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Effortless pop songwriters

Started by Nice Relaxing Poo, August 11, 2019, 10:28:06 PM

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wosl

If effortless is an effect, and if they can be accommodated within 'pop', then Becker and Fagen.  Their stuff, both music and lyric-wise, is clearly demanding at the fabrication stage -  quality checking components and meticulously tooling and buffing to a mirror sheen, but the two of them were clearly blessed/blighted with the talent and the mindset to put in the hard yards willingly, and the end result (especially once SD slimmed down the two of them plus crack hired hands) usually glides with the inexorable smoothness of a precision-guided missile.

poodlefaker

Paul Simon in the early/mid 70s - loads of great songs with clever lyrics about grown-up themes, incorporating elements from reggae, soul, folk, Afrobeat, doo-wop, yet with all the pop accessibility of an Everley Brothers single.

I was listening to 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover earlier...imagine coming up with that idea - funny title, great chorus, cool verses - then taking it into the studio with a bunch of session musicians feeling pretty pleased with yourself, and the drummer goes and makes it 20 times better.

It's a great track.  And gets stuck in my head every single time I see the "Scan the bag, bud." thread in GB.

Sebastian Cobb

Neil Tennant.
Vince Clarke / Andy Bell.