@larsman
Some artists' lyrics are so good that they can stand on their own just fine even without music.
Seems like the only way to validate this would be to read song lyrics off the page without having heard the song. I suspect relatively very few lyrics could withstand such a test. By contrast, poetry provides its own rhythms and music. It requires nothing else. Song lyrics by definition are only half of a two-part "compound" genre.
I really appreciate good lyric writing but still, I can't imagine listening to songs and deriving most of my enjoyment from lyrics. It's the combination of lyrics and music that creates the magic.
Equipment has never been my main focus, so there's nothing to "shift from" in that regard.
As Sly sang, "Different strokes for different folks".
