Better Song Writer: Billy Joel or Bruce Springsteen?

[prothunderball]

I had this argument with a friend a few days ago. I'm siding with Billy Joel. I know he's know where near as cool, popular or meaningful as Bruce, but I think from a pure songwriting perspective I gotta give the edge to Billy. Plus it serves to fuel the great LI vs NJ debate that is often brought up on the show.

[BoondockSaint]

I went with Billy.

[MellySmelly]

Billy Joel, he is classically-trained and it shows in his compositions.

[Fat_Sunny]

Although F_S Has Lived In Jersey For 22 Years, He Thinks That Springsteen Is The Second Biggest Fraud In NJ History.

Bon Jovi Would Be First.

F_S Thinks That Bossanova Will Agree With This.

Billy Joel, By A Mile.

[xample]

This is a joke right?

It's gotta be the Piano Man.

[FUNKMAN]

Bruce

[Marc with a c]

al dukes is better then those two

[Landblast]

who's the better driver, Billy or Bruce?

[MellySmelly]

who's the better driver, Billy or Bruce?

I'll have to go with Bruce on that one. :lol:

[BoondockSaint]

Bruce

Yet there are still no votes for Bruce. Fe Fi Fo Fiar I smell a funky liar.

[sailor]

Bruce

drunk!

[FUNKMAN]

Yet there are still no votes for Bruce. Fe Fi Fo Fiar I smell a funky liar.

drunk!

you guys must be blind in one eye and can't see out the other...

please check again

:drunk:

[sailor]

you guys must be blind in one eye and can't see out the other...

please check again

:drunk:

i was just referencing another thread. :)

[FUNKMAN]

i was just referencing another thread. :)

you're a crossthreader


i know that was weak

[sailor]

you're a crossthreader


i know that was weak

nah, kinda funny actually.

[FUNKMAN]

you're a crossthreader


i know that was weak

nah, kinda funny actually.

okay so you're a nice animal

:wink:

[BoondockSaint]

8-2 Billy. Somehow Funk voted twice.

[Andomray]

My undying hate for Bruce Springsteen's music forced me to vote for Billy Joel. I have lived in New Jersey my entire life, and I get angry when people mention BS. Perfect initials, I believe.

[TheMojoPin]

I fucking hate Billy Joel with a sexy, sexy passion.

Bruce, however, isn't exactly who I would throw up there in terms of writing better lyrics. I'm picking him by default, but I don't like it.

[midwestjeff]

pee in my butt?

[Doctor Z]

They both suck at writing songs. But Springsteen sucks at it more.

[sailor]

okay so you're a nice animal

:wink:

i'm a sweetheart!

[furie]

wow. someone is forced to win this one.
I went with Hicksville's own, Billy

[Ritalin]

This is like picking the best child molester.

I voted Springsteen because he's cooler, which counts in rock.

[furie]

They both suck at writing songs. But Springsteen sucks at it more.

So, is that a vote for bruce or billy?

[Stankfoot]

Billy Joel's a hack!

[DarkHippie]

I love them both, but Billy's written more awful pop songs so i have to give it to Bruce

[tupper65]

Billy

-plus he's got the nicer looking ex-wife
http://www.born-today.com/Today/pix/brinkley_c.jpg

[Crispy123]

Gimme Piano Man.

[Furtherman]

Bruce.

Just look at his last album, The Rising.

When is the last time Billy Joel put out a good album? The 80's?

Bruce has withstood the test of time, whereas his concerts can add new, good songs. Billy Joel's shows are nothing more than a greatest hits album.

And Bruce's latest Live In Dublin with The Sessions Band... not new material, but more exciting and lively than anything Billy Joel has ever done.

[Jughead]

Bruce has the most cash!!!..So Bruce...What a way to win???

[Crippler]

I DETEST Bruce...gimme Billy anyday.

[JustJon]

Bruce.

Just look at his last album, The Rising.

When is the last time Billy Joel put out a good album? The 80's?


To be fair, he "retired" from writing pop songs about 10 years ago, but he sold a fair number of albums in the early and mid 90's. That's not to say I will be voting in favor of either of them, since neither has been culturally relevant outside of NJ or LI in about 15 years.

