Sorry Stan you also have taken what I say the wrong way. I admire and respect everyone involved in music regardless of what they do and their level of ability. Lyric writers are IMO a very important part of music...... You are an obvious exception about knowing what happens in studios and how much skill these guys have and how much time and expensive equipment is needed to do even basic stuff. The majority of lyric only people generally do not. They also do not appreciate how hard it is to set music to lyrics especially as Mark said when they have not had input in writing them.
Steve you are wrong..... I also mention that there are other places than Nashville and the rules and styles in these places are completely different. Sadly some people have blinkered vision and Nashville is the centre of the universe to them.
They have little knowledge,

interest and concern about other places.
There are numerous people on this site who would love to put lyrics to your tunes...you just have to ask.
Bill you do not make sense.....even in country music it is the production and melody that makes most songs a hit.....I like a lot of the songs if it were not for some of the crappy lyrics. I do not believe that producers are looking for lyrics they are looking for melodies and arrangements. Lyrics are a final thought and most artists can supply their own.

On a general note I am referring to someone who has little or no musical knowledge and writes a poem probably in under an hour...now it might not meter or rhyme properly follow a format etc etc etc yet the musicator/studio is expected to put music to it and record the song to a high standard for a pitiful work for hire. Then to add insult they do not even want to give 50% of a cowrite.
There are lots of great lyricists BUT nobody who makes the decisions about todays pop music are really that interested in lyrics as a first resort as it is the marketing, hype, production and star status of the artist that sells not the song itself.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=687727&songID=5238055