FabSwingers.com forum: Who has been the best songwriter?

By *UNCHBOX OP Man
over a year ago

folkestone

It's quite an art to write a good song, so who would you vote as the best songwriter ever for their body of work - not just one good song, but having written at least 3 or 4 really good songs?

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By *ingleguy1973Man
over a year ago

peterborough

hard to pick just one but id say bob dylan, bruce springsteen or jim steinman

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My fav songwriter is probably one you've never heard of, Terry Ronald but has written for such artists as Girls Aloud, The Saturdays, Dannii and Kylie to name but a few

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'd have to agree on Bob Dylan....I love Jim Steinmans works too mainly cos I'm a fan of Meatloaf.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

jodi mitchell, Paul Weller, Joe Dolce, Kurt Kobain, Elton John and Paul Mc Cartney even Plastic Jackson - great songsmiths tend to stand the test of time

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney, Stefani Germanotta, Paul Weller, Bernie Taupin and the Gibbs brothers.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

For relatively unknowns have a listen to Labi Siffre - "My Song", "It must be love"

Gordon Haskell.

A bit more well known:

Joni Mitchell

James Taylor

Carole King

and the brilliant Donald Fagen from Steely Dan

Enjoy

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By *aucy3Couple
over a year ago

glasgow

roger waters and david gilmour

burt bacharach.

there are so many.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Declan McManus

Sammy Cahn

Oscar Hammerstein

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"roger waters and david gilmour

burt bacharach.

there are so many."

Love a bit of Burt - sexy songs

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 16/01/11 19:30:55]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

What about Gary Barlow? He's made a few quid out of it

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

lets not forget the the late great robert nestor marley

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By *atisfy janeWoman
over a year ago

Torquay

Berry Gordy....Smokey Robinson....Marvin Gaye....Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Some of Bob Dylans poetry is and songwriting is unbelievable, his love songs like 'Sara', 'simple twist of fate' and 'shelter from the storm' are just lyrically perfect, demon of a wordsmith.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

the song i've listened to the most lately is Jacque Brel's voir un ami pleurer

I know what the title means and i know what the songs about but i don't want to know the translation

its just a beautiful sad sad song

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

cant belive no one said Paul Simon!!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

paul simon

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"paul simon"

too right number 1 for me..

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By *UNCHBOX OP Man
over a year ago

folkestone

"For relatively unknowns have a listen to Labi Siffre - "My Song", "It must be love"

Gordon Haskell.

A bit more well known:

Joni Mitchell

James Taylor

Carole King

and the brilliant Donald Fagen from Steely Dan

Enjoy

I agree with Labi Siffre - dont forget his other big hit, something inside so strong. Such a powerful song written as an anti apartheid song by him.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Yes, I didnt mention "Something inside so strong" as fairly well known by most people. Great song.

Labi Siffre was "persecuted" for being gay but wrote some amazing, moving songs.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Throw me Billy Bragg in.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"the song i've listened to the most lately is Jacque Brel's voir un ami pleurer

I know what the title means and i know what the songs about but i don't want to know the translation

its just a beautiful sad sad song"

he writes beautiful sad songs, my favourite is ne me quitte pas

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By *aucy3Couple
over a year ago

glasgow

leonard cohen.

probably the most under estimated,song writer of al time.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think there have been so many fantastic song writers through the years. Some would say John Lennon and others Elton John and Bernie Taupin. I have always had a preference for Robert Smith from the Cure. He was astounding and has the ability to write some excellent lyrics and mount them on some fantastic tunes. . He was distinctive in his style and innovative with his writing and the way he would maximise the use of flanging, chorusing and phasing effects to give a totally distinct and pioneering style.

He was able to alter his song writing to a more pop oriented style as well which many writers don’t do as they see it sas commercialism and that is wrong because its important to get your work noticed, performed and listened to by many. He was also able to write songs that would often contain dark themes; for example, the single "In Between Days" contrasts a bouncy pop-rock beat with lyrics about sadness and heartbreak. I truly believe the man is a cut above and is one of the many who didn’t get his talent fully exposed.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Whichever one of Right Said Fred wrote Deeply Dippy would be my vote.

Failing that...

