Who was the greatest singer, songwriter, poet?
 

So who do you think produced the most and the best songs/poems. Can't even on a good day call Bob Dylan a good singer. Even though as a songwriter/poet he was one of the tops.

For me it was John Lennon, even during his quiet years he was able to produce some awesome songs/poems.

Many have produced a few great ones, Graham Nash comes to mind with "Teach the Children" but never did enough to compete with these guys/

John Lennon
Bob Dylan
Roger Waters
Joanie Mitchell
Neil Young
Bob Marley

Name anyone you think comes into that category.

And who are the greats of today?

i really really love a lot of dean martin frank sinatra stuff but also robert smith from the cure is pretty skilled and unique

*Joni Mitchell

Why not post this on a music board Paul? One for people that think John Lennon was good or something?

If I wasn't working anymore because I had made all the money I needed (as you said you had done) I sure as shit wouldn't be asking GFY who they thought was a good musician.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?aq=f&...&q=music+forum

HTH

Love

Damian

pretty limited list there. things like this are subjective, so its impossible. what about...

Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson
Buddy Holly
Stevie Wonder
Bruce Springsteen
Leonard Cohen
Marvin Gaye

...and those are just some of the old guys...

None of the above...

What? No Jim Morrison in the list??

Neil Young

:thumbsup

He gets my vote. Also Nick Cave would be on my short list. I think Tom Waits also should fall into that category, but that's just my opinion, I don't know if he has any published writings not realted to his songs.

Martin and Sinatra didn't write a lot of lyrics or tunes, in fact I can't name one between the both of them. They were singer/entertainers.

Frankly no one here even holds a candle to Bob Dylan just for the simple fact that every single person in this poll and the others that have been brought up all owe a debt to Dylan for expanding the possibilities and breaking the ground lyrically and poetically speaking.

I have seen or read more than half the song writers mentioned thus far say as much themselves.

And the man continues to have a prodigious output, more so than any other here, so love or hate his singing style, or the fact that he is an old guy now, or whatever - Dylan stands in a class by himself.

Willie needs to be on there. Dolly Parton, and many others. Current day is pretty varied, but John Rich from Big and Rich is probably the top country writer out there. He has a ridiculous number of number 1 hits for himself and many other artists.

Willie is a genius.

If you had not have fallen

Then I would not have found you

Angel flying too close to the ground

And I patched up your broken wing and hung around for a while


Trying to keep your spirits up and your fever down

I knew someday that you would fly away

For love's the greatest healer to be found

So leave me if you need to I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground


Fly on fly on past the speed of sound

I'd rather see you up than see you down

So leave me if you need to I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground


So leave me if you need to I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground

and no John Lydon? Shame on you!

Have you ever seen "Hells Angels Forever" the documentary about the Angels? Features Willie live and this song, great tune, great documentary.

:2 cents:

I think you should have included these...

James Taylor,

Billy Joel,

Leonard Cohen,

Paul Simon,

Lou Reed,

Jim Croce,

Paul McCartney,

Nick Drake,

Don Mclean,

Crosby, Stills and Nash





.

Dolly Parton, are you fucking kidding?

I saw it long ago, Ill have to try to find it and watch it again.

Good God how did I forget James and Billy... I was not quite up yet..

I have my own personal songwriting heros but most of them are country. Merle Haggard should be mentioned.

Dolly is a very prolific song writer who's work has been performed by many others.

I liked sperbonzo's list :thumbsup

don't forget the hillbilly shakespeare, hank williams.

Robert Zimmerman

Mods, please delete this thread... it's kinda embarrasing for us all.

Vivaldi..

some are missing but from your list John Lennon

Mike Patton, hands down.

Well that still doesnt put her in the same page as McCartney, Townsend, Dylan, Page, etc. She's not even in the same book.

True but she still deserves respect for what she's done.

Many people see her as just a dumb blonde country singer with big tits and a wig and that's
what came to mind when I saw your post.

Jim Croce. :2 cents:

some good names on that list. I would add Johnny Cash

He's a complete knobhead but Pete Doherty should probably get a mention.

All good, but are they in the same league as Lennon, Dylan, Waters, etc.

As for Buddy Holly. :1orglaugh

Nick Cave
John Lennon
Lou Reed
Leonard Cohen
Howard Devoto
Robert Smith
Marc Almond
Brian Eno

all in their own ways. I would also add Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Beck and Kurt Cobain to the list but in a (very close) second tier. Probably forgetting a bunch right now

Going by how much he banked off of his songs I think Lionel Richie should be on the list.

it's all subjective, but I consider Springsteen and Leonard Cohen way above Roger Waters and Bob Marley. As a matter of fact both have records, books, movies and countless articles about their songwriting and poetry, while Roger Waters is just OK (and I'm a huge PF fan!) and Bob Marley is meh, he says interesting things in a few songs but not exactly a poet, more like a social narrator. Hey, there are many rap artists that are 10 times better on the same style

Paul Anka.

Should of included Leonard Cohen in the list. His stuff is awesome.

I voted for Lennon but Jim Croce and James Taylor need to be on that list as well :-)

How is Prince not listed??

How come The Smith is not listed? Paul are not English man?

Yes Cohen did it. Who is Roger Waters @ all? lol