The song should be able to stand(or fall) on its own merits"...
And it does stand, very much so - in spades!
Great song, Steve.
Apologise for nothing, as a songwriter, as long as you are true to yourself.
You should only apologise if you are trying to write "to order", to please others but without conviction.
When you feel conviction at 200% - then it's a great time to write a song; let it pour out. You can tidy it up later.
Again - Great song, Steve.