Bob Marley (poet and a prophet)

Morrissey

Weller

Kurt Cobain

Joe Strummer

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Bob Marley

Prince

Curtis Mayfield

Stevie Wonder

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By *he chess masterMan
over a year ago

edinburgh

nobody mentioned bert baccharat or bernie taupin or one of my favourites harvey andrews

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By *eighleedsMan
over a year ago

leeds

Freddie Mercury, Jim Steinman, Bruce Springsteen

And i cant believe no one mentioned Neil Diamond yet

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Dylan is #1 without doubt but also love carole king and James Taylor

A few more ...

David Bowie

John Martyn

Richard Thompson

Jimi Hendrix

Thom Yorke

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By *eighleedsMan
over a year ago

leeds

and then there is Jake Thackray, you may have to be from Yorkshire to appreciate him though

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

lennon/mccartney.no contest realy

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

tom waits.

his music and lyrics are unlike anything else ive heard.

he has a way of summing life up.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"lennon/mccartney.no contest realy

I agree there

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Mark Knopfler has written some great songs,along with being a great guitarist.

Smokey Robinson,Ray Davies and loads more I can't remember just now...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

my other half, we're onto our 8th album now x

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By *picMan
over a year ago

Petworth

Mick Jagger & Keith Richards

Robert Plant

Lemmy

Eric Clapton

Bob Dylan

Burt Bacharach

Buddy Holly

Robert Hunter ( wrote many of The Grateful Dead songs )

The Gibb Brothers

Tim Rice

Billy Joel

Kenny Rogers

John Denver and probably the best female song writer of them all Dolly Parton

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

kenny rogers has wrote some classics over the years.

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By *raigwakeyMan
over a year ago

barnsley

lennon, mccartney, PAUL HEATON to throw a new one into the mix x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Steve Earle or Bob Seger,both are geniuses with the lyrics,Springsteen too

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

and dont forget Ray Davies too of the Kinks

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

jimi hendrix had some great lyrics and songs

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By *etillanteWoman
over a year ago

George Gershwin, Rogers and Hart, Rogers and Hammerstein

Ok,ok even I'm not that old, but they did write some fantastic songs.

Google them

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Noel Gallagher

John Lennon

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

A lot of the names from above - personal Favourites are:

Roger Waters

Syd Barrett

Robert Smith

Fish

Shane McGowan

and highest on the list, Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree/No Man/Blackfield/Bass Communion etc. The man is prolific in the projects he's in with Porcupine Tree being the best but pretty much all of the stuff he's done is superb.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"and then there is Jake Thackray, you may have to be from Yorkshire to appreciate him though"

I remember Jake - he was a regular guest on 'That's Life'

He's dead now ... and who said God doesn't exist

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"leonard cohen.

probably the most under estimated,song writer of al time."

Depressing, but bloody good

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By *semymouth_2024Man
over a year ago

swanwick, Alfreton

Alanis Morrisette

Madonna

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By *emima_puddlefuckCouple
over a year ago

hexham

Bob Dylan,close the thread,there can be no argument on this

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Hows about....Ian Dury ....sublime lyricist....Sweet Gene Vincent

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By *empnbunkCouple
over a year ago

south coast

have to say neil diamond he has written sooooo many class songs not just for himself but for nearly everyone worth writing for ...lol

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By *entcouple4550Couple
over a year ago

canterbury

Declan McManus ? Good grief ! If we are going to be pretentious lets call him 'The Impostor'

Berry Gordy was the owner of, and sometime producer at, Motown; he hardly wrote any of their catalogue.

Laughing Len Cohen is NOT depressing..its a myth. Just listen.

Nice to see Richard Thompson and Joni Mitchell get a mention along with the obvious candidates.

Jake Thackery was a genius. Woefully underrated, misunderstood or just out of his time?

A couple of personal favourites...Nick Lowe, Louden Wainwright 3rd and Lowell George.

Delighted that the wonderful Ian Dury was mentioned. When I'm in my box sliding towards the incinerator it will be Ian's 'Fucking Ada' which will be reverberating very loudly around the room.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

and James Taylor and Neil Young and!!!!! the list is endless

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Berry Gordy....Smokey Robinson....Marvin Gaye....Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier"

and Willie Dixon..the man who shaped the blues and The man who paved the way for so many others

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

... Of all time...

Mozart, who wrote entire "works" in a second language...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

For me it's got to be artists who wrote and sang there own songs!!

Lennon Mccartney,

Otis Redding

bowie

Smokey Robinson

Carole King

Buddy Holly

Jagger and Richards

Dylan

Springsteen

Elton John and Bernie Taupin

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Oh i need to add one more to my list! Mr Ray Davis of the kinks

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The Bee Gees.....

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