Who is the Great American Songwriter?

[non sequitur]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

His work very much has the breadth and depth of a Springsteen or Dylan.

In fact I'd say even much more so. He was touching lives and writing deep songs long before either of them became popular, and still was affecting people right up until about the day he died.

Ironically his cover of "Hurt"....which ironically being a cover from Trent Reznor, might've effected more people late in his career than anything Springsteen or Dylan have done in the past 20-30 years. That's one of the more heart breaking and emotional songs I've ever listened to and no one could've done it like him.

Springsteen and Dylan were great in their own way.....but neither of them comes even close to having the haunting kind of voice or emotion that Cash put into his songs. Springsteen sounds like someone's got his balls in a vice grip and Dylan can't sing at all...but they both can write.

Cash could and did ALL of the above and it could EASILY be argued that he wrote and performed music across more genres than either of them.

To me Dylan was weird as hell...but of course people think that weird and bizarre is ground breaking....and I guess it is...to a point. Yes he can write fancy lyrics that don't make a damn bit of sense,,,,but again....I guess to some people that's where his genius lies.

Not to bash on Johnny Cash, but you don't strengthen your argument by criticizing the vocals of Dylan and Springsteen. Johnny Cash was a pretty crappy singer himself.

[TheSizzle36]

Calvin Broadus. He sums up why it's great to be an American in "Ain't No Fun".

[creekster]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

His work very much has the breadth and depth of a Springsteen or Dylan.

In fact I'd say even much more so. He was touching lives and writing deep songs long before either of them became popular, and still was affecting people right up until about the day he died.

Ironically his cover of "Hurt"....which ironically being a cover from Trent Reznor, might've effected more people late in his career than anything Springsteen or Dylan have done in the past 20-30 years. That's one of the more heart breaking and emotional songs I've ever listened to and no one could've done it like him.

Springsteen and Dylan were great in their own way.....but neither of them comes even close to having the haunting kind of voice or emotion that Cash put into his songs. Springsteen sounds like someone's got his balls in a vice grip and Dylan can't sing at all...but they both can write.

Cash could and did ALL of the above and it could EASILY be argued that he wrote and performed music across more genres than either of them.

To me Dylan was weird as hell...but of course people think that weird and bizarre is ground breaking....and I guess it is...to a point. Yes he can write fancy lyrics that don't make a damn bit of sense,,,,but again....I guess to some people that's where his genius lies.

The title of the htread is Great American SONGWRITER. Cash was a great performer but many of his most memorable hits were written by others (you even make this point by referring to Reznor's song). Hurt is a great perfromance, but perfroming one or even a few songs very well doe snot make you the great american songwriter.

DYlan was a folk singer and writer who went electric and influenced an entire genreation of people to look for the answers to the bigger questions and then outraged them all when he plugged his guitar in. Springsteen simply captured the meaning of an entire generation, rich and poor alike, in the 70s, along with all of their issues. His best songs are haunting and they work even when perfromed by other artists. We'll have to agree to disagree. Of course, I know you're wrong.

[DrumNFeather]

For some reason, I've noticed that James Taylor is somewhat polarizing in that people either love him or hate him. However, his songwriting ability cannot be questioned...he's had some classics.

Another guy I would throw in the mix along with some that have been mentioned would be Billy Joel...he's written some good stuff.

It's kind of funny, with the exception of Paul Simon, a number of the people on this list are guys that were not great singers. Then again, you don't have to be one to be the other.

[UtahDan]

Having thought about it all night I realized that we have forgotten one of the best selling recording artists of the last 10 years. The Hoff.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Bob Dylan, Neal Young, Gershwin--you can't go wrong with these folks. Paul Simon probably belongs on the list too.

I proffer for consideration some blues artists. They're as Amercian as it gets:

John Lee Hooker
Muddy Waters
Ma Rainey
Bessie Smith

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by creekster

Except for that dang British accent, Cat would have made an excellent American songwriter.

And the fact that he is muslim now living in the middle east... not really americana

[cougjunkie]

I agree with Sizzle Calvin Broadus is a great composter/song writer/singer/actor, he can do it all.

Also a few others

Axl Rose
Bob Seger (is there a better song than like a rock?)
Bob Dylan (the story of the hurricane is one of the best songs ever written truly tells a story)
Jon Bon Jovi (just because i like tight pants)

[YOhio]

There can be no Great American Songwriter. Most of the songwriters mentioned thus far have been middle-aged white guys from the Eastern US. Few of us here would recognize someone like Tupac as a Great American Songwriter, but we're all white guys. There is no artist that sufficiently spans the US cultural boundary to lay claim to Great American Songwriter.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by YOhio

There can be no Great American Songwriter. Most of the songwriters mentioned thus far have been middle-aged white guys from the Eastern US. Few of us here would recognize someone like Tupac as a Great American Songwriter, but we're all white guys. There is no artist that sufficiently spans the US cultural boundary to lay claim to Great American Songwriter.

Your comment is thought provoking. I agree there is no single "Great American Songwriter". However, there exists an elite level of classical and American composers whose work is complex, revolutionary and sustainable over time. The earliest written western music was inscribed on ancient Greek urns and "great music" has been a source of subjective debate ever since. I believe this is so because of the deep spiritual feelings music inspires.

Since it is fashionable to make lists, I humbly submit my subjective view of the "top four" in each category:

Classical ("The Source")

1. Bach - Codified and standardized music. If you don't believe his greatness, try composing a true fugue that uses all 24 major keys. Number one in all the polls.
2. Mozart - If you don't cry during his Requiem, you have no soul.
3. Beethoven - The "grand architect". Broke all the barriers. The perfect storm of genius, creativity and work ethic.
4. Brahms - Did the impossible - improved on Beethoven.

American Composers

1. Copeland - Stands alone, uniquely American.
2. Gershwin - Pure musical genius - also wrote classical music.
3. Irving Berlin - Prodigious, creative and stands the test of time.
4. Paul Simon - Surprisingly complex music and great variety.

Remember, these are my subjective opinions. I am interested in yours.