Is the academic study of songwriting finally getting the respect it deserves, or are we just over-intellectualizing something that should be felt? As a "recovering" musician who moved from the technical rigors of jazz guitar into teaching composition, I’ve realized that debating whether lyrics are performative tools or pure poetry isn't just party talk for the pompous, it’s essential work. We look back at institutions like the New School and the legacy of John Cage or the Fluxus movement with such reverence, yet we often scoff at the idea that melody can be as radical as any avant-garde gesture. Deep-diving into theory and student compositions actually makes you a better creator. It’s time we stop treating songwriting as a secondary craft and see it as a serious, radical intellectual pursuit. #culture #music #education