And yet, surprisingly, a Springstein thread that Tenbats hasn't chimed in on yet...

[badorties]

i loathe billy joel, and generally indifferent to bruce springsteen (there's a very specific portion of his catalog that i like and the rest is dreck)

on my ipod: there are no billy joel songs; and i have nebraska and a few selected bruce songs -- 'growing up' is brilliant, and waiting on a 'sunny day' can be really fun

[Bay Ridge Tim]

i loathe billy joel, and generally indifferent to bruce springsteen

Nail on the head right there.

Billy Joel is hacktackular. It's bad suburban music for housewives and accountants.

[drusilla]

i'm not a huge obsessed billy joel fan either, but i won't turn off one of his songs if it comes on the radio. bruce just bores the crap out of me. there is no contest here in my eyes.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

I'm not the biggest Bruce fan and I freely admit I like hearing Billy Joel songs when they show up on the radio. Reminds me of my mom. But I had to vote for Bruce for better song writing. His lyrics actually have alot of serious deep meaning behind them even if they can get repetitive, and the way the tune rocks along isn't downright embarrassing to be caught listening to like it is with Billy Joel.

EAT SHIT PIANO MAN!!!

[MellySmelly]

I'm not the biggest Bruce fan and I freely admit I like hearing Billy Joel songs when they show up on the radio. Reminds me of my mom. But I had to vote for Bruce for better song writing. His lyrics actually have alot of serious deep meaning behind them even if they can get repetitive, and the way the tune rocks along isn't downright embarrassing to be caught listening to like it is with Billy Joel.

That and he hung out with hobos. You can't beat that. EAT SHIT PIANO MAN!!!

Billy Joel went on tour with homos. :)

[JustJon]

His lyrics actually have alot of serious deep meaning behind them even if they can get repetitive

57 channels and there's nothing on
57 channels and there's nothing on
57 channels and there's nothing on

[MellySmelly]

57 channels and there's nothing on
57 channels and there's nothing on
57 channels and there's nothing on


[chorus:]
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

[TheMojoPin]

Nail on the head right there.

Billy Joel is hacktackular. It's bad suburban music for housewives and accountants.

I love you.

[Earlshog]

Nail on the head right there.

Billy Joel is hacktackular. It's bad suburban music for housewives and accountants.

Billy Joel is a lot more then his double greatest hits CD. Although I am sure anyone who isn't a fan doesn't know any of his work outside of those 20 songs. Many which of are very well written, the topic at hand. Not who likes his music.

Are you saying he isn't a good song writer, the thread topic, or that he sucks cause they play uptown girl on lite FM?

[Tenbatsuzen]

I heard my name being mentioned.

Full disclosure - I like both, but obviously, my biases lean heavily towards Springsteen.

I don't think it's a fair comparison. Billy Joel has leaned towards piano-power-pop in his career, while Springsteen is still in guitar-folk-rock.

It would be like comparing Gwen Stefani to Alanis Morrisette, or Warren Zevon to Billy Joel.

They are both in the "classic rock" category, but think about it - if Glass Houses and Born To Run were released today, would they be heard on the same radio station? Probably not. It's like hearing Maroon 5 and Alice In Chains on a classic rock station in 2030.

I think the best way to put it is this...

Springsteen, through his career, has taken chances. Sometimes they pay off, sometimes they don't. Joel has basically "stayed the course". I'm not saying one is better than the other, but it's an important point that needs to be brought up.

[badorties]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bay Ridge Tim

Nail on the head right there.

Billy Joel is hacktackular. It's bad suburban music for housewives and accountants.

I love you.

my sentiments exactly

[JustJon]

It would be like comparing Gwen Stefani to Alanis Morrisette, or Warren Zevon to Billy Joel.


So basically you are implying that Bruce Springsteen is on par with Warren Zevon?

[FMJeff]

I guess it depends what kind of mood you're in. I find Billy Joel to be generally less moody, less politically orientated, less preachy...although we're still talking about the man who wrote "we didn't start the fire".

Sprinsteen is certainly the more definitive artist of the two. Born in the USA and Philadelphia tackle important issues and are deeply emotional songs.

