Stevie Nicks as a songwriter

Many times she strings together words and phrases that only mean something to her, but come across as non-sequiturs.

She's not perfect.

I enjoy a lot of her music and sha has some pretty good lyrics but she also has written some incredibly stupid songs.

She has a gift for writing lyrics that SEEM to mean something.

Agree with R3 and R4. There are times I heard a lyric from her, and it seems to flow beautifully, then other times - a big wtf

I'm a Stevie Nicks fan but I don't think so. I wouldn't necessarily call her the best songwriter in Fleetwood Mac-- Christine Perfect/McVie can make a strong case for that title. Stevie has written several great songs but I'm not sure her body of work is extensive enough to place her among the best.

When Stevie's work does really stand out, it's often at least partially because of her distinctive voice, her mystique as a performer, and-- in the case of her Fleetwood Mac songs-- the strength of her collaborators. Her solo records are extremely padded at best. Look at the track listing for TIMESPACE, her best of album: it has two or three classics, another three or four that are great but not particularly distinguished, and a ton of filler. Granted, it's missing her Fleetwood Mac stuff, but still.

Joni probably belongs on the list, though with some caveats. Tori certainly does not.

If we're talking greatest pop songwriters who are also performers, the first people I would put on the list, off the top of my head, are Prince, Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields, and probably Carole King. All of them wrote plenty of clunkers and mostly lost their touch after awhile, but also have a pretty deep library of classics, many of which can be considered modern standards in one way or another. All of them have songs that were first made famous by other performers.

Prince is a no-brainer. Carole King has a classic solo album and also wrote many of the biggest hits of the 60s for other performers. (Yes, her Brill Building stuff was co-written with Gerry Goffin or other collaborators, but I think her full body of work is still enough to qualify.) Merritt is obviously more niche, but 69 Love Songs is an all timer and his records before that are all pretty perfect too.

Most people would probably include Bob Dylan, I guess, though I'm not personally a huge fan. ABBA's Benny Anderson is tempting. Elton John and Bernie Taupin would be shoo-ins if duos counted. Who else?

NOBODY has ever, EVER, EVER considered Stevie Nicks one of the greatest songwriters ever.

Stupid set up.

Thread closed.

I agree with r1 and r3. They obviously mean something to her but on paper it can seem like gobbledygook. However it is the way she delivers them that give the songs emotional depth, to me at least. Even if it seems like gibberish she sings the songs like she has lived them.

I agree with r6 -- Christine was a superior songwriter.

Although I do love "Gypsy"

Yeah, OP, no.

She's not a great songwriter by any stretch of the imagination. Up there with Joni? Lord, no. Stevie's got some good songs but she's not what you would call a deep thinker lyrically or musically complex.

Christine writes great mainstream love songs and pop Melodie’s. Lots of people try to do that, and 95% of them are bad or trite. Christine is great at it.

Stevie is off in her own world. She’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but she is unique.

^melodies. Ugh

Stand back, stand back

In the middle of my room

I did not hear from you

It's alright, it's alright

To be standing in a line (Standing in a line)

To be standing in a line

Children of the world

The forgotten chimpanzee

In the eyes of the world

You have done so much for me

r7 Stevie was included in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Songwriters of all time" list.

She's had some great songs, and some unbelievably stupid ones.

What's cheaper than free? You and me What's better then alone? Going home What does money not buy? You and I What's not to feel? When love is real What's faster then a fast car? A beating heart What's deeper then a deep well? The love into which I fell More important then freedom? Being needed More exciting then high fashion? High passion What's brighter then a smile You child, you child What's brighter then a smile You child, you child You child, you child What's warmer then a sun drenched land? Your hand Your hand Your hand

Sometimes she borders on maudlin. Think "Landslide."

One of Stevie's biggest hits....and she didn't write it.

He asks, "Is she a great songwriter?" And she says, "Well, baby, baby, baby, maybe" And the blue lamp. The blue lamp dims. Rhiannon.

Drowning, in a sea of love

Where everyone would love to drown

I’d be tempted to put Erykah Badu above Stevie. She ticks many of the same boxes (albeit in way different genres). but comes across as too niche. Performance wise, I’d definitely put Badu above Nicks and many of the others mentioned.

I think she’s the greatest.