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One of my friends said that Jackson had to be considered at the same level as Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot. I said I would have to "think about" the idea that Jackson Browne belongs in the same sentence as the other two. Here's the issue. The overall quality of the singing and songwriting, track to track to album, my well equal or exceed Bob Dylan's. Bob Dylan is, to put it mildly, wanting in voice and guitar technique. My (natural) father pointed out that on Blowin' in the Wind he gets the chords wrong.
Bob Dylan has a slew of songs that are "anthems of his era" which I place from 1961 to 1965. Those include Blowin' in the Wind, Times They Are A' Changing, Like a Rolling Stone and Mr. Tambourine Man. The end of his era, I think, was pretty much self-inflicted; when he "went electric" at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. According to a book I read, Dylan Goes Electric, he felt a need to be competitive with the Beatles Paul McCartney or George Harrison he's not. He also felt the need not to be a writer of summer camp songs. While Dylan had notable contributions, especially with The Band, I feel his post-Newport and post-motorcycle crash material is several steps below. Also, let's face it, it is hard to listen to two sides of a Dylan album, end to end.
Jackson Browne produced, track for track, better albums and his work may well be overall better than Dylan's. I am not as familiar with Saturate Before Using as I should be. I.e. I don't have that album. For Everyman, I think, was his second. For Everyman and Running on Empty are quite listenable as a whole, unlike Dylan's efforts. Some songs come close to Dylan's best work but none in my view quite exceed it. Obvious candidates are Doctor My Eyes, Before the Deluge, Take it Easy, Running on Empty, Load Out/Stay and some that don't come to mind.
That brings us to Gordon Lightfoot. I feel, aside from his work in the 1980's and 1990's and early 2000's, that his music has the overall consistency and quality of Jackson Browne. He also has the "topping songs"; Early Morning Rain, Canadian Railroad Trilogy, Walls, Rainy Day People, for most people If You Could Read My Mind and Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (I like both but both suffered from being overplayed), Carefree Highway, The House That You Live In and others run close to or exceed the best of Dylan. It's not his fault that he is Canadian and has to work harder at breaking out south of "the border."
That brings me, last but not least, to Neil Young, probably my favorite after Lightfoot. He is also by birth a Canadian but has made much more of an imprint here. Thoughts?
"My (natural) father pointed out that on Blowin' in the Wind he gets the chords wrong."
what does that mean? he wrote it, how can it be "wrong"?
"I feel his post-Newport and post-motorcycle crash material is several steps below"
this sounds like a musical preference to me and that's fine, your preference works for you. on the other hand the author of the book you cite characterizes the event as a "declaration of musical independence".
Browne is fine but not Dylan level fine, lightfoot does nothing for me.
"Also, let's face it, it is hard to listen to two sides of a Dylan album, end to end.". ok
I have never been much of a Dylan fan. I like Lightfoot. There was a good documentary about his career on Netflix, I think. I have never been much of a Jackson Brown fan but I see his appeal.
I have never been much of a Dylan fan. I like Lightfoot. There was a good documentary about his career on Netflix, I think. I have never been much of a Jackson Brown fan but I see his appeal.
I watched documentary on Amazon Prime, I think. it's called "If You Could Read My Mind."
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Originally Posted by old fed
what does that mean? he wrote it, how can it be "wrong"?
Someone could not execute it correctly in the studio or not be able to. Certain chord progressions, I think, go together and others don't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by old fed
this sounds like a musical preference to me and that's fine, your preference works for you. on the other hand the author of the book you cite characterizes the event as a "declaration of musical independence".
As if his early works didn't show much "independence." As much as I like Dylan, he was afraid of flaming out after roughly three years in the limelight, much as The Limeliters (pun intended) and the Kingston Trio did. The hootenanny craze was ending and I think his attempt to leap towards rock and roll wasn't totally successful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by old fed
Browne is fine but not Dylan level fine
Basically I agree. While he was more consistent never hit Dylan's peaks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by old fed
lightfoot does nothing for me.
ok. But I will say more. Gordon Lightfoot's best stuff did not make it south of the border. His lachrymose (though I am now beginning to like it) If You Could Read My Mind is far from the height of his material, yet, along with Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald it's what most of us here in the states know. Go you Youtube for Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Wherefore and Why. One or both of those might change your mind, as did the rest of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" aside from its 45 RPM hit "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" did. G-d I hated that song.
I've never really seen the point of ranking/comparing different artists. They all brought something unique to the picture. Everyone is free to prefer one over another.
I've never really seen the point of ranking/comparing different artists. They all brought something unique to the picture. Everyone is free to prefer one over another.
Why do we have a music category at all then, if there is nothing to discuss?
Depends on what you are ranking. I always think about the art of songwriting as much or more than performing.
Here's a recent list, my guess as to best American/Canadian songwriters. I change my mind about this from day to day. Surely some country artists that belong on the list too.
John Prine
Bob Dylan
Leonard Cohen
Neil Young
Gordon Lightfoot
Paul Simon
Last edited by GearHeadDave; 05-20-2021 at 12:31 PM..
Depends on what you are ranking. I always think about the art of songwriting as much or more than performing.
Here's a recent list, my guess as to best American/Canadian songwriters. I change my mind about this from day to day. Surely some country artists that belong on the list too.
John Prine
Bob Dylan
Leonard Cohen
Neil Young Gordon Lightfoot
Paul Simon
Well Gordon Lightfoot has written some country and wasn't John Prine primarily country? I guess, for country, you could add Hank Williams Sr. and Dolly Parton.
Well Gordon Lightfoot has written some country and wasn't John Prine primarily country? I guess, for country, you could add Hank Williams Sr. and Dolly Parton.
In his last decades, Prine was more country-oriented. His songs covered many genres. A true genius melodically and lyrically. Very few could write a chorus like John Prine.
All of these artists covered the folk/country/rock territory at one time or another. With the exception of Paul Simon, can't say I remember anything "country" coming from him.
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But I will say more. Gordon Lightfoot's best stuff did not make it south of the border. His lachrymose (though I am now beginning to like it) If You Could Read My Mind is far from the height of his material, yet, along with Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald it's what most of us here in the states know. Go you Youtube for Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Wherefore and Why. One or both of those might change your mind, as did the rest of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" aside from its 45 RPM hit "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" did. G-d I hated that song.
