There are few cases in which mere popularity should be considered a proper test of merit; but the case of song-writing is, I think, one of the few.

In my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Precisely because we do not communicate by singing, a song can be out of place but not out of character; it is just as credible that a stupid person should sing beautifully as that a...