Franky Miller
He wrote is first song aged 12yr was very infuential on the British rock scene.l
Best Songwriters of all time?
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Franky Miller
He was revered by all the rock stars of the 60s and 70s and wrote some of there most famous songs for them?
But did not gain stardom in his own right all though he toured right upto is death a few years ago.
Rod stewart had a hit with Darlin" to name but one.
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If you are going to put Dylan as the best then you have to put Woody Guthrie along-side him.
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I have to give a shout out to Jackson Browne and Jonie Mitchell as some of the best from the last century.
Captcha is a total pain in the........
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Stale thread, and I'm sure this selection has to be in it somewhere.
"Of all time" perhaps not compared to the likes of Haydn, but of the contemporary music from the past seven decades, no contest Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison...sorry Ritchie.
Yet to be bettered in either quanity, quality or popularity.
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Originally Posted by: manXcatStale thread, and I'm sure this selection has to be in it somewhere.
"Of all time" perhaps not compared to the likes of Haydn, but of the contemporary music from the past seven decades, no contest Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison...sorry Ritchie.
Yet to be bettered in either quanity, quality or popularity.
...and considering how old they were (weren't, really...), it's even more shocking how good those songs are. Lyrically and musically, astounding at such a young age. Hard to argue how great they were and clearly will always be at the top of the songwriter list.
In the same mindset, Brian Williams has to be up there too.
These guys were more than just a single great song or even just some great songs, they had a lot of them. There are times where a decent band ends up having 'that one' amazing song but the rest of the catalogue was at best, ok. But if you can keep putting up great songs, that's really a next level skill.
I find that what I consider a great songwriter isn't just the ability to write a song that the masses love (though that is a skill), but the ability to be musically and lyrically be inventive too.
I think as a group, Fleetwood Mac in their prime were right up there too. Oh, and the Eagles....
Awwww heck, next thing ya know, I got half the 70's in there!!!!
# 9
Originally Posted by: JeffS65...and considering how old they were (weren't, really...)[/quote]And the fact that none of them could read or write script notation or had any formal training whatsoever in musical theory, reliant on intuition and instinct.
I'm not a believer in any of the 'my brand sky faery faith' dogmas, but Brian Epstein's promotional involvement notwithstanding, it too a function of the same timing and coincidental (?) coalescence of those three lads + one the social harmonist, does make one consider the origin of all that is known scientific theory and philosophical logic.
Originally Posted by: JeffS65In the same mindset, Brian Williams has to be up there too.[br]Typo? From the gist, did you mean to type Brian [u]Wilson[/u]? This is the only Brian Williams songwriter I could find off a quick search.
[quote=JeffS65]Oh, and the Eagles...
Yes, for me they really were a stand out in the '70s, and beyond, which is quite the accolade considering the also ran competition of the day.
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Originally Posted by: manXcatOriginally Posted by: JeffS65...and considering how old they were (weren't, really...)[/quote]And the fact that none of them could read or write script notation or had any formal training whatsoever in musical theory, reliant on intuition and instinct.
I'm not a believer in any of the 'my brand sky faery faith' dogmas, but Brian Epstein's promotional involvement notwithstanding, it too a function of the same timing and coincidental (?) coalescence of those three lads + one the social harmonist, does make one consider the origin of all that is known scientific theory and philosophical logic.
Originally Posted by: JeffS65In the same mindset, Brian Williams has to be up there too.[br]Typo? From the gist, did you mean to type Brian [u]Wilson[/u]? This is the only Brian Williams songwriter I could find off a quick Google search.
[quote=JeffS65]Oh, and the Eagles...
Yes, for me they really were a stand out in the '70s, and beyond, which is quite the accolade considering the also ran competition of the day.
Brian Wilson...Yep. Total typo.
Also, true on the Eagles point too. To be a standout in the era was quite something.
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Originally Posted by: JeffS65[p]Largely forgotten by generations unfamiliar today with the elapse of time, I don't think Brian Wilson gets the recognition he deserves midst the controversy overshadowing. I was listening at the time through The Beach Boys heyday. Epic.Brian Wilson...Yep. Total typo.
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Ha ha this is an easy no brainer.This guy had the massive added advantage of having a stunning voice which imho opinion is rqually as important;- Gerry Rafferty - the master songsmith on a different level.Please enjoy by searching him out on You Tube etc
Ps I will be stunned into submission if you can find anyone as good who has both qualities of course !
# 13
Probably been mentioned a few times, but how about Cat Stevens (Yusuf). This is a fun topic, but I have to be careful or I will end up going down a YouTube rabbit hole for hours and hours. I could never pick a "best" because it is so subjective and there are so many really amazing song writers.
It takes as long as it takes unless you quit - then it takes forever and you will never get there.
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Has anyone mentioned Harry Nilsson yet, Jim Croce? So many greats. I know what I like and what I hear but I am a highly unqualified judge. Best by what criteria? So many fantastic talents have been mentioned in this thread.
