Best song by a female singer or songwriter?

[Bossy Monkey]

I was embarrassed when I went through two iterations of my Prettiest Pop Song Ever poll and could think of very few songs by women. However, the replies have been dominated by songs by men, too, so apparently I'm not the only one with this problem. Some that kind of leap to mind are "You've Got a Friend" or "It's Too Late" by Carole King, "Free Man in Paris" by Joni Mitchell and about 3/4 of the Aretha Franklin catalog. Don't be shy about throwing in non-hits and I won't be shy about adding "Biggest Memory" by Exene to the above list.

[mstrsplinter326]

1. There's a whole slew of Fleetwood Mac

And their best stuff is the stuff sung by stevie, by far.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Love and Affection - Joan Armatrading

[mirandaod]

3. Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time

That's just off the top of my head, but it has to be one of my top favorites.

[mac56]

4. Everything on "Our Time In Eden" by 10,000 Maniacs.

Especially "Circle Dream" and "Stockton Gala Days".

[Bossy Monkey]

35. I prefer the almost-title song Eden, by a very wide margin

One of the very few songs you can read as poetry without embarrassment.

[Beaverhausen]

5. I have lots

I Go to Sleep - Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders)

Rain - Patty Griffin

Who Holds Your Hand - Patty Larkin

I Can't Make You Love Me- Bonnie Raitt

Inconsolable - Jonatha Brooke

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush


OK- so maybe only one of these was a hit but there are lots of great artists out there...

[LowerManhattanite]

6. Here Are a Few...

Aretha's mind-blowing "Ain't No Way" and "Call Me"
(They will put chills up your spine)

Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"

Linda Creed's (lyricist) "Betcha By Golly Wow", "You Are Everything", and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love"

Carly Simon's "After The Storm" and "You Belong To Me" (sidestepping her obvious mega-hits)

Brenda Holloway's "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (covered by Blood Sweat & Tears)

[cosmokramer]

7. Tracy Chapman.

"Fast Car"

[Loonman]

8. "Caramel" by Suzanne Vega

The rest of her stuff is brilliant, too.


I remember I was at a book signing by her and some dork asked her if she was in the "waif movement"(Juliana Hatfield and Liz Phair were starting to peak in popularity at this time) and Suzanne said "If there is a 'movement' I'm not aware of it".

Priceless.

[johnnie]

9. Because the night

Patty Smyth
Always liked that one.

[Bossy Monkey]

24. Smith, cowritten with Springsteen

BELIEVE me, there's a difference. Patti Smyth was in Scandal, recorded guest shots with the Hooters and Don Henley, married McEnroe and then made up for her entire career to date with an enthralling cover of Ode to Billie Joe with Tom Scott & LA Express (who had a lot to answer for career-wise themselves).

[johnnie]

27. Yeah..right song, wrong spelling...thanks.

I even have this one on my jukebox at home. I should have known.

[proud patriot]

10. "Fast Car" Tracy Chapman

All of her stuff is awesome

[cosmokramer]

30. She is fantastic...

...definitely my favorite.

[stinkeefresh]

31. I think that song is a masterpiece.

[On the Road]

11. It Would be Hard for Me NOT to Give it to a Joni Mitchell Song

although there are several candidates in addition to "Free Man in Paris." "Cary", "Case of You", and "River" come to mind.

Nominating the BEST song is more difficult than the "prettiest" song or some other more specific adjective.

Then there are the Laura Nyro songs such as "Sweet Blindness" and "Save the Country." Also famously performed by the Fifth Dimension with a female lead, Marilyn McCoo. Although my favorite Fifth Dimension song, and one of my favorites all-time, is "Wedding Bell Blues."

Will have to pass over Janis Joplin and other old favorites such as "Heat Wve."

[Beaverhausen]

13. We had a whole Joni thread the other day

she is really the best. Hands down.

[southpaw]

12. Jann Arden...

Insensitive
I Know You
Good Mother
I Would Die For You
et al

[LowerManhattanite]

14. God-Damn it!

How could I forget Laura Nyro?

Stoned Soul Picnic?

And When I Die?

Stoney End?

And the candidate for prettiest pop song of all, Wedding Bell Blues?

She left us waaaaay too young.

