Do you have less respect for Elvis Presley because he didn't write the lyrics of his songs?

[Thepaintbucket]

The young producers today use computers for the most part, not all of them, but many of them. I had a guy recently ask for a critique of some stuff he made on some little wierd board. It didn't sound original, it didn't sound like he actually composed anything and I didn't really know how to judge it, but I do know that that is the way many young people do it, just the way it is. He seemed pissed that I didn't give much response but I just didn't know how to judge it, so, he pushed some buttons and got some good sounds, I don't know else he did.

Times are changing. I don't understand that s*** too. It is what it is I guess. Everybody is a EDM remix traveling DJ these days lol

 

[mozfonky]

I was under the impression he didn’t write anything, he was just a performer.. come to think of it, many many musicians in the old days weren’t the writers of the material they performed.

that's true, it was the way it was mainly done back then. Sinatra never gets questioned for not writing anything, his greatness is recognized. There has always been a class element in the dismissal to Elvis.

 

[mozfonky]

I think most bands from the 60s to now. I'd say write most of their songs, if not all. MIchael Jackson wrote about 70% of his songs from the looks of it.

Michael wrote his best material, Billy Jean, Beat it, the rest of his biggest hits were his creations. A few of the singles like Man In The Mirror or PYT or Human Nature were from others.

 

[nostradumbass]

Not sure "respect" is a very accurate description of views on musicians. Some of the best musicians are absolutely terrible people, but whether they or someone else wrote the lyrics doesn't really make a song more or less enjoyable.

 

[Jay Crawford]

Elvis was overrated, his legacy hasn't aged well, he loved kids, made a living by copying black musicians, shitty movies.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

He's a song and dance man, just like Andy Kaufman, that was huge in Memphis, just like Andy Kaufman, and ended up doing a Vegas lounge act, just like Andy Kaufman. and his fans believed he was still alive long after his death, just like Andy Kaufman
Too bad he never had Kaufman's talent

What if Elvis was Andy Kaufman..

 

[Berserker13]

jokes on you most of the top artists have a team of people writing their stuff

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Not really.

Robert Hunter wrote a TON of the Grateful Dead's best-known songs, that doesnt make them any less great.

Robert Hunter is considered a member of the band, actually.

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

He's a song and dance man, just like Andy Kaufman, that was huge in Memphis, just like Andy Kaufman, and ended up doing a Vegas lounge act, just like Andy Kaufman. and his fans believed he was still alive long after his death, just like Andy Kaufman
Too bad he never had Kaufman's talent

Or the guts to challenge Jerry Lawler

 

[Goon Dog]

Or Nine Inch Nails with Hurt which was a good song but when Johnny Cash covered it he took it to a whole different level.

Absolutely. Good call. Not only was Cash a legit bad ass, but his life story is fascinating.

 

[armbarforhire]

that's true, it was the way it was mainly done back then. Sinatra never gets questioned for not writing anything, his greatness is recognized. There has always been a class element in the dismissal to Elvis.

Maybe is because he is associated with rock/rock n roll acts wich write their music and play their instruments.

But yeah lots of singers/pop acts don't. Some like Britney Spears have been credited by writting or cowriting a song there and there but in reality the music that made them was not theirs.

 

[mozfonky]

Maybe is because he is associated with rock/rock n roll acts wich write their music and play their instruments.

But yeah lots of singers/pop acts don't. Some like Britney Spears have been credited by writting or cowriting a song there and there but in reality the music that made them was not theirs.

It just wasn't unusual for performers of that time. One of Elvis' main hit writers, Otis Blackwell, released his versions of the songs he wrote for Elvis and it was obvious he never could have sang them well enough on his own. That began to change radically with Bob Dylan, The Beatles and the 60's but today, it looks like it's even more fragmented. Several people will be credited for writing a song and the music ain't even good.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

It's not uncommon. I know Corpesgrinder the vocalist for Cannibal Corpse doesn't write any lyrics at all the other guys do it. Also The Anthrax vocalist doesn't write his own lyrics either Scott Ian writes the lyrics. If it's someone in the band doing it it's fine but when it coming from an outside source then it can get a bit weird. imo

also i just remembered Thomas Haake drummer for Meshuggah writes all the bands lyrics as well.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Or Nine Inch Nails with Hurt which was a good song but when Johnny Cash covered it he took it to a whole different level.

I think that was the first time i ever saw and older artist cover a newer artists song and i honestly can't think of any other instances of it happening? still seems strange to me. I don't think Cash made the song better it was a good version of it that just hit different because of the drastic stylistic change. imho

 

[skysolo]

I think most bands from the 60s to now. I'd say write most of their songs, if not all. MIchael Jackson wrote about 70% of his songs from the looks of it.

Are you counting his Motown albums? (Not just the Jackson 5 albums)

In my opinion, Mike's stuff suffered when he refused to be produced.

 

[mozfonky]

Are you counting his Motown albums? (Not just the Jackson 5 albums)

In my opinion, Mike's stuff suffered when he refused to be produced.

he always had producers didnt he? He left Quincy and went with Teddy Riley and then with history, he had a few different folks he worked with, I'm not sure about Invincible. My opinion, what killed his creativity was all the BS the world put him through, and it killed him too.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

I don’t really care. I have never been a fan of Elvis, or that type of music. Most of the biggest pop sensation’s didn’t write their own music let alone their own lyrics.

Did you know that La Isla Bonita was originally written for Michael Jackson? He passed on it and it was recorded by Madonna instead.

 

[Jack Reacheround]

Lets just say I have the most respect for the artists who do it all. This is why guys like Prince or Paul Mccartney rank very high on my list of the greatest. Did it all not just mediocre but amazingly. This is what we call genius. Newer artists like Bruno Mars or Childish Gambino....also pretty much do it all. Lots of respect. Not to say that artists who didnt write for example dont get love. Elton John didnt write shit, but I love his songs. Elvis in turn was a superb performer.

I didn’t know that about Elton John.

 

[TheNinja]

Not everyone can be Bob Dylan and have the writing AND the voice.

 

[Tone C]

I didn’t know that about Elton John.

Just in case you missed it, Elton wrote the music to his songs , Bernie Taupin however wrote most of the lyrics.