Greatest 70's-era Female Singer-Songwriter?

[Taverner]

Carole King?

Carly Simon?

Janice Ian?

Someone else?

[Guava Jelly]

1. Carole King gets my vote

:)

[Taverner]

2. I like her too....

Tapestry is an amazing album

[Archae]

9. Carole King was the best.

"Tapestry" ...(big sigh)

[Dem_4_Life]

43. Mine too nt

[buddhamama]

3. Emmylou Harris and Carole King

[devilgrrl]

4. Joni Mitchell

:shrug:

[skygazer]

10. Seconded

:thumbsup:

[MissMillie]

14. Thirded

with Carole King running a close second

[kwassa]

16. Fourthdeded: Joni is so far superior to other pretenders, the first, the best

[hippywife]

40. Fifthded!! No doubt about it!

Altho, I really do love the others, too.

[leftofthedial]

5. Carole King is a great songwriter

Joni Mitchell was the greatest singwr-songwriter

[SteppingRazor]

6. How 'bout Patti Smith? n/t

[devilgrrl]

11. That works!

:-)

[peekaloo]

36. she's definitely the most influential, imho.

:thumbsup:

[geebensis]

7. Carole King, hands down.

[QMPMom]

8. Carole King

by miles and miles.

[Nicole]

12. Carole King the greatest, Karen Carpenter above the others n/t

[Zomby Woof]

13. Joni Mitchell

Honorable Mention: Joan Armatrading

[kwassa]

17. Armatrading is great and too unknown ...

[MrScorpio]

15. Aretha!

Sixties and Seventies

[kwassa]

18. I love Aretha, but she wasn't a songwriter.

[lizziegrace]

19. Carly Simon

:)

[idgiehkt]

20. does Stevie Nicks count?

she was in a band but her songs rocked.

[dae]

26. She does for me. eom

[michreject]

32. She did solo albums as well

She's my choice.

[astral]

21. I'd say Joni Mitchell, then Carole King

Joan Armatrading was great too! I had four or so of her albums and think I still have one or two -- but I heard of her totally on accident, so is she a lessor of a songwriter because she didn't get the publicity? No question Joni Mitchell is a legend it is hard to compare the rest to. I too had Carole King's Tapestery and have every song etched into my brain for life. If that album had been released at the wrong time it would have been an unknown dud; it's just the way the music industry operates -- much harder today for real talent to get its chance than it was then.

[Montauk6]

22. Laura Nyro and Roberta Flack

[Glorfindel]

23. Judy Collins...my all time favorite!

If she'd never written anything else, "Albatross" alone would qualify her :D
ALBATROSS
Words and Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)
(Administered by Universal Music Corp.)

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 embroid'ry 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 you long hair blowing
And the colors of the day that lie along your arms
You must barter your life to make sure you are living
And the crowd that has come
You give them the colors
And the bells and wind and the dream

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.

[Floogeldy]

24. The one that did "I've got a brand new pair of roller skates . . . ."

:)

[saged52]

28. that was, indeed, Melanie -

I absolutely adore that chick - but wasn't sure she would be mentioned in this realm

[astral]

29. Melanie was at Woodstock, man! She's Coool!

She didn't get that much airplay but she had style! Well, actually, I think she may still be singing. . . . she was kinda folksy, kinda bluesy, and the roller skate song isn't really a good example. But then, I think she made a few bucks off that song!

[2bfree]

25. Stevie Nicks.

She is a goddess to me.

[mitchum]

27. Sandy Denny

others:
Patti Smith
Judee Sill
Joni Mitchell

[begin_within]

30. Joni Mitchell towers over all the rest. Carole King a strong contender for

"Tapestry." But for overall body of work, Joni Mitchell's catalog is the best.

[flvegan]

31. ABBA rules.

Those chicks had talent.

[Le Taz Hot]

33. Janice Ian

Hands down. Followed closely by Carole King and Laura Nero.


"Those people who surround you only want to see you weak enough to crawl.
They'll lie for you, decide for you and buy up all your rights and all your wrongs.
And they'll try to stop your singing in the middle of your song.
For they do not want you free
And they will not make you strong
But only drag you down in the hole they're coming from."

From the Song: "From Me to You," Janice Ian

[jobycom]

34. Dolly Parton. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

35. Laura Nyro n/t

[dajoki]

37. Carole King

[jus_the_facts]

38. Carole Bayer Sager

http://www.songwritershalloffame.org

[HEyHEY]

39. PATTI SMITH

Now there's a woman that can rock

[IcyPeas]

41. J O N I

[u4ic]

42. A b s o l u t e l y

by a country mile.