Greatest Songwriter of all time

I thought Dylan was excluded since he had his own thread and, obviously, his own special place in songwriting. So I have four. Put me down for Dylan. This is a fun party game, but, again, I find myself wondering why have such lists. Are music writing and music making a competitive sport? What is this American propensity towards having "Best of..." lists? Are artists like eggs and need to be graded? My reaction is to expand the list, forcing me to sudivide into categories, along the well known and worn lines of standards, folk, country, blues, rock etc. Is the best songwriter the most prolific? The one who year in year out produced the highest quality tunes? The one who produced the best selling tunes? The one who produced a body of work that so influenced others he/she can be put at the head of a list with a series of other people following? How about lyricists who partenered with different composers for the music? I may sound like someone who is no fun and is trying to intellectualize this thing to death, but, trust me, that is not my intention. I just think three choices is really confining and see that a number of posters go well beyond the limit of three. I therefore wish to add, in no particular order: Van Morrison, Lennon & McCartney, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Ralph McTell, Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams Sr, Georges Brassens, Jimmy Reed, Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie and for being able to make them up on the spot, Sam "Lightin'" Hopkins.

the fab 4 beatles, bernie taupin who writes for all elton john songs, and the king elvis.

Warren Zevon
Van Morrison
Greg Brown
Arguably not the best, but my favorites.Agree with cfb, G. Clarks Cold Dog Soup is great and a nice tribute to the late, great Townes Van Zandt.

Elvis composed songs?

Oh, you wanted 3? Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and Bob Wills.