Ps762 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2012, 102 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 months 20 hours ago) and read 978 times:
Hi!
Last question I promise. This one is "what is your favourite songwriter(s) if you have any"? Any kind of music is fine. A lot of the music I listen to I don't know who wrote it but some of my ones I know and have liked are:
Babyface, R.Kelly (although he wrote a lot of stuff I don't like much too), Diane Warren (in the 80s and 90s).
Sorry I can't think of many more but there must be lots. The thing I kinda noticed about songwriters is the only ones who ever really become famous are the ones who write a string of hits. Nowone ever knows about the guys who write one or two maybe great tunes.
My alltime best pop tune if I had to select one (although I can't really) would be Madonna's Borderline. It was actually written I think by some American jazz musician complaining about his wife probably but if he released it nowone would want to hear or buy it. So they think Madonna was singing it about some guy and it sells millions!
Ps762 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2012, 102 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (5 months 20 hours ago) and read 968 times:
Hi!
Thanks. I have heard a lot of Paul Simon's stuff but only like a few tunes for some reason. He sells a ton though so must be pretty great. I like "50 ways to leave your lover"! A guy I went to school with actually ended up playing guitar on one of his new albums and he said it was really sureal in his blog. He was sitting there doing his usual job and all the time thinking "blimey this is the guy that wrote Mrs. Robinson"!
I have heard of Loretta Lynn but don't know much. I will check her out. Thanks.
AllegiantAir From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 1729 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (5 months 19 hours ago) and read 967 times:
When Ryan Ross was with Panic! At The Disco back with their debut album (A Fever You Can't Sweat Out) he had some pretty intense lyrics for being 18 years old. Quite an extensive vocabulary compared to most teenagers! Also he had an advanced outlook on the world at that age. Listening to that album still intrigues me.
vikkyvik From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 8226 posts, RR: 28 Reply 5, posted (5 months 19 hours ago) and read 959 times:
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Paul McCartney
John Lennon
George Harrison
Billy Joel
Keith Richards
Brad Whitford (the more talented though less prolific half of Aerosmith's guitar duo)
Sammy Hagar
Maynard James Keenan / Adam Jones / Justin Chancellor / Danny Carey (Tool)
Angus Young / Malcolm Young (ACDC)
Tom Scholz (Boston)
Dave Matthews for DMB's more uptempo stuff (I hate the slow stuff)
Brandon Boyd / Mike Einziger / Jose Pasillas / Alex Katunich / Chris Kilmore (Incubus through Morning View)
Cedric Bixler-Zavala / Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Mars Volta)
Geddy Lee / Alex Lifeson / Neil Peart (Rush)
"Two and a Half Men" was filmed in front of a live ostrich.
YYZatcboy From Canada, joined Apr 2005, 809 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (5 months 19 hours ago) and read 952 times:
Stan Rogers
Billy Joel
Tim Minchin
Queen
BT - If you are into Electronica, also check out Deadmau5.
Im also a fan of Eminem. Excellent use of words and beats, if you are into rap.
Lots of others but that's what happens to be on my iphone right now other than musicals and classical and audiobooks.
Darksnowynight From United States of America, joined Jan 2012, 982 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 902 times:
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 5): Dave Matthews for DMB's more uptempo stuff (I hate the slow stuff)
What do you think of that Duet w/ Alanis Morrissett at the end of Before These Crowded Streets? I think that's some of his most underrated work myself...
Bringing in Bela Fleck on that album didn't hurt things either.
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 5): Geddy Lee / Alex Lifeson / Neil Peart (Rush)
I think Neil Peart is responsible for about 79% of the awesome over at Rush. If he wasn't already one of the best drummers working, he has to go and be a freakin awesome lyricist as well.
Quoting YYZatcboy (Reply 7): BT - If you are into Electronica, also check out Deadmau5
I do like BT a lot. Not sure how much this one qualifies as pure "Electronica", but I happen to think that Ulrich Schnauss is pretty talented as well.
Quoting YYZatcboy (Reply 7): Im also a fan of Eminem. Excellent use of words and beats, if you are into rap.
It's hard for me to really get into Rap, per se, but every once in a while, something does stand out. I will say that yes, Eminem does tend to have a very good flow going, but oftentimes checks that back with average to below average subject/lyric creativity.
