Many is the song reduced to its basic elements so that an instrumentalist can do their thing.
Jazz is a musical form that encourages this as it facilitates improvisation.
Lyrical improvisation is a little trickier which is why cats scat.
Lots of people, at a gig in the audience, sing fab/iconic/classic guitar solos.
Words are shapes for the sound but good words help the sound tell a story better.
For my part I, generally, dislike instrumental pop/rock/jazz music because I like lyrics, I like the literary story telling part.
An interesting test is to listen to music sung in a language you don't understand and don't know. This either makes some folk reach for the non existent subtitles, listen to it and imagine the lyric or listen to it as sound. Non English opera is like the latter for me. I don't want to know the story just the sounds'll do.

Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe