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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Andrew Hickey <stealthmunchkin@gmail.com> |
| Subject | Re: The singer or the song? |
| Date | Wed, 3 Nov 2004 21:05:59 +0000 |
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> <<<From: matty karas <mkaras@mindspring.com>
> ... i'm always amazed that most people seem to give more weight to
> songwriters than singers, because as far as i can tell, great singing is the
> rarer skill. anyone can write a song. really.... >>>>
GREAT singers are a rarity, but so are great songwriters. I see a
*lot* of unsigned bands, or unpopular bands, or support acts for other
bands - people who, in other words, I see with no prior knowledge, and
at least half have both bad vocals and bad songwriting. Of the rest,
most have adequate vocals and adequate songwriting. Truly *good*
songwriters are a rarity, and I've only seen one *great* songwriter
who I'd not heard of previously - Stew, who I saw supporting Arthur
Lee.
Personally I value songwriters more than singers because I can listen
to Billy Bragg or Elvis Costello or Bob Dylan and enjoy it, even
though the singing's lousy, because of the song. Whereas when Rod
Stewart, whose vocals I often enjoy, does that Diane Warren song
that's the theme to Enterprise I want to projectile vomit at the
screen.
I would obviously *rather* hear a great singer sing a great song, but
I will choose the great song over the great singer every day of the
week...
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