Greatest Songwriter of all time

Glad to see Johnny Mercer's name mentioned. His impact on Capitol in the 40's and 50's were huge on so many artists that are seen as the elite of that time period.

Greatest songwriter of all time? Well, it seems that most are caught-up in their own time. Kinda like weather,..geez "winter's aren't what they use to be"...weather has cycles beyond one's own life-span memory ,..100 year cycles, 1000 year cycles..etc...ice ages..etc.

Perhaps I read the question wrong, but it seems that the
"greatest songwriter of all time", is a different question than "the greatest songwriter of your lifetime".

That said, Dylan, Lennon, Fats Waller, Joplin, Jimmy Rodges, and many others have great merit..but one of the great gifts of music..like poetry, is to reach beyond the narcisism of the narrow perspective of ones own 80(or so)year life span.

But...it's is all good, like is said above..there is only music. And your choices are valid..very valid. But music was not invented....or perfected in the 20th century.

Sorry, this will likely just piss people off.

Scott,..not Janis.

Rayhall,.. could not agree more. My post further up had zip impact on people thinking beyond their own time. It is a bit too bad since most of the late 20th century writers that most above are speaking of..were greatly impacted by those that came before them.

Seems that most are in the 30 to 50 year old range...I guess this same thread a few years from now will bring answers like:

InSync
Madonna
Boyz To Men
Faith Hill
etc...

Paul,..guess I was eight, or so, when Mr. Holly's plane went down..being from Iowa, we all remember it like people in Madison, Wi. remember Otis and his plane going down in Lake Monona. Anyway, Buddy was one of the very few to have his impact great enough to have a group name themselves after him..ie: the Hollies. Wonder if Bobby Vee would have had a career without sounding like Mr. Holly?

Seems like Buddy Holly song's are so good that no matter who(m) does their cover....it still sounds good.