Posting without Talent is simply Tolerated Vandalism... We are the Vandals.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38512 posts, RR: 80 Reply 10, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 882 times:
Burt Bacharach
Gino Vannelli
David Foster
Dennis DeYoung
Richard & Karen Carpenter
Peter Cetera & Robert Lamm (Chicago)
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (The Time)
Prince Roger Nelson
Quincy Jones
George Michael
Carole King
Andy Connell, Corinne Drewery, Martin Jackson (Swing Out Sister)
Quoting Darksnowynight (Reply 9): I think Neil Peart is responsible for about 79% of the awesome over at Rush.
I'd say he's responsible for 33 & 1/3rd% of the greatness of Rush.
Many 'Rush' fans are just Neil Peart fans.
Quoting Darksnowynight (Reply 9): he has to go and be a freakin awesome lyricist as well.
Yes, his lyrics were awesome but today he has a lot on his mind and their newer material is too wordy.
I saw him in concert last month here in Bangkok with David Foster & friends.
Although I'm not a fan of his solo material, he is an incredible background vocalist, songwriter, producer and guitar player. His work with Madonna and Eric Clapton is fantastic.
He is good but like so many artist, his most popular song is his lamest (IMHO). I can't stand 'I Believe I Can Fly' but I really like his album tracks on his first three albums.
Ps762 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2012, 102 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 873 times:
Hi!
Many thanks for the replies. Lots of good songwriters listed and new stuff to check out too.
These days I find a lot of good songs I like are actually written and sung in languages I don't understand at all. Like Korean and arabic and farsi and stuff. I even have a couple of CD's which are in Tagalog (Phillippines). But I don't think I am normal in that respect!
ER757 From Cayman Islands, joined May 2005, 2232 posts, RR: 8 Reply 12, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 869 times:
Pete Townshend
His music spoke to me in my teenage years and his lyrics are powerful to me even to this day.
I was 18 when Quadrophenia came out and I swore he was reading my mind when I heard some of the lyrics.
I've been a huge fan of the Who for 40 years and a big part of that is because of Townshend's writing.
If I was only able to listen to one song before I died, it would be "Amazing Journey"
vikkyvik From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 8226 posts, RR: 28 Reply 13, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 869 times:
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Quoting Darksnowynight (Reply 9): What do you think of that Duet w/ Alanis Morrissett at the end of Before These Crowded Streets? I think that's some of his most underrated work myself...
Honestly, I don't remember it anymore - been quite awhile since I listened to that album (though it probably is my favorite). I do like her vocals on "Don't Drink the Water" though. I'll have to go listen to that album again.
I was really happy with Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King because it was quite uptempo and funky. Then when I found out they released Away from the World, I bought it, and yeah.....don't like it. Too freaking mellow. They're very hit-or-miss with me.
Quoting Darksnowynight (Reply 9): I think Neil Peart is responsible for about 79% of the awesome over at Rush. If he wasn't already one of the best drummers working, he has to go and be a freakin awesome lyricist as well.
Yeah, I'll go with Superfly's 33 1/3%. There's no Rush without any of the three of them. I'm not super into Peart's lyrics (to be fair, I don't really listen to lyrics at all - I'm a music guy rather than a lyrics guy). He certainly writes about topics that you don't often come across, but whether he's a good lyricist or not is tough for me to judge. I do enjoy reading his blog, and his essays that often accompany their live albums.
"Two and a Half Men" was filmed in front of a live ostrich.
MadameConcorde From San Marino, joined Feb 2007, 10243 posts, RR: 40 Reply 14, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 853 times:
The song writers I like (in no particular order)
Woody Guthrie
Bob Dylan
Willie Nelson
Dolly Parton
John Denver
Ray Charles
Phil Collins
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)
Leonard Cohen
Neil Young
Paul Simon
Donovan
Bob Marley
Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (ABBA)
...
George Gershwin
Cole Porter
Irving Berlin
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Duke Ellington
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Caetano Veloso
There was a better way to fly it was called Concorde
Dreadnought From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 7791 posts, RR: 22 Reply 15, posted (4 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 848 times:
Paul Simon. Great music, and great lyrics. Followed by Pete Townsend.
YVRLTN From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 2095 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (4 months 4 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 836 times:
Vikkyvik got most of them.
