on 6/3/02 10:03 AM, Patrice L. Roussel at proussel@ichips.intel.com wrote:
On Mon, 03 Jun 2002 09:57:34 -0700 skip Heller wrote:
I am really puzzled by what you are saying because I never realized the negative connotation of the expression.
I thought it was supposed to mean that somebody was not just an interpreter, but also somebody capable of writing songs.
In the pure sense, you're right.
And when you say "categorically stigmatized", you mean by who?
American journalists in the wake of punk rock, mostly, when anyone with an accoustic guitar was subject to blanket ridicule. Which is probably why Elvis Costello was never labelled a singer-songwriter (nor was Graham Parker).
And to help me, what expression is considered positive for somebody who both sings and writes songs?
The term has been slighly redeemed in the late 80s, largely by guys like Dave Alvin, Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett, who were each a big hit with the press, but the term still -- in the US -- is generally uttered with at least a hint of scorn. skip h