Todd Rundgren is one of the most influential and innovative pop musicians of my generation. [Baby Boomer, if you’re wondering]. Unlike the Eric Clapton deification, which legend has it was announced on the London Underground wall, “Todd is God” seems to have been coined at the same time by those of us who have been deeply moved by his music. . Has written hit songs [Hello It’s Me, I Saw The Light, Can We Still Be Friends] and produced hit albums for other artists [Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell, Grand Funk’s We’re An American Band]And yet he has managed to fly under the radar of mainstream pop music and, not coincidentally, maintained his artistic integrity.

Todd is God the lyricist: there are dozens of elegant and profound lyrics by Todd Rundgren, from the spiritual [Love Is The Answer, Can’t Stop Running, All The Children Sing] to those who speak of social conscience [Bread, Unloved Children, Bag Lady], of the sublime [Hurting For You, Couldn’t I Just Tell You] ridiculous [Onomatopoeia, Piss Aaron].

Todd is God the Songwriter – Todd’s gift for melody, particularly in his ballads, is noteworthy. Songs like Lucky Guy and Can We Still Be Friends have melodies that recall the best of the Great American Songbook, i.e. Gershwin, Cole Porter, etc. And although the chord progressions of these 2 songs are basically diatonic [staying within the confines of one key, like most pop/rock], Todd was an innovator in changing the color of his harmonies by replacing the chord roots with alternate scale tones on the bass. For example, the triad built on the fifth note of a scale [G major triad in the key of C] with an F on the bass.

Todd is God the Comedian – Humor is an essential element in Todd Rundgren’s music. There are lyrics that are silly [Bang On the Drum] and sarcastic [Eastern Intrigue]. And of course the Chorus of Puta [“S-L-U-T, she may be a slut, but she looks good to me”]. There’s the wonderfully cheesy, Gilbert and Sullivan-style musical arrangement of Onomatopoeia, packed with sound effects for each onomatopoeia mentioned in the lyrics.

Todd is God the musician: a world-class guitarist [an excellent blues-rock soloist]. Todd is also a great pianist and alto saxophonist, and played drums and bass on the albums Hermit of Mink Hollow and Something / Anything. He is also an accomplished arranger and singer of vocal harmony and background, and an r & b-style lead singer with a sweet falsetto register.

Can we consider Todd Rundgren the God of American pop music? Perhaps, as in Greek mythology, Todd Rundgren is one of several gods [Brian Wilson, Randy Newman and Walter Becker/Donald Fagan come to mind]. But the importance and influence of his music cannot be denied.