[mac56]

16. Eli's coming! Hide your heart, girl!

nm

[Insider]

15. roberta flack, brenda russell

roberta flack - first time ever i saw your face, killing me softly
brenda russell - if only for one night, get here

[bif]

17. Anything by Jonatha Brooke

Most underrated singer songwriter around.

[Beaverhausen]

22. YES! Jonatha Brooke, also Patty Griffin, Patty Larkin, Jane Siberry...

[peekaloo]

26. Calling All Angels by Jane Siberry is a beautiful song!

[peekaloo]

18. Patti Smith-'People Have The Power'

[mac56]

19. "Garden In The Rain" by Diana Krall.

nm

[bbernardini]

20. Anything by MIEKA PAULEY!

www.mieka.com

Or the woman that wrote "Insensitive", which Jann Arden later covered.

[bif]

21. What about Freddy Mercury?

He sort of qualifies with the range he could hit.

[jobycom]

23. Gretchen Peters, Amy Mann, and (flame away) Dolly Parton

Gretchen wrote Independence Day (sung by Martina McBride), and On a Bus to Saint Cloud, (sung by Trish Yearwood, and possibly the most haunting love song I've ever heard).

Amy Mann-- damn, list any, starting with Voices Carry.

And Dolly Parton is one of the three best country writers of all times. "I Will Always Love You," despite the Whitney performance, is one of the most successful singles of all time. It hit number one on the country and pop charts TWICE, in two different decades, both by Dolly, and once with Whitney. For those who listen to country, her songwriting credits are overwhelming, matching only Willie Nelson and Hank Williams for influence. (You kind of have to overlook her pop attempts, which weren't so great). Coat of Many Colors, Jolene, Joshua, Tennessee Homesick Blues, Kentucky Gambler, on and on.

[noonwitch]

25. "Me And My Bobby McGee"

I love that song.

[CO Liberal]

28. "At Last" by Etta James

She didn't write it, but hers is the definitive version. You can hear it at the following web site:

http://ubl.artistdirect.com/

[cosmokramer]

29. ooooooh, I love Etta!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

32. Aimee Mann - I Should've Known or Beth Orton's Stolen Car

Or Joni Mitchell's Coyote
Or Patti Smith's Dancing Barefoot
Or PJ Harvey's Down by the Water

[Gildor Inglorion]

33. This one...by the IMMORTAL Judy Collins!

"Albatross"
The lady comes to the gate
Dressed in lavender and leather
Looking North to the sea
She finds the weather fine
She hears the steeple bells
Ringing through the orchard
All the way from town
She watches seagulls fly
Silver on the ocean
Stitching through the waves
The edges of the sky

Many people wander up the hills
From all around you
Making up your memories
And thinking they have found you
They cover you with veils of wonder
As if you were a bride
Young men holding violets
Are curious to know if you have cried
And tell you why
And ask you why
Any way you answer

Lace around the collars
Of the blouses of the ladies
Flowers from a Spanish
Friend of the family
The embroidery of your life
Holds you in
And keeps you out
But you survive
Imprisoned in your bones
Behind the isinglass
Windows of your eyes
And in the night the iron wheels
Rolling through the rain
Down the hills through the long grass
To the sea
And in the dark the hard bells
Ringing with pain:
Come away alone!

Even now by the gate
With your long hair blowing
And the colors of the day
That lie along your arms
You must barter your life
To make sure that you are living
And the crowd that has come
You give them the colors
And the bells
And the wind
And the dreams

Will there never be a prince
Who rides along the sea
And the mountains
Scattering the sand and foam
Into amethyst fountains
Riding up the hills from the beach
In the long summer grass
Holding the sun in his hands
And shattering the isinglass?

Day and night and day again
And people come and go away forever
While the shining summer sea
Dances in the glass of your mirror
While you search the waves for love
And your visions for a sign
The knot of tears around your throat
Is crystallizing into your design
And in the night the iron wheels
Rolling through the rain
Down the hills through the long grass
To the sea
And in the dark the hard bells
Ringing with pain:

Come away alone
Come away alone...with me.

[peacefreak]

34. Boulder to Birmingham--Emmylou Harris

It Must Be Love--Ricki Lee Jones
Little Green--Joni Mitchell
Willow--Joan Armatraining
Out of the Woods--Sinead Lohan