#152 - Top 6 Songwriters of the 60s
Paul Simon:
As half of the iconic duo, Simon & Garfunkel, and later as a solo artist, Paul Simon has penned an impressively long list of much-loved songs. His effortless mastery of language has seen his lyrics span an array of genres including folk, gospel, R&B and even electronic. All the while, his tracks manage maintain that distinctive Paul Simon flavour. Our favourite? The sound of Silence (1965).
2. Joni Mitchell
Mitchell’s career has succeeded in spanning many movements and periods, but her sound was initially born out of 60s L.A. coffee-shop folk culture. Confessional and raw, melancholic and ecstatic, Mitchell’s lyrics span the complexities of love, life and heartbreak. Released right at the end of the decade, ‘Both Sides, Now’ (1969), is (maybe?) our favourite.
3. Otis Redding
One of the greatest soul-singers of all time, Otis Redding was a truly revolutionary artist - prior to the mid-fifties it had simply been taboo (if not life-threatening) for black men in the US to explore sexuality through their music. If we had to pick a favourite? The pared-back perfection of ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long’ (1965).
4. Bob Dylan
There’s a reason why Dylan is widely recognised as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. The lyrics for ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ (1965), one of his iconic 60s tracks, are based on a short story he wrote about a debutante who becomes a loner when she falls out of high society - he’s a writer as much as he is a singer.
5. Nina Simone
Although known first and foremost for her incredible voice, Nina Simone’s skills as a songwriter are just as worthy of attention. With her track, ‘Four Women’ (1966), telling the story of four different women, offering up a searing criticism of the racial stereotyping faced by African-American women living in 60s America.
6. John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Okay we’re cheating here slightly, but narrowing it down to six was hard. We couldn’t talk about the 60s without mentioning the infamous lyricists behind the Beatles, Lennon and McCartney. Favourite Lennon track? ‘Norwegian Wood’ (1965). And for McCartney? ‘Yesterday’ (1965). But in truth, the list of favourites is endless…