Barry Gibb was very much the chief (and for quite some years, the only), songwriter of the Bee Gees. In addition, he has also written a number of other huge international hits for others. This Washington Post article gives some of them -
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Who is Australia's best ever singer/songwriter?
- Thread starter Wormkilla
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Great article, thanks for sharing.
- May 5, 2016
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Ian Moss is a good shout. Wrote Bow River for Cold Chisel as well as producing a number of his own albums over the journey.
I’ll throw in one that has only been mentioned once that I could see anyway. Daniel Johns.
His voice is better than the best storyteller that anyone has nominated - Paul Kelly (that will always count against Kelly I’m afraid. Much as I adore his songs and never tire of listening to them, the guy’s singing is awful). Johns even as a 14 year old had power in his voice that was ballsy but he could hit a note as well as anyone. And he could write a melody. And he could write a lyric. If you can do all three you’re ticking the box.
He went way off track with a couple of the later efforts, no doubt about that, but a compilation of their best work - which let’s face it, was all his best work - would be as good as anything over the last 30 years.
Another shout too - Tim Freedman from The Whitlams, and Kevin Mitchell from Jebediah. Both with unique but tuneful voices, did all the songwriting for their bands, wrote some good stories, and had a knack for melody.
I’ll throw in one that has only been mentioned once that I could see anyway. Daniel Johns.
His voice is better than the best storyteller that anyone has nominated - Paul Kelly (that will always count against Kelly I’m afraid. Much as I adore his songs and never tire of listening to them, the guy’s singing is awful). Johns even as a 14 year old had power in his voice that was ballsy but he could hit a note as well as anyone. And he could write a melody. And he could write a lyric. If you can do all three you’re ticking the box.
He went way off track with a couple of the later efforts, no doubt about that, but a compilation of their best work - which let’s face it, was all his best work - would be as good as anything over the last 30 years.
Another shout too - Tim Freedman from The Whitlams, and Kevin Mitchell from Jebediah. Both with unique but tuneful voices, did all the songwriting for their bands, wrote some good stories, and had a knack for melody.
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Arguably my favourite song to sing at gigs is Father’s Day - I’ve never been lucky enough to see him or them live but I’ve heard many people say exactly that.
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John Williamson could put a fair song together solo
and
Jim Moginie in a group
and
Harry Vanda and George Young as a pair.
and
Jim Moginie in a group
and
Harry Vanda and George Young as a pair.
rocker_oz33
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When people talk about Chisel they always say Don Walker, but for car king songs, Steve Prestwich wrote a heap of the best ones.
Forever Now
When the War is Over
Flame Trees
All his
Forever Now
When the War is Over
Flame Trees
All his
- May 5, 2016
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True enough though to be fair Don Walker wrote the lyrics of Flame Trees that make it such a beautiful song (not that the melody is any less beautiful)
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Chrissie Amphlett deserves a mention.
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I knew he wrote Heartbreaker.
That was a huge hit for Dionne Warwick in the 80s but it could have been a huge hit for the Bee Gees too with their version.
I didn't know that he also wrote Chain Reaction and Islands in the Stream though, they could have been huge Bee Gees hits too.
David McComb wrote one of the best Australian songs of all time.
Tim Rogers has written some pretty good songs as well, too many to mention.
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