Paul Simon comments on Macca, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones

[chris]

given some thought to the subject, is it possible that, with the exception of one Bob Dylan, Paul Simon is the greatest American songwriter? He has lots of great songs, spread over decades. can anyone name someone greater?

[maccastheman]

I would have to agree with that. I think the great thing about Paul Simon is that he's always kept the quality of his work up - Whether it's Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After All These Years, Graceland, or his latest CD. The pre-publicity surrounding Surprise aid that it was his greatest album since Graceland, and I happen to agree with that. I liked You're The One a lot as well, but the songs are a lot stronger on this one IMHO. Plus on this one he deals with post 9-11 paranoia, Katrina, and so many other potent subjects. You're The One was kind of a reflective album, but this one is more of an adventurous one.

[kylestyle]

given some thought to the subject, is it possible that, with the exception of one Bob Dylan, Paul Simon is the greatest American songwriter? He has lots of great songs, spread over decades. can anyone name someone greater?

Yes, Elliott Smith.

By the way, I agree with PS regarding his Macca comment. I've been saying for a while on here it's time Macca dropped the Beatles tunes. It was so disappointing he couldn't even do Friends To Go on his last tour.

[chris]

Kylestyle, while I was a fan of Elliott Smith, I don't think he was in the same hemisphere as a Paul Simon.

Elliott Smith was a good songwriter, who often wrote depressing songs, often done in an almost Beatlesque manner. Its sad to note that after he commit suicide, I put on Figure of Eight (his last album before his death) and could see (hindsight, huh?) what he was headed for.

I respected Elliott Smith a lot, he did a killer version of the Beatle's Because, however, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you.

[kylestyle]

I can understand where you're coming from. Paul Simon had an excellent career with Simon and Garfunkel and his early solo years were up to the same standard but the Graceland and ethnic stuff doesn't quite do it for me. The new album has some groovy moments and good arrangements but the classic memorable songs just aren't there. Just a bunch of cleanly-produced jazzy doodles. Elliott has the edge for me, not because of just the studio albums, but for all the unreleased stuff that when brought together with the studio stuff, represents a massive and varied body of work that's perhaps not as prolific as Dylan but certainly up there with Paul Simon at his best. It's the unreleased stuff that adds the overall weight (like Basement II for example), not just the 5 or 6 studio albums. You can download the collection here:

http://www.elliottsmithbsides.com/index2.html

All songs were authorised by Elliott's family so it's all legal-tegel!

The only other 2 people I would have up in that realm would be hmmm Neil Young himself... or what about Stevie Wonder? Regarding Elliott again, I remember reading an interview once where Elliott didn't enjoy being compared to Paul Simon.

"I don't feel like I have very much in common with Paul Simon songwise." The closest kinship he feels with a songwriter would be "maybe Janet and Sam--Quasi--from Portland." This is a man with strong loyalties--he's bringing another old friend from Portland with him to the Academy Awards ceremony.

There was another one too.. but I digress..

[chris]

Hate to plead ignorance here, my friend, but I have to admit that I didn't even know about all the unreleased stuff...so thanks. I'd like the chance to hear more of Elliott's stuff.

[kylestyle]

Happy to share

Well, here's one that's escaped us all but is another obvious contender for greatest American songwriter - Brian Wilson?

[chris]

Very well done. I would happily claim that in my opinion, Brian Wilson absolutely belongs in the upper Royalty of American songwriting. Perhaps coming in number two, behind only one Robert Zimmerman.

[Lazarus_2]

How can Brian Wilson be considered for a high honour like that when he accomplished no work of significance since the 60's, save for Smile?

Bob Dylan didn't go into hybernation, this is why he is #1, to put Brian Wilson at #2 would be a slap in the face to all the songwriters that kept producing good-great material from the 60's-present.

[kylestyle]

I agree, Brian disappeared for a long time while Dylan kept going and going, album after album. He is hard to beat, for sure in that regard.