Are Songwriters Extinct?

[rockinfayrose]

This week two more well-known names in music, Neil Diamond and Huey Lewis, are releasing new CDs of COVER SONGS! Can't anyone produce worthy NEW songs these days? I know everyone's going "green" and it's cool to reuse, but musicians need to stop recycling songs. Just seems like a cheap attempt at getting their name back on the New Release list...Should I blame Rod Stewart's endless Songbook, which is up to what, Volume LV, by now??

[Don]

I don't have any problem with guys like Diamond, James Taylor. Manilow and Stewart, who have already proven themselves as capable writers and had huge success because of it. It's the people that try to make their initial claim to fame through other people's music that irks me. It's like taking a short cut where someone else has already done all the hard work.

[Rockindeano]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

[Don]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Dude, who brought up Cain? All the guys I mentioned were singing hit songs before Jon had even had his first sniff of a crab pit.

[Rockindeano]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Dude, who brought up Cain? All the guys I mentioned were singing hit songs before Jon had even had his first sniff of a crab pit.

Sorry, I brought up Friga, because all the fucking wackos love him and think he writes the greatest stuff. He writes stuff I can write, or you for that matter. It's cheap and fluffy, and it should be be noted that it is not good music.

Yes, I have hit the sauce. So what, fuck you, I have issues.

[rockinfayrose]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

[Don]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

Dean was just intiating what we used to call preventive maintenance.

[Rockindeano]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

[rockinfayrose]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

Dean was just intiating what we used to call preventive maintenance.

[Rockindeano]

Kiss my ass!

[Don]

What do you guys think of Roger Water's writing? I thnk 'When The Tigers Broke Free' mught be one of the greatest anti-war songs ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKfwwlEc ... re=related

[Rockindeano]

What do you guys think of Roger Water's writing?

Another genius. The guy is a legend. He makes you think.

[rockinfayrose]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

In a way, in addition to the song recycling, that was my original point that no one (Bruce aside) writes worthy songs these days...and I consider worthy to be meaningful and relevant to the world around us. Many of Bruce's songs are in fact love songs but they are not of the fluffy variety.

[rockinfayrose]

What do you guys think of Roger Water's writing? I thnk 'When The Tigers Broke Free' mught be one of the greatest anti-war songs ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKfwwlEc ... re=related

That's a good example of quality music. This might have been the worst year EVER for quality songs/CDs produced...if I hear Justin Beaver, or whatever the hell his name is again and everything Katy Perry puts out is utter fluff, just to name a few!

[Andrew]

This week two more well-known names in music, Neil Diamond and Huey Lewis, are releasing new CDs of COVER SONGS! Can't anyone produce worthy NEW songs these days? I know everyone's going "green" and it's cool to reuse, but musicians need to stop recycling songs. Just seems like a cheap attempt at getting their name back on the New Release list...Should I blame Rod Stewart's endless Songbook, which is up to what, Volume LV, by now??

No....but after years of radio playing only hits and refusing to play anything new, who can blame them. Covers albums generally suck though.

[rockinfayrose]

This week two more well-known names in music, Neil Diamond and Huey Lewis, are releasing new CDs of COVER SONGS! Can't anyone produce worthy NEW songs these days? I know everyone's going "green" and it's cool to reuse, but musicians need to stop recycling songs. Just seems like a cheap attempt at getting their name back on the New Release list...Should I blame Rod Stewart's endless Songbook, which is up to what, Volume LV, by now??

No....but after years of radio playing only hits and refusing to play anything new, who can blame them. Covers albums generally suck though.

Exactly, cover albums suck! It's fine if it's thrown in the mix for live shows but not entire albums from music legends...it's like the sign now that that's the last step before retirement

[timstar78]

Songwriting...extinct? I wouldn't say that. You have many a tenured artists across different genres that are well-equipped to still write quality songs.

One listen to the songs inhabiting the Hot 100 char these days, however, and I think an argument could be made that quality songwriting from newer artists is severely endangered.

[slucero]

This week two more well-known names in music, Neil Diamond and Huey Lewis, are releasing new CDs of COVER SONGS! Can't anyone produce worthy NEW songs these days? I know everyone's going "green" and it's cool to reuse, but musicians need to stop recycling songs. Just seems like a cheap attempt at getting their name back on the New Release list...Should I blame Rod Stewart's endless Songbook, which is up to what, Volume LV, by now??

No....but after years of radio playing only hits and refusing to play anything new, who can blame them. Covers albums generally suck though.

Exactly, cover albums suck! It's fine if it's thrown in the mix for live shows but not entire albums from music legends...it's like the sign now that that's the last step before retirement

Well Neil Diamond IS older than dirt... 69

Huey is 60...


