Who is your favourite songwriter and why?

I can't believe no one has mentioned Josh Ritter. This Guy is amazing.

just where it now lies I can no longer say
I found it on a cold and November day
in the roots of a sycamore tree where it had hid so long
in a box made out of myrtle lay the bone of song
the bone of song was a jawbone old and bruised
and worn out in the service of the muse
and along its sides and teeth were written words
I ran my palm along them and I heard
lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness
I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest
the words on the bone of song were close and small
and though their tongues were dead I found I knew them all
in the hieroglyphs of quills and quatrain lines
Osiris—the fall of Troy—Auld Lang Syne
Kathleen Mauvoreen—Magnificat—Your Cheatin’ Heart
the chords of a covenant king singing for the Ark
then I saw on a white space that was left
a blessing written older than the rest
it said leave me here I care not for wealth or fame
I’ll remember your song – but I’ll forget your name
the words that I sang blew off like the leaves in the wind
and perched like birds in the branches before landing on the bone again
then the bone was quiet it said no more to me
so I wrapped it in the ribbons of a sycamore tree
and as night had come I turned around and headed home
with a lightness in my step and a song in my bones
lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness
I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest


Also Glen Hansard has to get a mention.

there are the obvious ones, classics, but in my view, the best modern irish songwriter is damien dempsey. he speaks for a generation, speaks the truth and speaks to everyone. a true great

Noel Gallagher and David Gray. Can't choose between the two which one I like the most. David Gray's songs have been with me since I was in school. I was the only person in my school who liked him and owned his album until white ladder. Then people started liking him. I was so glad he got the recognition he deserved. I don't know anyone who likes his music as much as me though, I have all his albums, my mates just tend to listen to the odd hit single of his. Noel Gallagher and David Gray are the reason I write songs and play guitar.

In second place it would be Kristian Matsson (The Tallest Man on Earth)


****ing love his music.

Cat Stevens (pre Yusuf Islam.....) - great song writer, great voice, great melodies. Father and Son is incredible. Incredible.

Same characteristics apply to Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen (I like his voice though Jeff Buckley's cover of Halelujeh was better than Cohen's.)

Loads more too but those three stand out......Pink Floyd have the best lyrics of any band I know.

John Mayer

writes what he feels

Check this singer/songwriter out. Her name is Lisa Shane. Saw her playing in Vicar Street few months ago playing support. Sweet voice. videos funny...maybe it's the quality but the songs a winner!

anyone who can write the following:



Go ’way from my window,
Leave at your own chosen speed.
I’m not the one you want, babe,
I’m not the one you need.
You say you’re lookin’ for someone
Never weak but always strong,
To protect you an’ defend you
Whether you are right or wrong,
Someone to open each and every door,
But it ain’t me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe,
It ain’t me you’re lookin’ for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe,
Go lightly on the ground.
I’m not the one you want, babe,
I will only let you down.
You say you’re lookin’ for someone
Who will promise never to part,
Someone to close his eyes for you,
Someone to close his heart,
Someone who will die for you an’ more,
But it ain’t me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe,
It ain’t me you’re lookin’ for, babe.

Go melt back into the night, babe,
Everything inside is made of stone.
There’s nothing in here moving
An’ anyway I’m not alone.
You say you’re looking for someone
Who’ll pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly
An’ to come each time you call
A lover for your life an’ nothing more,
But it ain’t me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe,
It ain’t me you’re lookin’ for, babe.




.........and follow it up with this a few years later:

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you ?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but know you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

and ends up with something like this 40 years on:

Man came to the door, I say 'for whom were you lookin'?' Says 'your wife', I say 'she's busy in the kitchen cookin'' Po' boy, where you been? Already told you, won't tell you again I say 'how much you want for that, I'll go into the store' Man says 'three dollars' 'all right', I say, 'will you take four?' Po' boy, never say die Things will be all right, by and by Workin' like in a main line, workin' like the devil The game is the same it's just up on another level Po' boy, dressed in black Police at your back Po' boy in a red hot town Out beyond the twinklin' stars Ridin' first class train Makin' the rounds Try to keep from fallin' between the cars Othello told Desdemona "I'm cold, cover me with a blanket" "By the way, what happened to that poisoned wine?" She said "I gave it to you, you drank it" Po' boy, layin' 'em straight Pickin' up the cherries fallin' off the plate Time and love has branded me with its claws Had to go to Florida, dodgin' them Georgia laws Po' boy in the hotel called the Palace of Gloom Called down to room service, says 'send up a room' My mother was the daughter of a wealthy farmer My father was a traveling salesman, I never met him When my mother died my uncle took me in he run a funeral parlor He did a lot of nice things for me and I won't forget him All I know is that I'm thrilled by your kiss I don't know any more than this Po' boy, pickin' up sticks Build you a house out of mortar and bricks Knockin' on the door, I say 'who is it, where you from?' Man say 'Freddie', I say 'Freddie who?' He say 'Freddie or not, here I come' Po' boy 'neath the stars that shine Washin' them dishes, feedin' them swine

.....he get's my vote....:cool: