And that list goes on and on!

 

If I could be bothered...which I can't, I'd start a thread of "Singer Songwriters", but I can't. So here's some of my choices.

Bob Dylan
James Taylor
Tim Buckley
Carole King
Van Morrison
Gordon Lightfoot
Jackson Browne
Leonard Cohen
Randy Newman
Joni Mitchell
Neil Young
Ralph McTell
Cat Stevens
Charles Aznavour
Donovan
Paul Simon
Carly Simon (credit: @Ad Heesive)


These are from the period when singer songwriters were for all intents and purposes a new genre. Of course it is equally valid to say that Lennon and McCartney were singer songwriters, but applying the criteria of those above I believe one must be a solo artist as opposed to a member or leader of a band. I may broaden the description to include the following who may crossover into other musical definitions but are equally valid singer songwriters.

Lou Reed (credit: @doctorG)
Todd Rundgren (@doctorG)
Elliott Smith
Aimee Mann
Billy Bragg
Don McLean
Jeff Buckley
Billy Joel
Brandi Carlile
Ian Hunter
Johnny Cash
Neko Case
Elvis Costello
Tori Amos
Lucinda Williams
Kirsty MacColl
Bon Iver

Notable omissions due to being identified less as soloists.

Paul McCartney
Dido
John Lennon
George Harrison
Billy Corgan
Roger Hodgson
Elton John
Robert Plant
Tom Petty
Phil Collins
Peter Gabriel
Mick Jagger
Thom Yorke
Barry Gibb
Iggy Pop
Paul Weller
John Fogerty
Neil Finn
Kate Bush
Colin Meloy
David Bowie (I don't really know where Bowie fits. But that's always been the thing about him)

Note: These represent my personal choices and by no means are any inclusions or omissions intended as a slight on anything except my faulty memory. I have also tried to only list those with career longevity and have avoided overly complex partnerships like Nicks/Buckingham. With singer songwriter in mind I have excluded instrumentalists. My apologies in advance.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Apr 25, 2021

Given the flavour and the era of your nicely focussed list, and your sense of humour, I know you'll 'get' my dumb joke.

You're so vain!

 

Stevie Wonder should be at the top of everyone's list.

 

Where's the facepalm emoji?? Of course Carly! And "that" album cover.

It did occur to me that my list had a bias. I deliberately didn't include Stevie Wonder or Prince or Michael Jackson. Nor any of the dozens of legendary Motown writers and performers. They deserve a list of their own and I'll leave it to the better educated than myself to make such a list should one be of necessity or indeed urgency.

 

Agreed - and ditto for the unending list of solo-singer-songwriter 'blues' artistes that pre-date the broad niche that Lenny has highlighted. That wonderful genre has also never gone away. More enthusiast-experts required to give us that list too.

 

The interpretation of the language "Greatest" is subjective in many ways. As what you go on to list is in fact
"Modern Day" popular music songwriter/ performers

The list is NOT finite....in fact it is ongoing

Lets add Todd Rundgren and Lou Reed

 

It is indeed a matter of interpretation. I could well have included Madonna as a singer songwriter, but it's just not in the spirit of that core of performers in my first list who pioneered the fine art of sitting on a pile of cushions strumming a 12 string and singing songs that specifically referenced that specific time and place. Of dealing with the aftermath of Vietnam. Of seeking a Spiritual path. Of trips to Kathmandu. Of rebellion.
Equally perplexing for me is should we say Ed Sheeran or Lana Del Rey or Lady Gaga are singer songwriters?
I just thought of another contemporary. Bon Iver.

 

The new generations don't care about history. They look at every event has happened in the past, in a bad way. They live in the present and are not much interested in referring to what have happened in the past.

Looking back to the time of past taken photos or shot videos is the only meaning of history to them. Other than that, history doesn't matter and even looking ahead is not of particular importance to them. They just think about the present moment. I think they are losing their memories. Maybe it's one of the complications of being caught in the grip of technology.

 

Allan Taylor

Steve Strauss

 

David Bowie - This Is Not America

David Bowie - Let's Dance

David Bowie - Heroes

David Bowie - Absolute Beginners

 

Giorgio Moroder - Chase (Casablanca Records 1978)

Giorgio Moroder - live at Lowlands 2019

Donna Summer & Giorgio Moroder - I Feel Love 12" Extended

Donna Summer - She Works Hard for the Money

Donna Summer - Hot Stuff 1979

Limahl - Never Ending Story - 1984 (Music & Song by Giorgio Moroder)

Irene Cara - Flashdance - What a Feeling (Music: Giorgio Moroder)

 

Blondie - Call Me

Blondie - Atomic

Blondie - Heart Of Glass

Blondie - Sunday Girl

 

@BEAT16 I don't know why you didn't just title this thread as "Songs I Like" since there is nothing to identify these songs as belonging to a style or genre that can invite a discourse which may allow us to dissect and shine a light on the why or how these tracks were made. You are just playing DJ.

 

This gem has now been added to the archives of plagiarised and re-plagiarised quotations
- ACAS - 2021 AD
- Attila the Hun - 440 AD
- Lucifer - 519 BC

 

Billy Idol - White Wedding, Part 1

Billy Idol - Hot In The City

Billy Idol - Eyes Without a Face

Billy Idol - Flesh for Fantasy

Soft Cell - Tainted Love

Gloria Jones - Tainted Love - Original 1964

 

Donovan - Atlantis

Donovan - Catch the wind

Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone

Bob Dylan - Tangled up in Blue

James Taylor - Fire And Rain

James Taylor - You've Got A Friend

Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren

Tim Buckley - It Happens Every Time

 

Van Morrison - Days Like This

Van Morrison - Someone Like You

Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind

Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown (1974)

Jackson Browne "The Waiting” (Live from Home)

Jackson Browne "The Barricades of Heaven” (2020 Dream Concert performance)

Randy Newman - Short People

Randy Newman A bug's life The time of your life

Joni Mitchell ~ Big Yellow Taxi + Both Sides Now (BBC - 1969)

Joni Mitchell - California

 

Ralph McTell - Streets of London

Ralph McTell 70th Somewhere Down The Road Live

Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken

Cat Stevens - Father & Son

Charles Aznavour - La bohème

Charles Aznavour - She

 

Carly Simon - You're So Vain

Carly Simon - That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be

Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Velvet Underground - Run Run Run

Todd Rundgren - Hello It's Me (1972)

Todd Rundgren - Can We Still Be Friends (1978)

Elliott Smith - Angeles