Songs I wish I wrote

Published on March 16, 2007 By Gideon MacLeish In Blogging

Ever hear a song and just wish you wrote it? A song so perfect, so real, so magical that you wish you could your muse would have snagged it and sent it your way? Below is a list of some of the songs I really wish I'd wrote, but just wasn't cool enough (or alive enough) to have done so.

Highway Patrolman, by Bruce Springsteen

The Freshman, by the Verve Pipe

Mr Tambourine Man, by Bob Dylan

City of New Orleans, by Steve Goodman

Pancho and Lefty, by Townes van Zandt

Mr. Tanner, by Harry Chapin

Better Place to be, by Harry Chapin

All Apologies, by Nirvana

Everlong, by the Foo Fighters

Do-Re-Mi, by Woody Guthrie

I'm sure I'll think of more, meanwhile, what are your songs you wish you'd written?

Comments

Bahu Virupaksha

on Mar 17, 2007

You have not mentioned the greatest of Bob Dylan" The Answer is Blowin in the wind".

Dr Guy

on Mar 17, 2007

Candle of Life. I will leave you to guess the artists, but others know.

dynamaso

on Mar 17, 2007

As a musician and a songwriter, there are so many others I admire, so this is a particularly tough question for me to answer. Having given it some thought, here are a dozen of mine:

Young Americans by David Bowie

I Want You by Elvis Costello

I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea by Elvis Costello

Train In Vain by The Clash

Guns Of Brixton by The Clash

Greeting To The New Brunette by Billy Bragg

Feel Good Inc by The Gorillaz

Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley

Boss DJ by Sublime

Imagine by John Lennon

While My Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison

Get Myself Arrested by Gomez

This is, in no way, definitive. In fact, it is just the tip of an iceberg.

frogsleg

on Mar 17, 2007

whats the big deal about wanting to have written the song yourself? The song is written by someone else, why do you wish you had written it? Sounds like a hint of envy.

Get off your bottom and write a perfect song - stop hankering after written songs - go forth and be creative - write a perfect song yourself, fill that gap, make the dream a reality!

dynamaso

on Mar 17, 2007

Frogsleg,

There is nothing wrong with admiring other artist's work. In fact, it can be creatively inspiring. Besides, this is just a fun exercise. Don't take everything so seriously, dude.

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 18, 2007

Actually, if you had a flipping clue, frogsleg, you'd realize this was meant to be a compliment to the songwriters! It's not envy, it's admiration. Of the list I made (also the tip of the iceberg), only All Apologies, The Freshman, and Everlong were written in a time when I would have even been OLD enough to beat them to the punch.

My latest list additions:

"Blue Sky Mine", Midnight Oil

"The Dead Heart", Midnight Oil

"Bankrobber", the Clash

"Fairytale of New York", the Pogues

dynamaso

on Mar 18, 2007

Gid,

I forgot all about the Oils, mate. Here is some more:

Short Memory by Midnight Oil

Flames Trees by Cold Chisel

Do You Realise by The Flaming Lips

Polk Salad Annie by Tony Joe White

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