Greatest singer-songwriter of the 1960s

[Amerigo Vespucci]

James Taylor is a "wobbler," because even though he DID record in the 1960s, the first album anyone gave a rat's ass about on a grand scale was "Sweet Baby James," released in February 1970.

Jackson Browne's first album, "Saturate Before Using," came out in 1972.

There's a multitude of performers who wrote and performed their own songs...this poll is for the unique niche known as the "singer-songwriter"...Bob, Neil, Joni, etc.

[rug]

1. Oh come on, this is like comparing chocolate to vegetables.

[Connonym]

2. Other, John Lennon

although maybe in the 60s he was still writing pop drivel and it wasn't until the 70s that his song writing became better. YMMV.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. I wanted to put him in there...

...but once again, the "singer-songwriter" definition was created for performers like Bob, etc...

...although Lennon channeled Bob from the early days of the Beatles' career, including wearing the "Bob Hat"...

For the record, my top three major heroes / role models / influences in life are Lennon, Zappa and Young.

:toast:

ON EDIT:

One of the aspects of "singer-songwriter" is the fact that the individual's songs get covered by others. While there are hundreds of Beatles covers, there are fewer Lennon covers, with the exception of "Imagine" and Jealous Guy."

I'm reminded of David Spade's classic moment on SNL, at a time when the "tribute album" trend had been run into the ground. He asked "Do you know why the Beatles recorded those songs?"

His response: "SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO."

:rofl:

[Faygo Kid]

6. "Pop drivel?" Like Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's?

Good grief. I almost fell off my chair reading that line.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

10. Yep. "Yellow matter custard dripping from a dead dog's eye" is pure New Kids On The Block.

:rofl:

:toast:

[Faygo Kid]

11. DUzy, Amerigo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyBcBlciQiI&feature=related

[Amerigo Vespucci]

12. Thanks for posting that, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

If I had to pick 10 favorite Lennon songs...and I'd rather not, because there are too damned MANY...that song would have to be on the list. That's one of the songs that explains why he was a genius.

:toast:

[Connonym]

18. No I meant the really early Beatles stuff

Love, Love Me Do or PS I Love You were much more pop driven than the later work which I think was much more sophisticated and complex. I wouldn't be disrespecting Lennon, he's one of my "idols" I wasn't sure whether things like Sgt Pepper or Revolver were written in the early 70s or late 60s and I was trying to stay in the time line, the 60s, as mentioned in the OP. Give me some slack, I was only little when they broke up and I've never been any good with time lines.

[pokerfan]

24. He forgot 'pretentious'

:hide:

[graywarrior]

4. The Bobster.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. If Hendrix sang his praises, and Hendrix was a one-of-a-kind genius...

...that says something, right?

There are some funny moments in the "Jimi Hendrix Movie" in which some of his hangers-on express frustration over Jimi's constant drive to preach "all things Bob."

:toast:

[graywarrior]

8. Even Jimi knew Bob is God.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

19. Jimi's "All Along the Watchtower"

is unquestionably the greatest cover of a Dylan song ever. On hearing it, Dylan reportedly wished his had sounded more like Jimi's version.

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

23. This one was pretty good too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGy_7qTvjDs

[speedoo]

21. Hey, Gray...

Saw him Tuesday night, here in Brooklyn. Great show, including these firsts for me, live: "John Brown", "Girl From The North Country" and "Blowing in The Wind".

And, I'm going up to Saratoga, NY tomorrow to see him again. Along with a bunch of other performers, including Steve Earle, Levon Helm and Gillian Welch.

Have you seen him lately?

:hi:

[greendog]

7. Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed should be on the list of choices.

That said, I have to pick Bob.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. I hear ya...

...I actually own every note Lou recorded, including all of the VU stuff. There's no one on the list I'd remove to make room for Lou, BUT...in a perfect world...he belongs on the list.

I acknowledge and respect Cohen's place in the grand scheme of things, but I was never "one of the faithful." Maybe if I had more money and more time, I dunno...

:toast:

[Withywindle]

27. Thank you!

I didn't pick Bob because I knew gajillions of other people would.

I picked OTHER and I was thinking of Leonard and Lou.


It's a very Anglocentric list too. Caetano Veloso smokes James Taylor in a pipe with his morning coffee and then gets down to work.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

13. The Beatles and Hendrix acknowledged the greatness of Dylan

when they were all contemporaries. Nuff said.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

14. It's definitely a "leading the witness" poll...

...we really need to give props to Bob, and after that, everyone else can take their turn.

:toast:

[MilesColtrane]

15. Most influential singer/songwriter? Dylan

But, after that, I'd have to separate songwriter, and singer/ songwriter.

Composing nod goes to Dylan, but the combination goes to Joni.

Bob used his voice effectively, but I would never call him the greatest singer in any decade.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

16. Bob sang Bob songs effectively...

...and the critical response to "Self Portrait" pretty much covers what happened when he shifted the focus from "songwriter" to "singer."

:toast:

[Unvanguard]

17. Phil Ochs. n/t

[BrotherBuzz]

34. I concur

In many ways, Phil's lyrics epitomized the sixties I tried to understand.

http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics.html

[Deja Q]

20. Neil Diamond.

[WinkyDink]

22. Carole King. Well, actually Dylan, but I thought CK deserved some recognition!

[yellowdogintexas]

29. absolutely. AND WHAT ABOUT WILLIE NELSON. He was writing songs

that were covered by others for years before the world outside of Texas heard him sing and play.

[PassingFair]

25. Don't forget the super-cute Donovan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Eo_-QjhcsU

[blitzen]

26. Merle Haggard

[astral]

28. Yeah, the list is Waaay Incomplete.

I think I'd pick Leonard Cohen or Neil Diamond (what a dichotemy, eh?) but in all honesty I still think it should be Bob Dylan, althoughI have always been a little teeny bit lukewarm about hearing him sing.

I picked Graham Nash although Stephen Stills woulda been a tie. Remember "Songs for Beginners?" I don't have that album anymore and I wish I could find it, but them songs burned themselves into my brain for life.

[Darth_Ole]

31. Why isn't Paul Simon on this list?

If you're just looking at '60s material, how can you ignore The Boxer, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mrs. Robinson, Kathy's Song, etc...? He's also one of the few writers who hasn't let his writing diminish since the '60s.

[TheBaldyMan]

30. Screaming Lord Sutch n/t

[harmonicon]

32. Syd Barrett

Also, Lou Reed, Al Stewart.... too many to mention. None are "the greatest" though. Community is what makes music happen.

[DU GrovelBot]

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