Barbara what you say reminds me of a night spent at at place designed for new performers of original songs. The overall standard was pretty good but the stand out was from two young boys aged about 16. They did a couple of songs in a 'Punk' style which were O.K then one of them was persuaded by the other to sing a song about his grandfather, who he had obviously just lost. The song was very simple and mainly to the effect that his Grandad was dead and he didn't have the chance to say goodbye. As you say "very simple but very powerful" and with no throwaway lines.

On that scoring system though, there's only about another 3,400 more songs to go, before I get a good one. I suppose it's a bit like fishing; if you caught lots of fish everytime you went out, it wouldn't be quite so enjoyable. If anyone asked me what all of us posting here have in common, the answer would have to be SONGS..BUT.. What is it, that is so special about songs? I mean why must it be a song and not just the music or a poem or a book?