Best Female Songrwiter (of all time)?

[Aloysius]

Question - did Fiona Apple actually write her own stuff? Not the lyrics but the music - I was under the impression that others (e.g. Jon Brion) wrote her music. Same with Aimee Mann (who both Jon Brion and I think Michael Penn wrote music for, although they could just be married not sure).

I think Tori Amos deserves some recognition.

Also - why do people, in entirely subjective matters, feel the need to "lol" at people's tastes? Retarded.

-Al

[Kimbell175113]

Al,

"All songs written by Fiona Apple" is how it's credited on (the wikipedia pages of) her three albums, and I'm not sure but I think that means lyrics + music.

Aimee Mann is credited with most of her songs, especially on the newer albums, but there are a bunch co-written by Penn or with music by Brion.

[djames]

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The answer is Linda Perry. Research her discography as she's written the better songs for many of the artists posted above.

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Both Carole King and Joni Mitchell > Linda Perry and it really isn't remotely close. In fact, I can think of at least two or three more who easily come before Perry in this list.

SpaceAce

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Even mentioning Linda Perry (and Diane Warren!) on this list should be grounds for expulsion from any music-related thread ever again.

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Perhaps this isn't the genre you like. I don't either, but comments like this are a tad ignorant. She's virtually behind all of the current pop stars.

http://www.ascap.com/playback/2003/fall/perry.html

[Aloysius]

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Al,

"All songs written by Fiona Apple" is how it's credited on (the wikipedia pages of) her three albums, and I'm not sure but I think that means lyrics + music.

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Huh - ok that is cool.

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Also - why do people, in entirely subjective matters, feel the need to "lol" at people's tastes? Retarded.

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Although... the correct answer is Joni Mitchell and it's not close [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

-Al

[Mondogarage]

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The answer is Linda Perry. Research her discography as she's written the better songs for many of the artists posted above.

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Both Carole King and Joni Mitchell > Linda Perry and it really isn't remotely close. In fact, I can think of at least two or three more who easily come before Perry in this list.

SpaceAce

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Even mentioning Linda Perry (and Diane Warren!) on this list should be grounds for expulsion from any music-related thread ever again.

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Perhaps this isn't the genre you like. I don't either, but comments like this are a tad ignorant. She's virtually behind all of the current pop stars.

<a href="Link" target="_blank">http://www.ascap.com/playback/2003/f...html</a>

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Dude, you're kinda overstating things.

Yes, she has written a small amount of material for Courtney Love, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Kelly Osbourne, and Christina Aguilera. However, other than "Beautiful", and maybe, just maybe, "Get the Party Started", how many songs has Linda wrote, performed by pop stars, will anyone even remember 10 years from now? (I will note that "Beautiful" really is a wonderful song, by any definition)

Oh yeah, she wrote "What's Up" for her old band, 4 Non Blondes, too. But in terms of sheer volume, you can count the number of hits on barely more than one hand.

Go here for a link to all songs Linda's been credited on as a writer: All Music Guide on Linda Perry as writer

Linda Perry is far more accomplished as a producer and an engineer than a writer, and isn't even in the same city as Diane Warren or Carole King as a songwriter, much less the same ballpark.

A very short list of just a few Carole King tunes:
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Pleasant Valley Sunday
The Loco-Motion
One Fine Day
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
It's Too Late
I Feel the Earth Move
You've Got A Friend

She's written songs performed by the Beatles, the Monkees, the Animals, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, The Byrds, and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her songwriting accomplishments.

Sorry, not trying to be antagonistic, but calling others' comments "ignorant" here is just...well...ignorant.

[Dominic]

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The answer is Linda Perry. Research her discography as she's written the better songs for many of the artists posted above.

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Both Carole King and Joni Mitchell > Linda Perry and it really isn't remotely close. In fact, I can think of at least two or three more who easily come before Perry in this list.

SpaceAce

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Even mentioning Linda Perry (and Diane Warren!) on this list should be grounds for expulsion from any music-related thread ever again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps this isn't the genre you like. I don't either, but comments like this are a tad ignorant. She's virtually behind all of the current pop stars.

<a href="Link" target="_blank">http://www.ascap.com/playback/2003/f...html</a>

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wow, what an "ignorant" post. Just because Linda Perry has written a few hits doesn't mean she deserves mention on this list. It's supposed to be the BEST female songwriters, not the MOST SUCCESSFUL or POPULAR. But whichever criteria you use, to include Perry on any of those lists would be asinine.

[Knight Vision]

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And I'm going to name someone who hasn't been mentioned yet but should've:


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Patty Griffin.

Swede

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[Zeestein]

Ok, my nomination being Nina Simone. The lady has soul.

[MicroBob]

The song by 4 Non-blonds was called "What's Going On?"

I think Fiona Apple did Tidal when she was only 17 or 18.
I remember getting it before most had heard of her after seeing the video for Shadowboxer on MTV's 120 minutes.
I was just blown away.
Her voice on that album is insanely rich for someone so young and I remember talking with my friends about it, "Can you believe someone with a voice like that is only 17?"

Was she smoking 2 packs of Marlboro's a day when she was 11 or something?

[TroutMaskReplica]

none of these have been mentioned so...

judee sill
maggie roache of the roaches
kate bush