"Critics have their purposes, and they're supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did"

This quote by Duke Ellington speaks with the function of critics in society. Critics are suggested to provide an objective opinion on the work of others, however in some cases they can end up being too concentrated on what they believe need to have been done, instead of what was really done. This can result in an unfair evaluation of the work, as the critic is not considering the real effort and results of the work. Ellington is suggesting that critics ought to concentrate on what was done, instead of what they believe ought to have been done, in order to supply a more precise evaluation. This is important, as it permits a more well balanced and fair assessment of the work.