This study develops a new definition of the term 'singer-songwriter.' The starting point is the term 'author's song,' which clearly distinguishes itself from other song genres such as folk song and art song. Such an understanding of 'singer-songwriter' necessitates a new form of analysis of singer-songwriter works. This will be demonstrated through the oeuvre of Mani Matter (1936-1972), which has been very popular in Switzerland for years but has hardly been addressed scientifically. Matter's work will be systematically examined, ranging from overviews of his life, work, and previous research findings to the analysis of the poetic devices used and the history of the creation of Matter's songs. The discussion will mainly focus on the philosophical and new-objective aspects, wordplay, simulative and dissimulative irony, nonsense, and the grotesque. A detailed appendix with interviews with the founders of the Bernese singer-songwriter scene and additional materials completes the presentation.