16/2002 6:48 am
Although not the most popular subject these days (Although I could care less...I love Heavy metal)

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)
Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne)
C.C DeVille (Poison) (don't laugh... He's written Hit after Hit after Hit and has an ear for melodies)
Kirk Hammet/James Hetfield (Metallica)
Yngwie J. Malmsteen (Rising Force)
Ritchie Blacmore (Deep Purple)
Toni Iomie (Black Sabbath-again hit after hit)


Instrumentalists
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Eric Johnson
Yngwie J. Malmsteen (I also had to list hime here as well)
(I'd list more instrumentalists but these are the top with most radio airplay of their genre)


I guess when it all comes down to it who's the best songwriters etc. (Forget about media hype wich can brainwash people) everybody has different oppinions.
I started learning guitar because of Randy Rhoads..but Yngwie J. Malmsteen is my biggest influence.
# 4
cortateer
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cortateer
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07/16/2002 2:18 pm
i'd say paul simon, dave matthews or john lennon..and bob dylan would be there as well. others that drserve mention:
stock atkin and waterman, they hold a record i think, for writing a complete song the fastest, words and music: 3minutes...kinda kwik...
# 5
cortateer
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cortateer
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07/16/2002 2:35 pm
oooooooooooooooo and ben harper!!...
# 6
David C
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David C
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07/16/2002 2:58 pm
For a while, I didn't think anybody cared about songwriting anymore. (ha!) Those are all good choices. Have you heard of Jay Farrar from Son Volt, originally with Uncle Tupelo? He's the man to watch as far as new songwriters go (in my humble opinion).
David
"It's all right son . . . we told you what to dream"
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Slow Diver
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Slow Diver
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07/17/2002 6:30 am
Cobain
Morrison
Edd Vedder
Depeche Mode
And of course Perry Farel
These are the first five that came in my mind
The world is loaded, it's lit to pop, nobody is gonna stop!
# 8
cortateer
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cortateer
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07/17/2002 6:38 am
cobain...nah.
morrison...hell yeah...esp: madam george
vedder... yip yip yip...esp: off he goes
depeche mode...goody goody...esp: personal jesus
# 9
farquharson
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farquharson
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07/20/2002 3:09 pm
I would have to agree and say Bob Dylon along with Neil Young! but i would also lke to give thanks to Axel Rose, Billy Joel,Kurt Cobain and Noel Gallahger for their memorable lyrics.
# 10
David C
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David C
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07/20/2002 6:28 pm
Actually guys, I was asking about "guitar playing" songwriters, so Axel Rose, Perry Farel, and Billy Joel don't really count. I'm sure Joel can play the guitar, and maybe the others could play a chord or two, but I don't think so. Correct me if I'm wrong.

It looks like Dylan and Young are the clear winners ;)

DC
"It's all right son . . . we told you what to dream"
# 11
nasum_human
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nasum_human
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07/20/2002 10:50 pm
what about Eric Clapton? I consider him a talented songwriter and lyricist. Mikael Akerfeldt is my personal hero (he plays in Opeth, does vocals, guitars, pianos and everything else)
I think Neil Young is a strong songwriter, as was kurt cobain and bob dylan. Phil Anselmo is a poet of our generation in my eyes, gifted songwriter and musician
Max Cavalera of sepultura and soulfly, and paige hamilton of Helmet.
There really are countless great songwriters to choose from, often of different eras, and yeah I LOVE eddie vedder and pearl jam.
Layne staley and jerry cantrell were the guys who got me through my teens, and James Hetfield of metallica!

I'd say my top 5 are

1.Mikael Akerfeldt
2.James Hetfield
3.Eric Clapton
4.Layne Staley/Jerry Cantrell
5.Kurt Cobain
guns dont kill people, people kill people, and monkeys do too (if they've got a gun)
# 12
farquharson
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farquharson
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07/21/2002 10:02 am
All of the above mentioned are indeed great but would anyone mind if i also said that Hendrix was also a goog song wrighter, and even though most just think of him for his guitar playing his lyrics were just as good in their own way (dave.c sorry for not reading your question properly)
# 13
David C
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David C
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07/21/2002 8:51 pm
No problem, farq, I just wanted to grab the bull by the horns before it rampaged down the wrong path. Vedder, Farel, and those guys are great, but they aren't guitar-people.