Retirement is prolly coming..

[PianoMan1986]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

What's stopping you then

[Don]

Arghhhh!!! If only I had thumbs!!!

[Jana]

Seal has always been one of my favorite songwriters. Seal's songwriting has always been extremely intelligent and personal, even songs with great hooks and melodies like Crazy and beautiful lyrics in songs like Prayer for the Dying, Colours, etc. His albums have always been unique and never fit in just one genre, which is what was so brilliant abut him. A lot of songs that comment on social issues, politics, love for this world, relationships, loss. His lyrics always draw you in immediately. His album Human Being, which was more moody and darker and extremely personal, has such brilliant songwriting and layers of instrumentation. Many of his fans feel in his newest CD,which is about his love of Heidi, but his lyrics aren't as profound as they once were, more generic, cookie-cutter lyrics, which has saddened a lot of his fans. Although, I heard no faded photographs in the album. ha-ha. Maybe being in love and happy and rich takes away your edge.

Beautiful autobiographical song - "Rolling" written by Seal. Most of the song just Seal and his guitar. Some of the lyrics by the poster are wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHqiGhWK ... =1&index=1

When a Man is Wrong: The beginning grabs me right from the beginning: "The perils of loneliness, the pleasures of love that we find."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie0ngN0p ... re=related

[Pelata]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

"Social relevance"? You mean, like speaking a language everyone can understand? Writing about events and situations that everyone goes through or feels at some point in thier lives? Love? Loss? Pain? Joy? All those things seem pretty relevant to society.

"resonates to no one"? Well, if by "no one" you mean millions of people, then yeah...no one.

As much as I respect them, you can have your Springsteens, your Dylans, and whoever else decides to be some kind of political mirror lyrically. I'll take "Faithfully" over "Born In The USA" every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[Deb]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

"Social relevance"? You mean, like speaking a language everyone can understand? Writing about events and situations that everyone goes through or feels at some point in thier lives? Love? Loss? Pain? Joy? All those things seem pretty relevant to society.

"resonates to no one"? Well, if by "no one" you mean millions of people, then yeah...no one.

As much as I respect them, you can have your Springsteens, your Dylans, and whoever else decides to be some kind of political mirror lyrically. I'll take "Faithfully" over "Born In The USA" every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

BingO! To most people music is entertainment, passion, feeling. If I want to hear about politics, war, etc. I'll watch the news or read a book. Music is an escape from all that crap. When it comes to music, I don't want to have to think, I wanna feel.

[Jana]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

"Social relevance"? You mean, like speaking a language everyone can understand? Writing about events and situations that everyone goes through or feels at some point in thier lives? Love? Loss? Pain? Joy? All those things seem pretty relevant to society.

"resonates to no one"? Well, if by "no one" you mean millions of people, then yeah...no one.

As much as I respect them, you can have your Springsteens, your Dylans, and whoever else decides to be some kind of political mirror lyrically. I'll take "Faithfully" over "Born In The USA" every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

BingO! To most people music is entertainment, passion, feeling. If I want to hear about politics, war, etc. I'll watch the news or read a book. Music is an escape from all that crap. When it comes to music, I don't want to have to think, I wanna feel.

And sometimes the simplest lyrics with a beautiful melody delivered soulfully touches you more than anything.

Touch - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj20zkGFtrw

[Michigan Girl]

Not much to add here, since Deb usually speaks my mind!! But excellent post, Pelata and I concur!!
Back in the day, when Journey were writing all those fluffy lyrics about love, that is what we
were going through ...it meant something!! Remember when Bruce was Dancin' in The Dark ...so cool!!

[Rockindeano]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

"Social relevance"? You mean, like speaking a language everyone can understand? Writing about events and situations that everyone goes through or feels at some point in thier lives? Love? Loss? Pain? Joy? All those things seem pretty relevant to society.

"resonates to no one"? Well, if by "no one" you mean millions of people, then yeah...no one.

As much as I respect them, you can have your Springsteens, your Dylans, and whoever else decides to be some kind of political mirror lyrically. I'll take "Faithfully" over "Born In The USA" every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

BingO! To most people music is entertainment, passion, feeling. If I want to hear about politics, war, etc. I'll watch the news or read a book. Music is an escape from all that crap. When it comes to music, I don't want to have to think, I wanna feel.

I am not talking about having to listen to Bono talk on stage about the wars or anything. I am talking about music that tells the listener something. Born in the USA was only one of a few songs off that album that was serious....that album IMO is one of his worst. Now take a song like the Rising, where the story of of 9/11 was told, and it grips you....combined with a great chorus and delivery, that is what I am talking about. And no, not every song has to be serious; far from it. Just saying it is nice to know the artist reads and is up to date on current events. Just saying "faded photographs" and "state of grace" gets real old, real fast.

