# Who is the best singer and songwriter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469 "2014-01-10T20:57:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/61 "2014-01-22T13:55:52Z")
Greg Brown is missing from the posts above (I definitely agree with Joni, Dylan, Tom Waits, and Paul Simon though). He’s got that low soothing voice and a wonderful turn of phrase that’s simple but just so evocative and picturesque. Here are two verses from “The Poet Game” > [@](#): > > A young man down in hill country > in the year of '22 > went to see his future bride. > She lived in a rough old shack > that poverty blew through. > She invited him inside. > She’d been cooking, ashamed and feeling sad, > she could only offer him bread and her name - > Grandpa said that it was the best gift > a fella ever had > and he taught me the poet game. > > I had a friend who drank too much > and played too much guitar - > and we sure got along. > Reel-to-reels rolled across > the country near and far > with letters poems and songs… > but these days he don’t talk to me > and he won’t tell me why. > I miss him every time i say his name. > I don’t know what he’s doing > or why our friendship died > while we played the poet game. And “'Cept You & Me, Babe” > [@](#): > > it’s raining sheets of rain everything is cold and wet > nobody’s going out of doors > they’re all at home living it up on the internet > so i guess nobody’s lonely any more > 'cept you and me babe 'cept you and me > > people meet somebody new & they leave the rest behind > we can have it all even though our lives are short > the kids they’ll get used to it it happens all the time > no one is even surprised any more > 'cept you and me babe 'cept you and me Or “Just a Bum” > [@](#): > > The man of sorrow’s acquainted with grief > Stands in line waiting for relief > He will tell ya it wasn’t always this way > One bad little thing happened one bad little day > Heartbreak has bad teeth and a sour smell and lives when he can in a cheap hotel > And he’s afraid that he’s just a bum > Someday when all his stuff is gone and he’s left without a dime > Time ain’t money when all ya got is time > And you can see him standin on the corner with a nine-day beard and bright red eyes > Goin, hey hey hey hey hey hey hey ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/62 "2014-01-22T16:42:28Z")
If songwriting duos are acceptable, then Lennon & McCartney, hands down. If I had to nominate one of the two, then I’d have to go with McCartney, though his one weakness is in writing lyrics (he’s not _bad_ at it, but in comparison to everything else, it’s not great). Problem with both of them is their quality took a dive after the Beatles broke up - I think it’s safe to say that if they’d never met, neither of them would have made it in the music world at all, let alone become legends. I also thought of Paul Simon, but his output varies a bit too much in quality for me. Strange thing is, the albums of his that do well are always the ones I can’t stand, and vice versa (Hearts and Bones I loved, but it was a flop commercially; Rhythm of the Saints did well, but I don’t particularly like it). ---
**Author:** ![Dasvon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@Dasvon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dasvon)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/63 "2014-06-15T17:48:42Z")
Considered respected songwriters who had vocals to match their styles: Don’t forget - Sandy Denny Barry Gibb Todd Rundgren [mentioned] (and one of my faves) though not sure yelling is considered good vocals (haha) Brian Wilson [mentioned] (pre-drugs) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/64 "2014-06-15T18:05:51Z")
> [@Dasvon](#): > > Todd Rundgren [mentioned] (and one of my faves) though not sure yelling is considered good vocals (haha) Todd yells when the need arises, but he really is an astonishing vocalist. As a songwriter, he’s been covered by a huge range of artists, and he’s been hired solely as a singer for projects like the later _Bat Out of Hell_. One of the best tours I’ve seen him do was for his album _Acapella_, with no instruments, just vocalists. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/65 "2014-06-15T19:02:58Z")
Joni Mitchell. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/66 "2014-06-15T19:03:12Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > A couple more to add to the list: Pete Townshend and Ray Davies. Not sure where Ray fits in here. Ray Davies is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of the two, maybe three, best songwriters in rock music. This is beyond question. He is, however, pretty limited as a singer. He sounds wonderful singing his own songs, but he never really covered other writers’ stuff (and no, _the Banana Boat Song_ doesn’t count). Actually, upon reflection, I’m not sure I understand the question being asked in the OP. And yes, I know this thread is (or was on its way to becoming) a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/67 "2014-06-15T20:53:15Z")
I’m a big fan of the singer/songwriters. And while it would be difficult to pin down which one is the best, I really think Billy Joel is getting shortchanged in this thread. Popular songs. _Extremely_ versatile. Highly evocative lyrics. Melodies that stick with you. Songs that cover everything from social injustice to enjoying life’s pleasures. He even wrote several classically inspired piano pieces. Looking at his whole catalog, it’s hard to come up with anyone better. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/68 "2014-06-16T01:29:26Z")
[**Hank Williams**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95aP0OWx4jY) is the epitome of country music. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/69 "2014-06-16T01:44:02Z")
For Queen Freddie Mercury was hardly the chief song writer, in fact the quiet bassist John Deacon was perhaps the most prolific of the band’s writer. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469/70 "2014-06-16T01:56:17Z")
George Michael, great singer and songwriter . And another mention for Freddie Mercury, and also Taylor and May. Queen had 4 song writers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-singer-and-songwriter/678469.md?page=3)