Greatest Songwriter/Songwriting Team of All Time

[Glen B]

There has been a lot of emphasis on best or favorite songs, musicians, and albums. Often forgotten are the songwriters without whom many artists would probably not be successful. Songwriters like Burt Bacharach, Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Asford & Simpson, Bernie Taupin, to name a few that readily come to mind.

At the top of my list are the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland (brothers Brian and Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier a.k.a. H-D-H). To remind folks of their legacy, H-D-H were responsible for a large percentage of the hits of Motown artists like The Supremes, The Temptations, Martha & The Vandellas, The Marvelletes, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, etc. H-D-H left Motown and went on to form their own labels Invictus and Hot Wax which gave us hits from Honey Cone, Glass House, The 8th Day, Burning Embers, Laura Lee, The Politicians and others.

Whom do some of you think are great or the greatest songwriters, regardless of genre ?

Glen

[SlumpBuster]

Wow, good thought. But are we just talking about songwriters? What about singer/songwriters? At first I thought you were including singer/songwriters and the names came flooding into my brain. I can't really name any solely songwriters that you haven't already, but...

While probably not in the running for "greatest" title, one of my faves who did alot of writing for others before taking the stage himself was Neil Diamond (I know, not terriblly hip or cool. But I like what I like). I like Diamond's highly identifiable sound. That guy could pen a song that would cook even if an organ grinder and monkey were playing it. Heartlight and Coming to America exempt him from greatest contention. There was simply no excuse for that crap.

[Glen B]

Wow, good thought. But are we just talking about songwriters? What about singer/songwriters? At first I thought you were including singer/songwriters and the names came flooding into my brain. I can't really name any solely songwriters that you haven't already, but...

While probably not in the running for "greatest" title, one of my faves who did alot of writing for others before taking the stage himself was Neil Diamond (I know, not terriblly hip or cool. But I like what I like). I like Diamond's highly identifiable sound. That guy could pen a song that would cook even if an organ grinder and monkey were playing it. Heartlight and Coming to America exempt him from greatest contention. There was simply no excuse for that crap.

I did mean those who are solely or primarily songwriters (the unsung heroes if you will), but I guess singer/musician-songwriters could be included to make the thread more interesting.

[Stone]

I did mean those who are solely or primarily songwriters (the unsung heroes if you will), but I guess singer/musician-songwriters could be included to make the thread more interesting.

If these folks are included, I hold the BOBs in high esteem: Dylan and Marley.

[audiobill]

Hey, Glen B.

The songwriter behind the musician seems to be gaining some momentum, of late.
Bernie Taupin will be featured on the front of Elton John's upcoming CD, along with Reginald.

Pretty cool to see that ol' Bernie is getting his due on the cover, at last.

Cheers,

audiobill

[ForeverAutumn]

I have to say that Al Stewart is one of my favourite songwriters. He has a way of painting a picture with words. And I love that many of his songs revolve around history. He also writes very beautiful melodies.

If you're not familiar with him, he's most famous for Year of the Cat. But his work runs much deeper than that. He really never reached the level of success that he deserves IMO.

[shokhead]

Hey, Glen B.

The songwriter behind the musician seems to be gaining some momentum, of late.
Bernie Taupin will be featured on the front of Elton John's upcoming CD, along with Reginald.

Pretty cool to see that ol' Bernie is getting his due on the cover, at last.

Cheers,

audiobill

EJ has always given it up for BT,weather he is asked or not.

[Duds]

T Bone Burnett?

[JohnMichael]

Carole King and Gerry Goffin are who I will nominate for best songwriting duo. So many artists have had hits with their songs. Way too many to mention.

[dean_martin]

I'm not sure about "greatest of all time", but someone who turned a genre on its head and wrote some of the best REAL country songs I've heard is Billy Joe Shaver. Mostly, he wrote for others like all the songs on Waylon Jennings' landmark "Honky Tonk Heroes". He does sing and record his own songs and I prefer a few of his versions to the ones performed by more popular singers. His own version of Ride Me Down Easy is one of my favorite country songs and is more effectively delivered than Waylon's more popular version on Honky Tonk Heroes. (My .02 based on recent interest, plus I thought a little variety might make things interesting.)

[Resident Loser]

...Hoagy Carmichael...

jimHJJ(...what the hey...)

[MindGoneHaywire]

I'll stick with non-performing songwriters, that's a more interesting thread in my book. Especially since it has been uncommon for decades in pop music. Prior to rock nobody stands out to me more than Cole Porter, though I'd mention Rodgers and Hart as well. I know someone who'd insist that Kurt Weill's name belong in such a discussion, though I don't know enough to say I have to agree or disagree on that.

For rock, though, I think Lieber/Stoller is up there with the rest of the Brill Building people. Carole King is a good call, but Ellie Greenwich, Doc Pomus, Mann-Weil, etc., deserve mention as well.

[jrhymeammo]

No one has mentioned Tom Waits yet? Com'on you guys....

[DariusNYC]

Yes, you absolutely have to mention the Motown writers. Those are, like, practically the best songs ever. If you sit down with the Hitsville U.S.A. Part I box set for any period of time, the effect is absolutely overwhelming as to how much monumental music was produced during the height of Motown.

[Dusty Chalk]

I have a hard time picking a favourite.

[likeitloud]

Lennon/McCartney not even mentioned yet, a HUGE injustice to music history. Without
those guys, I'm guessing rock n roll would be very boring, if we even had that genre.
Okay, through in Elvis if you want, gotta give him his props. Whenever songwriting,
arrangments, and killer harmonies in the early days of rock come up, these guys
were kings. Once in awhile I throw on some Rubber Soul or Please, Please Me. I
mean thats there debut lp, from 1963. I know the producer had alot to do with there
sound, but what a breakthru lp.

[MindGoneHaywire]

Elvis wasn't a songwriter...

[MasterCylinder]

Lennon - McCartney
Anderson - Squire, et. al.
Petrucci - Portnoy, et. al.

[jrhymeammo]

Elvis wasn't a songwriter...

Some drunk at a bar once told me that Elvis wrote ONE song in his career. True?

There's this remarkable song I keep hearing at work on a radio station. They play it about every 30 minutes and can't get enough of it.

"Meet me in da Mall, it's going down. Meet me in da Club, it's going down. Anywhere you meet me guaranteed to go down."

This is why I can't wait for the lame rap crap trend to be over.

But on more serious subject, how about some other obvious ones like Cat Stevens?

[superpanavision70mm]

Simon&Garfunkel

[BarryL]

Gotta go with Jimmy Webb as one of my faves. Tracy Thorne and Ben Watts wrote a ton of great stuff individually and together as Everything But The Girl. And who can't love Chris Smither and Tom Russell. Harry Chapin was also great.

[dingus]

Glen Tillbrook & Chris Difford
Walter Becker & Donald ***en
Neil & Tim Finn
Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie & Peter Garrett

[shokhead]

Was that ***en?

[dingus]

Was that ***en?

i guess the word filter didnt like it.

Donald Fa_gen (remove the _ ).

[3-LockBox]

Lennon & McCartney - hands down

But c'mon you guys...the thread title was songwriting teams...and you guys respond with, "hey, no one mentioned so-in-so"...team isn't one person. Even Micheal Jordan had to figure that out.

You buncha dopes