Add Allan Taylor to that list, Kevin. You're right, the general audience will only listen to a song with a "difficult" lyric (whether in English, French or any other language) if it is accompanied by a catchy or haunting tune, and even then they will miss most if not all of the import.

"People listening without hearing .. People writing songs that voices never shared .."

I've been working on "Marieke", too, but am especially haunted by "La chanson des vieux amants" - must be an age thing!

Alan