Regarding the music as poetry thing, I think Pet Shop Boys do this amazingly. I should add that Neil Tennant (the lead singer) released a book fairly recently containing lyrics to several of their songs, for this reason. Here's a snippet from It's a Sin, about Tennant's experiences in a stric t Catholic school. I suspect you might relate:

Father, forgive me, I tried not to do it

Turned over a new leaf, then tore right through it

Whatever you taught me, I didn't believe it

Father, you fought me, 'cause I didn't care

And I still don't understand