So if you're looking for heaviness, meaning, gravitas...go with Springstein. If you're looking for great songs to sing in a bar with East Side Dave, go with Billy Joel.

[TheMojoPin]

Billy Joel has leaned towards piano-power-pop in his career.

As one of the few diehard power pop nerds on this board, I can't even begin to tell you how insanely and completely wrong it is try and link Billy-fuckin'-Joel to it.

[MellySmelly]

Classical Compositions
Billy - 12
Bruce - 0

[FMJeff]

Classical Compositions
Billy - 12
Bruce - 0

What's your point? We're not discussing who writes the best orchestral score.

We're picking the best songwriter.

[grlNIN]

Billy Joel is a piece of shit.

[MellySmelly]

What's your point? We're not discussing who writes the best orchestral score.

We're picking the best songwriter.

They aren't orchestral scores, they are piano scores. My point is that Billy Joel is more versatile and knowledgeable when it comes to writing songs.

[Furtherman]

Billy Joel is a piece of shit.

:lol:

The poll is at 50/50... which means half of you are nuts!!!

[Hottub]

Billy Joel - 52nd Street. DEAD!!

Bruce Springsteen - The River. RIP!!!

But as far as overall song writing skills, it's Bruce. By a mile!

[Mike Teacher]

Not sure how to measure each, but if songs are a measure, perhaps how the songs are by themselves, as oppsed to when played by the writers.

Meaning; how many others have charted with the songs of Joel or Springsteen.

For Springsteen, a bunch, I don't know about Joel.

PS: The real Piano Man is Hoagy Carmichael, who wrote rings around both of them.

[Mike Teacher]

Oh yeah any Bruce fans who get Backstreets magazine, I have 3 or 4 photos in the current issue.

Continue.

[Tenbatsuzen]

So basically you are implying that Bruce Springsteen is on par with Warren Zevon?

It's a lot easier to draw comparisons between Zevon and Bruce than Bruce and Billy Joel.

[Tenbatsuzen]

They aren't orchestral scores, they are piano scores. My point is that Billy Joel is more versatile and knowledgeable when it comes to writing songs.

Actually, Melly brings up an interesting point.

Are we talking MUSIC, or we talking LYRICS?

And Melly, that's an unfair comparison considering Billy Joel got classical orchestral training growing up. Bruce had to teach himself how to play guitar.

[MellySmelly]

And Melly, that's an unfair comparison considering Billy Joel got classical orchestral training growing up. Bruce had to teach himself how to play guitar.

Yes, very true. Billy's father is a classical pianist from Vienna. On a side note, Bruce has a lot more Grammys than Billy, if that means anything.

[Stankfoot]

" ..... Hot funk, cool punk, even if it's old junk
It's still rock and roll to me"

Billy Joel should die just for that line alone.

[Bossanova]

Although F_S Has Lived In Jersey For 22 Years, He Thinks That Springsteen Is The Second Biggest Fraud In NJ History.

Bon Jovi Would Be First.

F_S Thinks That Bossanova Will Agree With This.

Billy Joel, By A Mile.

Bossanova fully agrees withF_S, Bruce doesn't even belong in the same coast as Billy Joel

[prothunderball]

"Just wrap your legs round these velvet rims
And strap your hands across my engines"

Bruce Springsteen should die for just for those lines alone.

[tele7]

I like them both. I celebrate their entire catalogs.

[flavopop]

Your all a bunch of ass monkey's on this one. Two of the most entertaining talents in the past 30 years. Great albums, great concerts! Niether has a particularly great singing voice but both are imensely popular! Joel, brilliant Pianist, bad driver. The Boss, good guitar, great lyrics about Jersey, chose a gnarly wife when he had a hottie!

There is no comparing them, but they are simply both GREAT Talents!

[flavopop]

Sorry Telecaster, you snuck that in while I was admonishing the mases.

[drusilla]

you new jersey people need to get over new jersey.


it's like people who like bon jovi just cause they are from there

[Bossanova]

you new jersey people need to get over new jersey.


it's like people who like bon jovi just cause they are from there

I would like to say that fat_Sunny and I are two from NJ who hates those two gheys

[Tenbatsuzen]

you new jersey people need to get over new jersey.


it's like people who like bon jovi just cause they are from there

Outside of the album being called "New Jersey", Bon Jovi rarely incorporates images of Jersey into their lyrics as much as Springsteen does.

