Are songwriters reluctant to perform their songs once other artists perform it?

[Cory Ander]

I'd like to get your opinion of their "The Real Thing" special on PBS last week. I was surprised that I found it a bit disappointing. I usually enjoy hearing songwriters of their stature doing their compositions that were popularized by others, but so many A & S songs have been made famous by singers with jaw-dropping vocal ranges and intense soulfulness (Marvin Gaye, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle, Diana Ross) and hearing the songs presented in this more sedate setting seemed to me to lessen the songs' impact a lot. Wonder if this is why so many songwriters seem reluctant to do perform their song in public after they're associated with other singers.

[drlove]

Cory, I didn't get the opportunity to see the special to which you're referring, but I understand what you're saying 'bout the songwriters' own versions sometimes pale to the original. It's sorta like expecting an artist's live performance to mirror what you hear cut in the studio -- it just ain't gonna happen. That said, I still encourage songwriters (particularly those of classics) to get on out there and sing their own written words to the masses. Everyone (especially these talented songsmiths) deserves their moment in the sun to take a bow, even if far better pipes have sung the tune in the past.

[Cory Ander]

Cory, I didn't get the opportunity to see the special to which you're referring, but I understand what you're saying 'bout the songwriters' own versions sometimes pale to the original. It's sorta like expecting an artist's live performance to mirror what you hear cut in the studio -- it just ain't gonna happen. That said, I still encourage songwriters (particularly those of classics) to get on out there and sing their own written words to the masses. Everyone (especially these talented songsmiths) deserves their moment in the sun to take a bow, even if far better pipes have sung the tune in the past.

the A & S special is on DVD but I don't recommend it.....I thought the sound was muddy also, but I don't know if that was because of the TV broadcast. But it is kind of amusing how some people will always assume a song's original version is always the superior one. This point has really been brought home to me now that I hear lots and lots of people attempting Michael Jackson songs, and the ONLY singer I've heard even come anywhere near matching the passion of the original version of one of Jackson's recordings is when I heard Billy Gilman cover "Ben". Jackson's pitch, especially on the songs he wrote himself, seems nearly impossible for other singers to duplicate. You could really hear Usher straining trying to hit the notes in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".

[Disco Funk]

I think it depends on the songwriter/singer and what they're capable of doing. For example, Paul Anka doesn't have any problem with doing My Way, even though it was Sinatra who made it popular. I guess it depends on the song, and if the songwriter can sing it well enough to pull it off. One songwriter who I thought shouldn't have sung too much was Burt Bacharach. Mind you, I'm basing his voice quality on performances he did around the time of the Austin Powers movies. He might have sounded way better in the 60s.

Disco Funk

[Cdnbob]

One songwriter who I thought shouldn't have sung too much was Burt Bacharach. Mind you, I'm basing his voice quality on performances he did around the time of the Austin Powers movies. He might have sounded way better in the 60s.
Disco Funk

Disco, he didn't sing any better in the 60s than he does now. He really isn't a singer, which sort of explains why a lot of songwriters don't perform the songs they've written. A large percentage of them are just that - songwriters - not singers. Think of people like Leiber & Stoller who wrote dozens of 50s rock & roll. Neither of them could sing. Or go even further back to Irving Berlin who's written tons of classic songs. He couldn't sing either. So its likely a case that once the song has been written and say a performer records it and has a hit with it, that is usually the best version.