A song needs to tell a good story succinctly and, even more importantly, have a tune that's fun to sing (and listen to). If people don't walk away humming it, it'll never live.

I'll sing songs with wimpy lyrics if the tune is good, but not vice versa. And if nobody is ever going to sing the song but the writer, leave it in the journal and don't subject other people to it.

The best "singer/songwriter" stuff emulates traditional songs that have stood the test of time.

Linn