Song of the Day 5/17: Lucinda Williams, “The World’s Gone Wrong”
The New York Times Magazine’s list of 30 greatest living American songwriters did what ragebait is supposed to: “drive engagement” by pissing people off. Much of the ire centered on deserving artists who were left off the list. Needless to say, but I’ll say it anyway – that was inevitable, because there are a lot more than 30 people on a list of “great” American songwriters who haven’t died yet. Nobody will agree on which 30 make the cut.
The rest of the anger was aimed at the inclusion of artists much of the public felt inferior – the list’s hip-hoppers, of course, but people like movie theme doyenne Diane Warren and gloomstress Lana Del Rey also drew detractors.
On the other hand, I haven’t seen anybody complain about including Lucinda Williams, who survived a serious stroke in 2020 to remain qualified for the honor. Rehab helped her return to performing – she’ll be in Philadelphia for shows Monday and Tuesday at Union Transfer. She released her 16th studio album full of topical songs, “World’s Gone Wrong,” in January. This is the title track.
I don’t think the Times critics made their list to “piss people off,” though they knew that would happen and I’m sure they were happy about it. I think they really thought it was the “right” list, for politically-correct, critical-snobbery and other reasons. There’s no question they know lot about music, but they see it through a certain kind of lens because they’re certain kinds of people. There’s something positive to be said about most of their “questionable” choices, but maybe not as much positive as they think there is. And something else: What exactly is a “song,” anyway? And what exactly is a “songwriter?” What if the producer plays a huge role? Anyway, nobody could argue against Lucinda Williams.