I am probably one of the largest complainers of naval gazery there is.
I am on record as saying 50% of Kate Wolf's stuff is brilliant, the rest is awful with no gradients in between. But that is an opinion.

If I had to chose some personal songs that I think addressed my human condition when I heard them they would be.

Child's Song as done by Tom Rush

My Old Man by Jerry Jeff Walker

In My Life, Lennon and Mc Cartney

Outward Bound, by Tom Paxton

I was lucky enough to hear Joni Mitchell in concert about 30 years ago. Not lucky that I heard Joni. I've never liked her songs or her singing, Lucky that Pat Sky was on the bill and I got to hear him do Many A Mile.

One of the best personal songs I have ever heard is Soul of a Wanderer by Jed Marum. Achingly beautiful violin work on it sets of Jed's   lyric so well.

A personal song has to fit the current life of the listener before it has meaning to anyone but the author. There are probably songs I heard years ago that I tossed off because they had no relationship to me that might strike a personal tone with me now.

Don