Quoting Darksnowynight (Reply 9): I think Neil Peart is responsible for about 79% of the awesome over at Rush. If he wasn't already the best drummer working, he has to go and be a freakin awesome lyricist as well.
Hey, I corrected that for you But Superfly is right
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 13): Yeah, I'll go with Superfly's 33 1/3%. There's no Rush without any of the three of them
Once upon a time there was an engineer.
Drove a locomotive both far and near.
Accompanied by a monkey that would sit on a stool
Watching everything the engineer would do
One day the engineer wanted a bite to eat,
He left the monkey sitting on the driver's seat,
The monkey pulled the throttle, the locomotive jumped the gun
And did 80 miles an hour down the mainline run.
Big locomotive right on time, big locomotive coming down the line.
Big locomotive No. 99, left the engineer with a worried mind.
The engineer called up the dispatcher on the phone,
To tell him all about his locomotive was gone.
Dispatcher got on the wire, switch operator to the right,
Cause the monkey's got the main line sewed up tight.
The switch operator got the message on time,
Said there's a Northbound livin' on the same main line,
Open up the switch I'm gonna let him through the hole,
Cause the monkey's got the locomotive under control.
Big locomotive right on time, big locomotive coming down the line.
Big locomotive No. 99, left the engineer with a worried mind.
There was a better way to fly it was called Concorde
YVRLTN From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 2095 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (4 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 774 times:
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 17): I'd have to debate you on that one. I don't find Brian May underrated at all - he gets huge props, especially from other guitarists
Maybe. Outside the music world, even to the fans if you ask them to name one Queen member I bet they will say Freddie, because of his vocals, showmanship and untimely death. I dont think the "fans" give Brian enough credit, though maybe it is changing since Freddie has been gone, what, 20 years now?!
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 17): Now John Deacon and Roger Taylor, on the other hand....
As under rated musicians for sure, though in the context of this thread, while both wrote hits, I couldnt put them in upper echelons of greatest songwriters.
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 17): And for some silly reason, I forgot Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
vikkyvik From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 8226 posts, RR: 28 Reply 21, posted (4 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 763 times:
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Quoting YVRLTN (Reply 20): As under rated musicians for sure, though in the context of this thread, while both wrote hits, I couldnt put them in upper echelons of greatest songwriters.
Perhaps true. Though "Another One Bites the Dust", "Radio Ga Ga", "You're My Best Friend", "I Want to Break Free", and some others are some of my favorites.
But the thread says "your favorite songwriter/s" not "the greatest songwriters", so I guess we're both arguing an irrelevant point.
Quoting YVRLTN (Reply 20):
Maybe. Outside the music world, even to the fans if you ask them to name one Queen member I bet they will say Freddie, because of his vocals, showmanship and untimely death.
Certainly true, but what fan doesn't know every note of Brian May's guitar breaks in "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "We Will Rock You"?
But yeah, as a big Aerosmith fan, I deal with that all the time. Everyone knows Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. But the rhythm section has always been really freaking good, not to mention that Brad Whitford plays a lot of solos, including some really famous ones like "Dream On".
"Two and a Half Men" was filmed in front of a live ostrich.
Cadet985 From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 1408 posts, RR: 5 Reply 23, posted (4 months 3 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 747 times:
While I haven't heard of many of these people, there are quite a few names I do recognize. One songwriting duo I didn't see happens to be my favorite. Brian Wilson/Mike Love of the Beach Boys penned many songs that are still popular today among people across all age ranges. You also can't forget greats like Leiber and Stoller. I'd list Phil Spector but I can't think off the top of my head whether he actually wrote lyrics or just the background music.
AF1624 From France, joined Jul 2006, 572 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (4 months 3 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 746 times:
I'm going to get a lot of flack for this but... Noel Gallagher.
Not all of his songs are masterpieces but some of them are mind-boggingly well written. And he also composes the instrumentals with all kinds of, erm, instruments (cellos, wind instruments...).
JPC.
25 YVRLTN: Very true. A lot dont know however that is is actually Roger who hits the high notes in Bohemian Rhapsody, not Freddie. Not at all, Oasis fan here.
26 Pellegrine: Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey Both of whom wrote most of their singles, #1 hits, and tracks on their albums.
27 NoUFO: Patti Smith and Peter Gabriel come to mind first. Gabriel has disappointed me over the recent years, but his music still means a lot to me. And Patti
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But Superfly is right 
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