JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Who's your favorite songwriter?

Very difficult question to answer. The question of who is the best of all time is highly subjective. Obviously, you would think that your favorite is the best. I have a few in a variety of different genres.

Here are a few. This list is in no particular order, BTW.

Cole Porter - Anyone who can write "I've Got You Under My Skin", my favorite Sinatra tune ever, gets a place on my list.

Irving Berlin - What would Bing Crosby and Christmas have been with no 'White Christmas'? What would Kate Smith and America have been with no 'God Bless America"?

John Lennon and Paul McCartney - too many great tunes to list. Most of the Beatles albums contain not just hits, but standards.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - These guys have always been overshadowed by Lennon and McCartney but they were (and still are) great themselves.

Bob Dylan - 'Like a Rolling Stone', 'Blowing in the Wind, 'All Along the Watchtower'. What else can I say?

Paul Williams - Numerous standards of the early 70s, recorded by such singing greats as Barbara Streisand and the Carpenters. 'Rainy Days and Mondays' and 'I won't Last a Day Without You' are two of my ALL TIME favorites.

Bert Bacharach and Hal David - This great songwriting team wrote numerous hits for Dionne Warwick and the Carpenters. They won an academy award for 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head,' recorded by B.J. Tomas.

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant - these two don't get their just due sometimes. Zeppelin has always had a reputation for using the material of other artists and not giving proper credit, but they also wrote some of the greatest songs in Rock and Roll history, such as 'Kashmir' and 'Stairway to Heaven'

Elton John and Bernie Taupin - It is hard to imagine that Elton John only decided to become a performing artist when he and Bernie could find nobody willing to record their songs.

Carole King - Tapestry is one of the best albums of all time.

James Taylor - I just love this guy, everything about him: his playing, his singing, his writing.

Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian - OK, if you are not a fan of contemporary heavy metal, you have probably never heard of either of these guys. They are half of the band System Of A Down. 'Chop Suey' is one of my top five favorite songs ever.

Jimmy Webb - penned the great Glen Campbell recorded standards 'Wichita Lineman' and 'Galveston'.

There are others I could list but I don't have the time at the moment. I'll add if one or two come to mind later.

GREAT THREAD here.