It's wonderful to be able to write brilliant songs and perform them well. But it's fairly rare. I'd like to see songwriters really work at their craft/art--and instead of worrying about becoming entertainers, facilitate the process of getting great performers/singers (who may not write their own songs or may be mediocre songwriters) to perform them.

That way we may become more discriminating about the songs we allow to pollute the universe. Let's face it--buy any cd by any singer-songwriter, and the vast majority of songs are second rate.

How much great poetry might have been lost if the quality of the work was judged on well the poet read it aloud?