I love that Arlo quote that Stephen posted! That is so very often how it happens with me. Except mine usually fall from the sky - sometimes like snowflakes, and other times like boulders. It just depends. And when you tell that to people who don't write, they look at you like you just grew horns or something.

The creative process is, all at once, easy and complicated.

Songwriters....... I most admire the quirky style of people like John Prine and Guy Clark; the storytelling of Tom Russell, Ian Tyson, Tom T. Hall; and the emotion of Sarah McLachlan. But there are so many others, and so many great songs of all kinds that stand out simply because they are well-written.

I think one of the best-written popular songs has to be Don Schlitz's The Gambler. Sure, we poke fun at it now, because it was so overdone, thanks to its popularity. But as a piece of songwriting.... I think it's pretty incredible.

Another great song is Tom T. Hall's The Homecoming. And Tom Russell's Hallie Lonegan. (dang, how I wish I had written that!)

I tend to like things that don't necessarily make a lot of sense. I have really enjoyed Drops of Jupiter by Train - in part because it has some sentimental value to me, but also because within its enigmatic poetry, I found something that made sense to me.

Your mileage may vary. :-)