Greatest song writer of all time. Who do you think?

[UNEARTHA7XMatt]

Um, Mozart

Specially the Clockwork Orange Soundtrack

Yes that was the old Ludwig Van~!

[nakedtwister]

James Taylor rates in my book also. And great call UCJoe on Willie Dixon. A lot of his songs have been covered over the years.

[Banned]

Who would you say is the greatest song writer of all time?

I would say Roger Waters ..

Bobby Waters!

[Colton]

Who would you say is the greatest song writer of all time?

I would say Roger Waters ..

Bobby Waters!

tweet tweet

[f.sciarrillo]

Who would you say is the greatest song writer of all time?

I would say Roger Waters ..

Bobby Waters!

tweet tweet

Rockin Robin?

[songsmith]

John Newton, a former slave-trader, wrote "Amazing Grace" in late 1772.

Patty and Mildred Hill wrote "Good Morning To All," which became "Happy Birthday To You."

Josef Mohr and Franz Gruber wrote "Stille Nacht" or "Silent Night."

James Lord Pierpont wrote "Jingle Bells" and despite never mentioning Christmas, it's known by every 4-year-old in the English-speaking world.

The music to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," though attributed variously to Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt and Haydn, is composer-unknown, BUT most Western children sing it to various songs. The Alphabet Song, Baa-Baa Black Sheep and a few other minor versions existed in the US, and adult versions go back as far as 1740. That's an amazing song.

I want to write something like that, something so huge that the song itself becomes part of day-to-day living, that even toddlers sing it. I don't even care if my name's attached, just knowing your song's that huge would be awesome.

And I also love Hank Williams, Harlan Howard, Neil Peart, Taupin & John, McCartney & Lennon, and about a million others. --->JMS

[Jo money pig]

John Rich from big and rich. If im right he's written songs for close to 200 singers. Thats cool

[MOONDOGGY]

My fav: Tom Waits. Not much else like him.

And a close second: Neil Peart.

[f.sciarrillo]

I have to say that you guys have some really good ones here ..

[J Michaels]

I can't believe were this far into the second page and no one has mentioned Bruce Springsteen. Talk about great story telling. Atlantic City, Born in the USA, Glory Days, Badlands, Nebraska.... Maybe my favorite, lyric-wise:

The screen door slams
Mary' dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside
Darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

You can hide 'neath your covers
And study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers
Throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain
For a saviour to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero
That's understood
All the redemption I can offer girl
Is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now ?
Except roll down the window
And let the wind blow
Back your hair
Well the night's busting open
These two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back
Heaven's waiting on down the tracks
Oh-oh come take my hand
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it's late we can make it if we run
Oh Thunder Road sit tight take hold
Thunder Road

Well I got this guitar
And I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back
If you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride it ain't free
And I know you're lonely
For words that I ain't spoken
But tonight we'll be free
All the promises'll be broken
There were ghosts in the eyes
Of all the boys you sent away
They haunt this dusty beach road
In the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on
But when you get to the porch they're gone
On the wind so Mary climb in
It's town full of losers
And I'm pulling out of here to win

[Banned]

i don't know about "all time" but BUSH is certainly up there, like it or not..

i'm a man
i'm real proud of my manhood
i like to smoke
ten thousand cigarillos
eight ball
i could climb any fountain
i never cry
i only bawl when i'm losing
and i've never been wrong
never been wrong
i'm looking so good
looking so good
got a big 'ol gun
got a big 'ol bullet
and i guess you could say
i'm real full of it
i'm real full of it
i'm real straight
you wanna see my peccadillos
hot dog 7:30 every morning
and i'm big into war
big into war
big into war
i am a whore
i am a whore
got a big 'ol boy
i shave with gillette
shave with gillette
and i'm patting my back
patting my back
got a big 'ol bullet

i got a big ol'gun !
and i'm real full of it!!!
-Testosterone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfPRX_FSWcQ

[DogAlpha]

Been listening to some Neil Young lately. Maybe not the greatest but I really enjoy his raw unique style. His guitar work was especially good on the "Zuma" album.

Good Resource for Neil Young Guitar-->http://hyperrust.org/Music/?Tab

[ozwalt816]

you pretty much nailed most of my favorites, dayzichick...well done
I would also include Phil Mogg/Michael Schenker, but I'm UFO-biased....let's the not forget the poet laureate Phil Lynott

[RobTheDrummer]

It's all relative to the genre. No such thing as greatest, sorry to be a buzzkill.

[gibson980]

Lyrically
bob dylan

Musically/Lyrically
neil young -
roger waters
james taylor
jim croce
neil, geddy, alex from rush
ANNNNNNNDDDD how could you forget JOHN FOGERTY, ya idiots!

[DirtySanchez]

Woody and Arlo Guthrie.
Bruce Springsteen.
Brett Guriweitz (sp?) and Greg Graffin.
Matt Skiba.

[DirtySanchez]

My fav: Tom Waits. Not much else like him.

I second Tom Waits.

[BassFinger]

James Taylor rates in my book also. And great call UCJoe on Willie Dixon. A lot of his songs have been covered over the years.

Yeah... I'll say James Taylor.

Elton John?

[f.sciarrillo]

Yes, James Taylor and Elton John are up there as well. As is Jim Croce.

[CHICKSINGA]

She doesn't sing, but Diane Warren is an excellent songwriter.

Merge - no disrespect intended but in my opinion songwriters like Diane Warren and Desmond Child
Were the beginning of soulless, formulaic, corporate rock.

My favorite songwriters are Gilmore & Waters and then Hoagy Carmichael, cause he wrote "Georgia on my Mind"

[Mysterytrain]

Along with Dylan and Robert Hunter (the Dead), I guess I'll have to add Steve Harris from Iron Maiden and belive it or not I will also add Axl Rose. Harris for creating mystical stories and Axl for the rebelion.