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Elton John Laments the Lack of Quality Modern Songwriters on 'The View' (VIDEO)
by Jason Hughes, posted Oct 21st 2010 3:01PM
Somebody must be pouring sour milk in Sir Elton John's Cheerios, because the legendary musician was a little cranky on 'The View' (Weekdays, Syndicated on ABC). Actually, he was responding to some quotes he'd made recently about the current state of music, and while he's critical, he makes some interesting points."In the '70s you could buy records every week by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Carole King, James Taylor. Great songwriters whose songs lasted forever," he explained. "Today's songs are more like nursery rhymes," according to John.
"No one's going to be singing 'Jenny from the Block' in ten years time," he argued, using Jennifer Lopez's 2002 hit (which does at least mean he remembers it eight years later).
He acknowledged that he thinks Lady Gaga is a good songwriter, and that there are others, but he's more worried about this new reality competition class of singers coming out who don't write their own music. "There aren't the quality of the songwriters around right now" for these people, he said. He likened it to Barbra Streisand and Aretha Franklin, "who are great interpreters of a lyric," and had great songwriters providing for them. Artists like them today "are really in a sticky position."
Co-host Barbara Walters asked if he thought the solution was for these singers to write their own music. "I think they have to try," he said. "I would have loved to have seen a [week on 'American Idol' where] all the contestants had to write a song." What do you think?
Do you think 'American Idol,' 'The X-Factor' and shows like that are hurting the music industry by bringing up so many singers who don't write their own music? Should they force the issue on the shows by having them write their own music for a theme week? We know some contestants would have loved that opportunity, but others would have been completely lost. There have always been both types of singers; those who write their own music, and those who don't.
Do you think John is making a valid statement about modern music, or is it simply a matter of taste and the constantly evolving landscape of the industry. Maybe John is just becoming that cranky older relative who doesn't understand that "noise" these kids today call music.
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