Liking Bruce and Bon Jovi isn't just a Jersey thing. It's just a personal preference. I never said that Jersey means you have to like them.

[prothunderball]

Outside of the album being called "New Jersey", Bon Jovi rarely incorporates images of Jersey into their lyrics as much as Springsteen does.

Liking Bruce and Bon Jovi isn't just a Jersey thing. It's just a personal preference. I never said that Jersey means you have to like them.

and on the same note, I fucking hate Long Island, but I love Billy Joel.

[MellySmelly]

Your all a bunch of ass monkey's on this one. Two of the most entertaining talents in the past 30 years. Great albums, great concerts! Niether has a particularly great singing voice but both are imensely popular! Joel, brilliant Pianist, bad driver. The Boss, good guitar, great lyrics about Jersey, chose a gnarly wife when he had a hottie!

There is no comparing them, but they are simply both GREAT Talents!

Well said, except for the ass monkey thing.

[thepaulo]

I like people from Long Island and I like people from New Jersey.....
but I always thought Bruce was a pompous and boring songwriter but a fantastic performer
my vote goes to Long Island...because the poll is about songwriting....

[Reephdweller]

Just to annoy Jersey die hards I'm going with Billy Joel.

[TheMojoPin]

Billy Joel wrote and sang "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Musically spekaing, that makes him almost as bad as Dr. Doom.

[Fat_Sunny]

Billy Joel wrote and sang "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Musically spekaing, that makes him almost as bad as Dr. Doom.

Yeah, Well, Eric Clapton Wrote And Sang The Abomination "You Look Wonderful Tonight". You Can't Judge An Artist On One Song!

[TheMojoPin]

Yeah, Well, Eric Clapton Wrote And Sang The Abomination "You Look Wonderful Tonight". You Can't Judge An Artist On One Song!

I judge Clapton in general as being a completely overrated wank that makes old white people want to have really boring sex.

"We Didn't Start the Fire" isn't just one song. It's the pinnacle of a mountain of assiness.

[prothunderball]

I judge Clapton in general as being a completely overrated wank that makes old white people want to have really boring sex.

"We Didn't Start the Fire" isn't just one song. It's the pinnacle of a mountain of assiness.

I'm not even going to try and defend "We didn't start the fire," though when it came out when I was 10 I though it was the shit. However, go read the lyrics to "Born to Run," it comes off as a jerk off song about pick-up truck.

[Fat_Sunny]

I judge Clapton in general as being a completely overrated wank that makes old white people want to have really boring sex.

"We Didn't Start the Fire" isn't just one song. It's the pinnacle of a mountain of assiness.

Whoa Big Fella! F_S Will Give You Credit For An Amusing Post There. And He Won't Even Refute Your "Mountain Of Assiness" Comment. HOWEVER, In The Day, Clapton Was IT !! Bell Bottom Blues...Come On!

[TheMojoPin]

Whoa Big Fella! F_S Will Give You Credit For An Amusing Post There. And He Won't Even Refute Your "Mountain Of Assiness" Comment. HOWEVER, In The Day, Clapton Was IT !! Bell Bottom Blues...Come On!

Clapton was NOT God.

I like some of the Cream and Yardbirds stuff, but I still think he was and is MASSIVELY overrated, much for the same reasons I have "issues" with Led Zep. Yes, rock is 99% derivative...but some are far more derivative than others. Slobbering Clapton's knob means we might as well give Jon Spencer the fucking Nobel Prize, and nobody wants to see a crime like that happen.

[ChrisTheCop]

My Ipod has:

28 Billy Joel songs, and...
1 Springsteen song (but sung by elmer fudd).

so I voted BJ.

I guess I feel that I can ramble on and on about nothing and scream an occasional WHOA WHOA WHOA! so I dont consider it a talent.

[TheMojoPin]

Joel might as well change his name to "Yuppie Scum."