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I thought about Nilsson when I mentioned Cat Stevens. I don't know if he wrote enough "great" songs. I think two or three very good songs and probably a lot of better than average songs, but I am not sold on including him in my personal HOF.
I think some people don't take Croce all that seriously because of a few lightweight songs like Bad Bad Leroy Brown, You Don't Mess Around With Jim, and Roller Derby Queen, but he also wrote a lot of other really classic songs. For me, he is at least a borderline HOFer.
I also meant to respond to the Gerry Rafferty nomination by alisok99, but similar to Nilsson, not sure he did enough. Baker Street, Right Down the Line, and Stuck in the Middle with You are pretty iconic, for sure, but enough supporting material? I'm not sure. I have really vivid memories of a particular event from my life that Baker Street triggers instantly, so that is really meaningful for me, but still, not sure if there is enough. You would have to persuade me, alisok! I am glad you threw his name out there. (as if anyone was waiting for me to opine)
It takes as long as it takes unless you quit - then it takes forever and you will never get there.
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Originally Posted by: DavesGuitarJourneyProbably been mentioned a few times, but how about Cat Stevens (Yusuf).
[br][u]Yusuf is definitely up there[/u] along with Carole King "Tapestry" et al, or James Taylor as anyone around in that time of "Cat Stevens" heyday would recall.
In the modern through contemporary music category no-one comes close to "The Beatles" Lennon & McCartney in quantity, quality or success.
That could be extended chronologically to popular music of the past century through to famous names like Lerner and Lowe, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe Gershwin, Berlin, Porter. Too many to name but one "best" of all time.
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Originally Posted by: DavesGuitarJourneyI thought about Nilsson when I mentioned Cat Stevens. I don't know if he wrote enough "great" songs. I think two or three very good songs and probably a lot of better than average songs, but I am not sold on including him in my personal HOF.
I think some people don't take Croce all that seriously because of a few lightweight songs like Bad Bad Leroy Brown, You Don't Mess Around With Jim, and Roller Derby Queen, but he also wrote a lot of other really classic songs. For me, he is at least a borderline HOFer.
I also meant to respond to the Gerry Rafferty nomination by alisok99, but similar to Nilsson, not sure he did enough. Baker Street, Right Down the Line, and Stuck in the Middle with You are pretty iconic, for sure, but enough supporting material? I'm not sure. I have really vivid memories of a particular event from my life that Baker Street triggers instantly, so that is really meaningful for me, but still, not sure if there is enough. You would have to persuade me, alisok! I am glad you threw his name out there. (as if anyone was waiting for me to opine)
It's funny. I too have a strong memory (albeit a general one) associated with that song. It was a hot sweltering summer in suburban MD, and I had a part time job at Tippy's Taco. I was driving from the location I normally worked at to a second location in to fill in for someone for the week. I don't know why I associate that song with that memory. I guess it was on the radio.
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Ooh, great shout on Carole King! She wrote a bunch of songs that people don't know were hers, and of course Tapestry is definitely one of the best albums from the first groove on the vinyl to the last. The entire album is a masterpiece. JT is in my little HOF for sure. [br][br]
It's pretty much impossible to argue if someone wants to put John and Paul at the top for 20th century popular music, and I guess no one in this young 21st century has knocked them out of 1st place either.
For songwriting teams, I will throw Bernie Taupin and Sir Elton John into the ring for discussion. What say you, fellows (and fellowettes)? I think they have written a lot of really enjoyable and popular songs, but I am not so sure about great.
It takes as long as it takes unless you quit - then it takes forever and you will never get there.
# 19
Originally Posted by: manXcatOriginally Posted by: DavesGuitarJourneyProbably been mentioned a few times, but how about Cat Stevens (Yusuf).[br][u]Yusuf is definitely up there[/u] along with Carole King "Tapestry" et al, or James Taylor as anyone around in that time of "Cat Stevens" heyday would recall.
In the modern through contemporary music category no-one comes close to "The Beatles" Lennon & McCartney in quantity, quality or success.
That could be extended chronologically to popular music of the past century through to famous names like Lerner and Lowe, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe Gershwin, Berlin, Porter. Too many to name but one "best" of all time.
Carole King has got to be up there in the top 20 of 20th century american songwriters in any genre. I didn't mention her because someone had said that they were just keeping this to guitar players. Maybe she dabbles. I've never had the chance to see her live, but I did get to see the musical Beautiful a couple of years ago, based on her life. It was also pretty excellent (and of course, it featured all her hits). And yeah, Yussaf is pretty excellent too. I never cared that much for the song Anticipation by Carly Simon (I think I associated it with the Ketchup commercial) until I learned that she wrote that about Yussaf when they were dating. After listening more closely to the lyrics, and viewing them from that standpoint, I love it. Well, I'm wandering.
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