Yeah, Jimi was talented, but too bad his best song was written by Dylan ;)

Clapton deserves mention, too, but don't forget that "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" were written by J.J. Cale, who also wrote "They Call Me the Breeze." I would say JJ and Townes Van Zandt deserve honorable mentions. Keith Richards wrote some cool songs with Jagger. Who wrote Zeppelin's songs? They are stellar.

Many, many people deserve honorable mentions, but right now no one can even touch Dylan and Young when it comes to longevity, copiousness, and brilliance. By the way, I would rather hear Young play and sing, but Dylan writes better lyrics (and more of them!). I've seen Dylan, but not Young--yet.

DC
"It's all right son . . . we told you what to dream"
# 14
nasum_human
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nasum_human
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07/22/2002 1:29 am
just a few points

Eddie Vedder does play guitar, especially on the more recent stuff, I've seen em live twice and he plays on around half the tracks :)
I forgot to Mention Pete Townshend, dont ask me why, but I would say HE is the greatest songwriter of all time
Led zep next, most of the songs were lyrics by plant, music by jimmy page, although john paul jones and john bonham co wrote on a few tracks, black dog is one that springs to mind
I personally would disagree with young and dylan being untouchable, I love neil young, but with 38 albums to his name, he's written some junk as well as some genius stuff
I dont rate the beatles much at all, but the sheer amount of people who love them, means they've got to have done SOMETHING right
and yeah Cale did write some of clapton's more popular tunes, but think about layla, have you ever loved a woman, tears in heaven, pilgrim, wonderful tonight, the list goes on, he's written some amazing material of his own too.
Peter Green is another fantastic songwriter, as is andy fraser, ok he's a bassist, but I had to slip him in
Honestly, it's all down to personal perference here, a song that speaks to one person, another person may hate, it's soo subjective, although I love talks like this, I love hearing about people I've never heard of, so I can check em out!
guns dont kill people, people kill people, and monkeys do too (if they've got a gun)
# 15
taylormarkow
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taylormarkow
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07/22/2002 4:35 am
i think john lennon was pretty good, and neil young.
jimi hendrix is my favorite guitarist, but he isnt much at writing lyrics.
Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess was why several of us died of tuberculosis.
# 16
David C
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David C
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07/22/2002 1:41 pm
OK, Nasum, you're right about Clapton. He wrote some great stuff. And I agree that Young has written some crap over the years (especially that song "Piece of Crap" from "Sleeps with Angels" I think, which was really a piece!).

One name I haven't seen mentioned is Tom Petty. Recently inducted into the rock n' roll hall of fame, he's a living legend, in my opinion. Plays mostly rhythm, but he's a solid guitarist.

I didn't realize Vedder played guitar.

DC
"It's all right son . . . we told you what to dream"
# 17
farquharson
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farquharson
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07/22/2002 7:48 pm
I prefer to listen to dylon more than young 4 dylon albums and 3 young albums.

It's just a shame that the artist's who have covered dylon songs have mannaged to make them sound a little bit better,
i would also say that young has s better voice..
# 18
PENGUINZERO
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PENGUINZERO
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07/22/2002 11:16 pm
well i would have to say that Maynard James Keenan of TOOL is the greatest songwriter of all time....period. but of course someone will try to argue with me, so noone get upset, this is my opinion.
# 19
David C
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David C
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07/23/2002 9:01 pm
Keenan certainly writes some interesting lyrics. On that note, what about Ween? They write crazy stuff. I saw them live once, and man were they wild! They kept making references to drinking Jack Daniels and smoking crack. I think they were partying pretty hard that night. Not really my kind of partying, but they were entertaining.

DC
"It's all right son . . . we told you what to dream"
# 20

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