The greatest songwriter of our time...

[Masherbrum]

Since I'm supposed to pick ONE (It does say Songwriter):

Bernie Taupin - I'm sorry but listen to Tumbleweed Connection (my fav. by EJ and BT), Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road for proof.   

Not to mention Brian Wilson.   As Paul said "God only Knows is the best song ever penned." 

Teams:

Brian Holland-Lamont Dozier- Edward Holland Jr. would be ahead of Lennon/McCartney for me

 

[DREDIOCK]

There is no just "one" greatest.

Jim Croce.

Gordon Lightfoot

John Fogerty
And
Elton John

Then there's

Stevie Wonder
Willie Nelson
And as much as I hate to admit it because I find his voice so painful to listen to

Bob Dylan

[Speed55]

Page/Plant or maybe Plant/Page

[eskimo2]

No one has entertained me more than Weird Al Yankovic.  Seriously.

[wrongwayric]

? No votes for Bruce Springsteen? John Fogerty comes to mind also. Well at least no one said Milli Vanilli. Or Boy George

[AWMac]

From A to Z... Abba to Zappa.

Would be hard to just pick one.

I've always been a Croce fan.

 

Mac

[Murdr]

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with Lennon.  I'm surprised Kristofferson, Morrison, or Phil Collins haven't been mentioned yet.

[ZetaNine]

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with Lennon.  I'm surprised Kristofferson, Morrison, or Phil Collins haven't been mentioned yet.

morrison would tell you to take him off the list because he's a poet. 

[midnight Target]

No one has entertained me more than Weird Al Yankovic.  Seriously.

I knew Wierd Al in college, we were in the same dorm. We called him Weird Al back then too.

[bizz]

George Harrison! John and Paul seem to get almost all of the credit for the Beatles greatness but my favorite Beatles songs were written by George.

[Angus]

One of my country's best once said that putting those characters into one band which is known as the Beatles was just sheer unfair to everybody else in the business....
For Melody...McCartney & Lennon....

[Yeager]

I concur wholeheartedly...

They are certainly the greatest co-writers of all time (Lennon/McCartney).  A lot of their individual stuff pales in comparison to what they achieved together.  Not just lyrically but in composition.

Kudos to Harrison as well...and even that damned kid on the drum kit made a lasting contribution to popular music.

[ZetaNine]

They are certainly the greatest co-writers.  Alot of their individual stuff pales in comparison to what the achieved together.  Not just lyrically but in composition.

opposite of those two........george's best stuff was recorded AFTER leaving the beatles...at least in my opinion...all things must pass is on my top 25 album list for certain.

[Dux]

And who was Lennon and McCartney's favorite...?

Harry Nilsson.

[BlkKnit]

seriously?  Gotta go with Willie on this one.  The AMERICAN songwriter for the ages.  (and I agree to an earlier post, he's kinda hard on the ears )


Straight from Wikipedia:
Birth name    Willie Hugh Nelson
Born    April 30, 1933 (1933-04-30) (age 75)
Origin    Abbott, Texas, U.S.

Genre(s)    Country, Country Rock, Outlaw Country,
Alternative Country, Folk, Reggae, Blues

Occupation(s)    Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist, Producer, Session Musician, Actor, Activist
Instrument(s)    Acoustic Guitar
Years active    1956 – Present
Label(s)    Liberty, RCA, Atlantic, Columbia, Island, Justice Records, Lost Highway

Associated acts    
Waylon Jennings
The Highwaymen
Johnny Cash
Kris Kristofferson
Ray Price
Merle Haggard
Johnny Bush
Julio Iglesias
U2
Kurt Nilsen

Thing is, I prefer other artists in various genre's, but if you want to say one guy is it, the american songwriter, the buck stops at Willie's place.

I'd give an honorable mention to Carole King also.  So many songs that were hers, especially from "Tapestry", that most people associate with other artists on a nearly iconic level.