Lammycat Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 On second thought, I may need to retract my Neil Diamond nomination for this thread, as he's a member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. Not too underrated, I guess. How about that Warren Zevon, though? I didn't see his name on that list. He's got some incredible tunes and a real way with words in those tunes.... Also: Robert Hunter, who wrote/co-wrote the large majority of the greatest Grateful Dead tunes. He's worked with lots of other artists, as well, though; including Jim Lauderdale, the New riders of the Purple Sage, and a few more modern bands that escape me presently. Heck, he even wrote for Bob Dylan. But, outside of the "jam band" scene he's not real well known. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kalle Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Josh Rouse - Good pop songs! He should be massive.Danny Michel - This guy is pretty gd awesome for putting out his own records.George Harrison - All Things Must Pass is great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
napoleon Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 stevie nicks/lindsey buckingham Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rghammo Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Aimee MannPJ HarveyDavid Bazan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Degenerex Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I already responded to the last thread and said rhett miller and the johns from TMBG... but now I'll second the nomination for Zappa and add Craig Finn from The Hold Steady to the mix.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Golden Smoghead Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I, too, am just repeating myself from the other thread and saying: John PrineBruce Springsteen -- yes people get it, but he's so good sometimes I want to kill myself / never touch a guitar againAlex Chilton -- of Big Star, way ahead of his timeSteve Earle's early stuff -- Guitar Town is such perfect straight-ahead "guy in his 20s / 30s" Americana angstMark Oliver Everett aka E of the Eels -- sure he's too jokey sometimes, but some great songs in thereMary Chapin Carpenter -- also she's smart enough to play Lucinda Williams tunes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boywiththorninside Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Jens Lekman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilco LP #7 Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Seriously: Daniel Bejar, Jeff Lynne Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Guy Clark and a second to John Prine Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Willkoman Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 If we're talking about songwriters to include music/instrument composition, then I concur. If we're talking in the simplistic sense of lyrics, absolutely not. Now, I love Zappa (one of my first concerts in 1980, Hartford, CT) and grew up listening to him. Obviously, an astounding guitarist. He was a master at orchestrating his ever-changing band and having them trained to switch direction in a jam/tune with the flick of a baton or the raising of a finger. He was brilliant that way and demanded a lot of the folks that played in his various incarnations. His musical compositions (whether with lyrics involved or not) were generally very complex, in an orchestral vein. If we're talking about lyrics, though.....c'mon. His lyrics were always secondary to the instruments and were, for the most part, goofy and non-sensical. Yes I agree. After I posted I thought I should have said underrated as a musician/composer. I do remember back in the day just really having a good time with his lyrics too. I was going to say I was at that show in Hartford but I just double checked my stub and it says 11/6/81 @ the Hartford Civic Center. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share Posted January 8, 2007 stevie nicks/lindsey buckingham I think maybe we need to actually define underated. I mean, who does think these guys are great songwriters-public or critics? And I saw George Harrison above which doesn't qualify. He's a freaking Beatle and All Things Must Pass is known to be one of the best albums of all time. To me the perfect example is someone like Amiee Mann or Josh Rouse. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Guy Clark and a second to John PrineAre these guys really underrated?? They have been widely covered by singers for years. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I think maybe we need to actually define underated. I mean, who does think these guys are great songwriters-public or critics? And I saw George Harrison above which doesn't qualify. He's a freaking Beatle and All Things Must Pass is known to be one of the best albums of all time.I think Harrison is definitely eligible. His name wasn't Lennon or McCartney, after all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mjpuczko Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Are these guys really underrated?? They have been widely covered by singers for years. LouieB i bet if you asked the average person on the street, they wouldn't know who prine or clark is Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 i bet if you asked the average person on the street, they wouldn't know who prine or clark isAh okay...yea...I see your point. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mjpuczko Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 oddly enough, i got into prine after i heard dave matthews cover him over 10 years ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Since John Prine was part of the folk revival in Chicago when I got here in the early 70s, I guess there has not been a time since then that I have not known about him. His first several records were (are) unbelievably good. He is still good, but those salad days still seem to me to be the best. At the time everyone was singing his songs. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mjpuczko Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 i love his first few albums. so good. his newest one was pretty good too. such a great sense of humour in his songs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Absolutely.....The Missing Years, from a few years back, is his late career stunner. Great stuff. Sadly John has had some health problems in the last decade, but then again he has lasted longer than his good friend and nearly equally talented songwriter friend Steve Goodman. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 i bet if you asked the average person on the street, they wouldn't know who prine or clark isI think if you asked the average person on the street, they wouldn't know who our Vice President is, or at least our Secretary of State. Point being, I wouldn't call John Prine underrated, because anybody who knows a bit about music knows he's up there with the best. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I just couldn't resist putting Prine's name out there. I know he's well-respected. The guy is probably deserving of his own thread ( there's been a number of NY & Dylan threads here ). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cubsfan77 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Badly Drawn Boy aka Damon Gough Quote Link to post Share on other sites
So Long Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Warren Zevon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilco LP #7 Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Daniel Bejar (Destroyer) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhh4321 Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Seriously: Daniel Bejar, Jeff Lynne Dan is amazing, Jeff Lynne, not so much. Also agree with Randy Newman as either underrated/underlistened. In terms of Neil Diamond, I always like watching/listening to his appearance at the Last Waltz. "Dry Your Eyes" is a pretty good song. Can I say David Berman? Its hard to give him enough credit as a songwriter, just amazing. I'll throw in J. Mascis, sometimes it just gets lost in the fuzz and distortion but he writes some great songs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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