Mrs Duck! You makes I laugh! Reverse engineering looks like a good technique, working back from some reliable & proven aspect. Must be a very good way of analysing (or assimilting) the magic factor. The key phrase is Not only were the writers looking into themselves, but by looking within they saw things that were larger than themselves.. I think the 'bad navel-gazing' that I'm afraid of is that where there is a lack of common reference, and a lack of anything of wider than personal relevance. Which is basically lack of communication - which is a trap which you can fall into in any genre. Is there a more applicable term that covers all songs that don't communicate? Or anyone care to invent a term? I kind of feel I shouldn't call them navel-gazy any more, since there are good navel-gazer songs. I LOVE that 17 song (but then I was an unpopular teenage girl, so I would wouldn't I?). It strikes me that there is a big similarity between comedy and songwriting - this crucial common terms of reference (recognition) thing. Neither works well unless you get it right. Comedy is probably even more unforgiving.