I Was a Pre-Teen Songwriter

When I came home from work today, I had a painful headache and had to lie down.  As I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the stabbing in my forehead, my mind wandered to the weirdest memories -- I started remembering songs I used to sing when I was a kid.  I was about ten years old and I would write songs that my siblings and cousins would perform.  We called ourselves The Sunshine Kids, inspired by The Brady Bunch.  (Children do the darnedest things.)

I had no musical training, of course, but that didn't stop me.  I was a regular Bob Dylan -- check out these lyrics for "The Valentine's Day Song."

It's Valentine's Day
And it's the only way
That I can say
I love you.

Not impressed?  How about this sample from my greatest hit, "Quitters Never Win"?

Hey, Joe
Don't you know
That quitters never win
It's a way of life
It cuts like a knife
That quitters never win

Or how about this little ditty, "You Gotta Be Number One"? (I was in my "Eye of the Tiger" phase.)

You gotta be number one
You gotta be the best
You gotta be a champ
From the east
(dum-dum-dum)
To the west
(dum-dum-dum, dum-dum-dum)

Okay, there's a reason I never became a songwriter. 

But as my headache faded, I looked at my wife and daughter, singing a bedtime song together, and I anticipated the day when my little girl might start writing some songs of her own.  I'm sure they'll be amazing!