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1950-2000: The Top 25 Singer/Songwriters

1.Bob Dylan: I don’t expect any arguments here

2.Curtis Mayfield: Perhaps he should be #1

3. Paul Weller: Hideously underrated in the US, this whiteboy knows soul

4. Tom Waits: He makes two kinds of records: good ones & great ones

5. Van Morrison: If he ever put out a bad record, I haven’t heard it yet

6. Hank Williams: Some of his songs can even make Christianity sound cool

7. Marc Bolan: The pop genius of the 70’s

8. Toots Hibbert: The man who should have been Jamaica’s International Superstar

9. George Jones: A jug of wine, a George Jones album, another jug of wine, and then another…

10. Lou Reed: I’d put him on this list just for “Pale Blue Eyes”

11. Carole King: More for her songwriting than her singing

12. Elvis Costello: Not half as good as everybody says he is, but what a half!

13. Townes van Zandt: Have you heard him? Good, then you know what I’m talking about

14. Eldon “El Duce” Hoke: Hey, this is MY list. I can put anybody I want on

15. Beck: He’s the new Dylan. Honest

16. James Osterberg: It is frightening: The man has supernatural powers!

17. Leonard Cohen: Of course I’m going to include him

18. Bruce Springsteen: “Nebraska” is enough to earn him a place

19. Nick Drake: Volkswagen, The Estate of Nick Drake wishes to thank you

20. Neil Diamond: What if Elvis was a Jew who wrote his own songs, and never did half-assed karate kicks onstage?

21. Lucinda Williams: Great singer/songwriters cover HER songs!

22. Kurt Cobain: An ear for a great tune, and an eye for a pretty lady! Oh muse, sing!

23. Richard Thompson: Continues to delight

24. David Bowie: Demoted from #11 to #24 for failing to die immediately after "Scary Monsters"

25. Gram Parsons: Dude, love that Nudie suit!
tweakgeek

Showing 2 responses by twl

twl
3,251 posts
 
C'mon! Not even a single mention of Elton John or Billy Joel? What, do you guys hate piano players or something?

I wouldn't put them at #1 necessarily, but they belong on the list.

Also, you have to put Burt Bacharach on there, because while he mostly wrote songs, he did make a couple albums of his own.

Carole Bayer Sager mostly for songwriting.

I'd also nominate Steve Earle for his most awesomely "Confederate sounding" songs.

Didn't want to duplicate any of the previously mentioned ones to save space.
twl
3,251 posts
 
I'm with you Moag. I think 2/3 of this list is lame too.

Kurt Cobain? Beck? Curtis Mayfield?
But no Paul McCartney allowed?
What kind of drugs are you on?
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