I write the songs that make the young girls sing

This week, Route 1 tears a page out of Paste Magazine by asking the following FRIDAY QUESTION...
Who is the greatest living songwriter?
Rick T. -- Willie Nelson. His list of No. 1 songs that he has written is endless!
Dave B. -- This may make some people think that I need to be admitted into a mental institution. I would have to say the greatest living songwriter of my time would have to be Prince. If you think about it, he has the greatest soundtrack of all time. He has produced countless Top 40 hits for both himself and others as well.
Steve M. -- That's so tough. Paul McCartney. Maybe Paul Anka. How about Brian Wilson? I guess I'll go with Paul McCartney.
Shannon H. -- No question. Bob Dylan. With Lucinda Williams as a runner up. Then P. J. Harvey, and back before her music became awful, Liz Phair. Then maybe Jay-Z and Kanye West. Hmmm... Maybe there are lots of questions.
Rob K. -- Elton John, unless you want to count Herb Schlitz, a guy that used to live in an apartment down the hall from me years ago who used to sing in the shower a lot. His primary gift was volume rather than quality lyrics, however.
Kerstin H. -- Keith Urban!
Gary D. -- There is quite a duo, who have been writing great songs for many years -- Nanker Phelge. Great lyrics, great tunes, great in concert. Enough said.
Mike D. -- Not that he's cranked out anything memorable in recent years, but my vote goes to Paul McCartney. His string of hits with The Beatles and Wings showed plenty of imagination, and his versatility with instruments and lyrics makes him a complete player. Honorable mention to Elton John.
Erik H. -- Bob Dylan is rock's greatest poet, but I have never been compelled to dance around the living room to "All Along the Watchtower." Paul McCartney wrote classic songs for The Beatles, but had a tendency to sounding schmaltzy -- "Martha My Dear" always makes me cringe a little. Perhaps I'm just not a "dog person."
The girls and I were driving the other day with the windows rolled down and the sunshine streaming in and a Beach Boys tape on the car stereo. Track after track of the catchiest songs poured forth, interspersed with ballads of sublime introspection. The girls couldn't believe all of these instantly catchy songs had come from the pen of one songwriter. Neither could I. Thanks Brian Wilson.