Morrissey and Marr #67 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time"

Link from Morran:

The 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time - Rolling Stone

#67 Morrissey and Marr

"I really believe he's one of the best lyricists there's been," guitarist Johnny Marr said about his songwriting partner in 1989, just after the Smiths' breakup. "I don't think anyone's got his wit or insight or originality or obsession or overall dedication." Together, in less than four years, the duo wrote more than 70 songs, with Marr working as arranger and producer and Morrissey navigating whole new worlds of misery and disaffection, often with much more wit than he got credit for at the time. Morrissey's lyrics went hand-in-glove with Marr's gorgeously-detailed melodies: the lilting car-wreck fantasy "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," the Bo Diddley-in-space wallflower anthem "How Soon Is Now?," the homoerotic Afro-pop of "This Charming Man," the nouvelle vague folk of "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want," and on, and on, and on. The more you listen, the clearer it becomes that Marr isn't exaggerating.
 
I don't trust any list who has Taylor swift on it. Very predictable lists with the Radom token artist spread here or there
 
I'm not a suck arse morrissey fan but he should easily be in the top 5 of any great lyricist list, and thats playing it safe, he could easily come in at #1 and it would be justified, He's just not media recognisable to the casual listeners. I havent seen the list but who's number 1? bob dylan? john lennon, id imagine
 
The world at large places them higher than #67. For f***'s sake.
I don't know what I expected from Rolling Stone anyway. They're more preoccupied with how on fleek Kim Kardashian's eyebrow game be than music. The death rattle of a once proud publication.
 
Well, at least Taylor Swift was 90-something and not top-10 as you would maybe expect from Rolling Stone these days. Seems really hard to compare and rank songwriters of so many different styles and eras. Rap, Motown, current pop, indie/alternative, etc. So I guess it's a decent list, it's all subjective anyways isn't it? I mean, my list would have Elliott Smith in the top 10. I was sad not to see him on this list since I think he was among the best songwriters of the last 25 years. It was nice to see Paul Westerberg on there though.
 
I'm not a suck arse morrissey fan but he should easily be in the top 5 of any great lyricist list, and thats playing it safe, he could easily come in at #1 and it would be justified, He's just not media recognisable to the casual listeners. I havent seen the list but who's number 1? bob dylan? john lennon, id imagine

Surprisingly, Samantha Fox.
 
Bjorn and Benny from Abba at #100? Christ - I don't even like Abba, but surely they deserve higher than that?
 
I'd put Morrissey and Marr in the top ten, but Bowie at #39, just above the bloke who wrote "Hit Me Baby One More Time" verges on the obscene.

I have no complaints about #1. Dylan is astonishing.
 
Rolling Stone is a useless rag. Top 100 lists are all shite apart from Dave Fanning's Xmas top 100 songs every year for RTE RADIO 2.
 
byw Taylor Swift is on this list, so I wouldn't bother worrying about where Moz n' Marr were placed. And Max Martin who has written songs for all the pop queens and Idol train wrecks.
 
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Well, at least Taylor Swift was 90-something and not top-10 as you would maybe expect from Rolling Stone these days. Seems really hard to compare and rank songwriters of so many different styles and eras. Rap, Motown, current pop, indie/alternative, etc. So I guess it's a decent list, it's all subjective anyways isn't it? I mean, my list would have Elliott Smith in the top 10. I was sad not to see him on this list since I think he was among the best songwriters of the last 25 years. It was nice to see Paul Westerberg on there though.

YeaH westerberg. Dylan is also magic
 
No. 67, not bad for a song-writing duo who wanted to do away with everything that 'Rolling Stone' magazine stands for. At least the magazine had to acknowledge them.
 
Can anyone explain why Bruce Springsteen (#14), sang about his sexual desire for a "little girl" AKA "baby" and why he suggested that her "daddy" was his sexual rival?

Bruce Springsteen – I'm On Fire Lyrics

Hey little girl is your daddy home?
Did he go away and leave you all alone?
I got a bad desire
I'm on fire

Tell me now, baby, is he good to you?
Can he do to you the things that I can do?
I can take you higher
I'm on fire

Sometimes, it's like someone took a knife, baby
Edgy and dull, and cut a six-inch valley
Through the middle of my soul

At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
And a freight train running through the
Middle of my head
Only you can cool my desire
I'm on fire

Songwriters: KARLSSON, MATS/OLANDER, PETER/HERMANSSON, PETER

I'm On Fire lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

boring Bob on 1, no Neil Young within the 20's or CSNY, or have I scolled down to fast

and they say he's mentall...did he pass by...
 
Can anyone explain why Bruce Springsteen (#14), sang about his sexual desire for a "little girl" AKA "baby" and why he suggested that her "daddy" was his sexual rival?

Bruce Springsteen – I'm On Fire Lyrics

Hey little girl is your daddy home?
Did he go away and leave you all alone?
I got a bad desire
I'm on fire

Tell me now, baby, is he good to you?
Can he do to you the things that I can do?
I can take you higher
I'm on fire

Sometimes, it's like someone took a knife, baby
Edgy and dull, and cut a six-inch valley
Through the middle of my soul

At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
And a freight train running through the
Middle of my head
Only you can cool my desire
I'm on fire

Songwriters: KARLSSON, MATS/OLANDER, PETER/HERMANSSON, PETER

I'm On Fire lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

just 1 thing why reply it on my comment, was about nr 1 Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, or CSNY[crosby, stills. nash & young]

'and they say he's mentall'....girl afraid...
 
Can anyone explain why Bruce Springsteen (#14), sang about his sexual desire for a "little girl" AKA "baby" and why he suggested that her "daddy" was his sexual rival?

Probably for the same reason Morrissey once wrote:

"I once had a child, and it saved my life
I never even asked his name
I just looked into his wondrous eyes
and said "never never never again"
and all too soon I did return
just like a moth to a flame
see how words as old as sin
fit me like a glove
I'm here and here I'll stay
together we lie, together we pray
Climb upon my knee sonny boy
Although you're only three sonny boy
You're mine
And your mother she just never knew..."
 

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