[TheMojoPin]

And outside of Nebraska, Bruce is just Meatloaf but with an ass that looks better in jeans. Anyone that tries to tell you that Bat Out of Hell and Born to Run aren't the same goddamn album is a filthy fucking liar.

[Fat_Sunny]

Joel might as well change his name to "Yuppie Scum."

Fine, As Long As Springsteen Changes His To "Nasaly Mumbling Phony".

Dancing In The Dark....Please.

[Bay Ridge Tim]

Are you saying he isn't a good song writer, the thread topic, or that he sucks cause they play uptown girl on lite FM?

Actually, I was thinking of Piano Man and how it makes me feel all stabby, but Uptown Girls is pretty terrible, too.

[Tenbatsuzen]

And outside of Nebraska, Bruce is just Meatloaf but with an ass that looks better in jeans. Anyone that tries to tell you that Bat Out of Hell and Born to Run aren't the same goddamn album is a filthy fucking liar.

I am going to find out where you live, come into your house, and hurt you.

[TheMojoPin]

I am going to find out where you live, come into your house, and hurt you.

Search your feelings, Puke, you KNOW it to be true.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Search your feelings, Puke, you KNOW it to be true.

No, not really. BOOH is a rock opera in every sense of the word, relying heavily on fast piano melodies and bombastic singing, usually accompanied by a female.

Tell me EXACTLY where the parallel for "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is on Born To Run. You can MAYBE compare "Bat Out of Hell" to "Born To Run" (the songs itselves), but you can't compare any other songs between the two albums. Although Meat Loaf is musically closer to Springsteen than Billy Joel is, I don't even understand how you can make this statement.

I hate to say it, but now I think Meat Loaf is the middle ground between Springsteen and Billy Joel.

[TheMojoPin]

No, not really. BOOH is a rock opera in every sense of the word, relying heavily on fast piano melodies and bombastic singing, usually accompanied by a female.

Tell me EXACTLY where the parallel for "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is on Born To Run. You can MAYBE compare "Bat Out of Hell" to "Born To Run" (the songs itselves), but you can't compare any other songs between the two albums. Although Meat Loaf is musically closer to Springsteen than Billy Joel is, I don't even understand how you can make this statement.

I hate to say it, but now I think Meat Loaf is the middle ground between Springsteen and Billy Joel.

I like how over the course of this post I can see you slowly coming over to my side.

And I'm not comparing all of Bruce's career to 'Loaf's...just his "small town bombast" stage.

[Earlshog]

Every too cool for the room poster in here shitting on Bruce (cause there Mom likes Dancing in the Dark) would be hobing his knob if they were 15 when The Wild the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle and Greeting from Asbury park were released.

[Bob Impact]

Bruce is much better at stealing from Tom Waits.
On the other hand Billy Joel is JUST behind him in the "my songs suck cock" contest.

This is like choosing herpes over chlamydia, but I take Billy Joel.

[Bob Impact]

Every too cool for the room poster in here shitting on Bruce (cause there Mom likes Dancing in the Dark) would be hobing his knob if they were 15 when The Wild the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle and Greeting from Asbury park were released.

Exactly, you have to be 15 to enjoy his music. BABY I WAS BORN TO RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!

[Earlshog]

[QUOTE=Bob Impact;1377118]Bruce is much better at stealing from Tom Waits / Van Morrison / Bob Dylan. maaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn
QUOTE]


tell em Fred

[Bob Impact]

[QUOTE=Bob Impact;1377118]Bruce is much better at stealing from Tom Waits / Van Morrison / Bob Dylan. maaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn
QUOTE]


tell em Fred

It's not a Hoo Hoo situation when it's true.

[Hottub]

OK, Billy has not been relevent since that "Fire Burning" song. Bruce had his run. Until The River. Done for me.
Although, what from what we heard on Thursday, he may be back. Bruce needs the E Street band.

Now the reason for this post. Bruce wrote "The Fever", but he thought it was better suited for his friend's band. The Asbury Jukes. It was more their sound. (I'm sure Mike Teach can back me up on this.)
Now I present to you, Jersey Rock as it used to be!! Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes. Joined by Bruce Springsteen, at The Stone Pony!

Bite me Mojo!

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