[conversationpc]

I am not talking about having to listen to Bono talk on stage about the wars or anything. I am talking about music that tells the listener something. Born in the USA was only one of a few songs off that album that was serious....that album IMO is one of his worst. Now take a song like the Rising, where the story of of 9/11 was told, and it grips you....combined with a great chorus and delivery, that is what I am talking about. And no, not every song has to be serious; far from it. Just saying it is nice to know the artist reads and is up to date on current events. Just saying "faded photographs" and "state of grace" gets real old, real fast.

Most people don't want to hear politics or current events in the music they listen to since they get a full dose of that stuff in other places. I don't mind hearing it depending on the artist but it's not something I really enjoy listening to as much as other topics...and that's regardless of if it's coming from someone like Springsteen OR Nugent.

[Jana]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

"Social relevance"? You mean, like speaking a language everyone can understand? Writing about events and situations that everyone goes through or feels at some point in thier lives? Love? Loss? Pain? Joy? All those things seem pretty relevant to society.

"resonates to no one"? Well, if by "no one" you mean millions of people, then yeah...no one.

As much as I respect them, you can have your Springsteens, your Dylans, and whoever else decides to be some kind of political mirror lyrically. I'll take "Faithfully" over "Born In The USA" every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

BingO! To most people music is entertainment, passion, feeling. If I want to hear about politics, war, etc. I'll watch the news or read a book. Music is an escape from all that crap. When it comes to music, I don't want to have to think, I wanna feel.

I am not talking about having to listen to Bono talk on stage about the wars or anything. I am talking about music that tells the listener something. Born in the USA was only one of a few songs off that album that was serious....that album IMO is one of his worst. Now take a song like the Rising, where the story of of 9/11 was told, and it grips you....combined with a great chorus and delivery, that is what I am talking about. And no, not every song has to be serious; far from it. Just saying it is nice to know the artist reads and is up to date on current events. Just saying "faded photographs" and "state of grace" gets real old, real fast.

Streets of Philadelphia is just a hauntingly beautiful song.

[Pelata]

You fuckin fools.

Bruce Springsteen is the greatest songwriter of all time and you all choose to ignore it. Whatever. Go spin Revelation again and see just how good Jonathan Cain is.

Pretty soon, you stupid fuckers will admit I am right, despite your hate for Bruce.

Sure hope I'm not included as part of the "you fools" ...I think Springsteen is an amazing artist and no one has shown hate for him in this thread so far, so why so defensive Dean?

I have had it with these shallow fools and their love of Pop lyrics. Goddammit to Hell, what you people would do if a real artist sang about a current event? Would it kill you all to listen to a song made by someone who wrote about social relevance? Man, could Journey have been a special band, had they written about stuff that really mattered. Espee and Midge could have brought Rolling Stone around, and sang a song about something that mattered, not another fluffy love song that resonates to no one. Seriously, Journey lost it's way with not so importance, and I believe that if that they had, they would appear much more relevant today than they currently are seen. Seriously, I can write the lyrics Cain does......for a fraction of the price too.

"Social relevance"? You mean, like speaking a language everyone can understand? Writing about events and situations that everyone goes through or feels at some point in thier lives? Love? Loss? Pain? Joy? All those things seem pretty relevant to society.

"resonates to no one"? Well, if by "no one" you mean millions of people, then yeah...no one.

As much as I respect them, you can have your Springsteens, your Dylans, and whoever else decides to be some kind of political mirror lyrically. I'll take "Faithfully" over "Born In The USA" every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

BingO! To most people music is entertainment, passion, feeling. If I want to hear about politics, war, etc. I'll watch the news or read a book. Music is an escape from all that crap. When it comes to music, I don't want to have to think, I wanna feel.

I am not talking about having to listen to Bono talk on stage about the wars or anything. I am talking about music that tells the listener something. Born in the USA was only one of a few songs off that album that was serious....that album IMO is one of his worst. Now take a song like the Rising, where the story of of 9/11 was told, and it grips you....combined with a great chorus and delivery, that is what I am talking about. And no, not every song has to be serious; far from it. Just saying it is nice to know the artist reads and is up to date on current events. Just saying "faded photographs" and "state of grace" gets real old, real fast.

I understand what you're saying...but it's all still relative to the listener.

[SF-Dano]

No reason why escapism/fluff type songs and political/current issue songs can't co-exist together. There is a time and place for each to my ears. And there is an art to writing simple heart felt lyrics. The Frig gets it right sometimes and sometimes he is off the mark and in the syrup to deep.