The crap going on in the world is hard to ignore or forget. I write lyrics (mostly love songs) and pay to have them set to music and sung (by human beings) and have done so since 2020. See if a quarter-hour of love—which has the added charm of being true— will lighten your day. Available in two convenient forms on Spotify or  YouTube. My grandchildren (the current audience) enjoy them, maybe you will too.

I’ve only written two dozen songs, but I’m proud of all of them. Most of them are love songs to my wife of 45 years.There are a few parodies and then there’s the song that isn’t about me in any way. Well OK maybe a little. I had a mad crush on a woman in college. She needed some help journaling once (long story). Fifty years later, and I still remember her description of her first real kiss (not with me). As I find is often the case, a phrase or two can grow into a song. “ I feel better when you’re around even if you’re not in the same room as me” became You Affect Me.

“ Made my toes curl, made the room swirl“. Just dream up a tied line, “made me feel like a girl” and you have a triple rhyme.

Her words: “I had kissed and been kissed before.” Me: “This was different. This was More.”

I’ve been reading author interviews all my life. They alternate between “it’s easy for me to imagine being the other gender“ and “it’s difficult for me to imagine.” I came down somewhere in the middle. Every time I hear this song, it brings a smile to my lips and a tear to my eye. It’s tough to write about someone else’s love when it’s real.

I wrote the lyrics of Last Lie to describe my first date with my wife, during which I told her my last lie. Music and vocals by The Welsh Wonder. Details here. Follow the link and you will learn the meaning of “the building whose irregular setbacks are reminiscent of the craggy peaks of the Sierra Nevada”—surely the most awkward lyric ever written, even in a song that doesn’t rhyme.

There is a century-old American tradition of answer songs. I was thinking of two of them that I learned as a boy. No need for the original; you know it.

Daisy Bell
Franky, Franky, here is your answer true:
I’m not crazy, so I won’t marry you.
You can’t afford a carriage,
There won’t be any marriage,
‘Cause I’ll be damned if I’ll be crammed
On a bicycle built for two.

Like it says in my LinkedIn profile, I am a retired teacher and love song writer. If I do say so myself, Amazing Eyes and Nothing I Wouldn’t Do may brighten your day, or that of the woman for whom you play them. Tell her you wrote them for her. Just don’t let her see the artwork. I promise not to rat you out. My wife cried, in a good way. Maybe your mate will as well. I only wrote the lyrics; that’s The Welsh Wonder singing them to tunes he created. But I think the lyrics are what counts; lyrics make the statement; performance makes them memorable.

So here I am, walking down an alley bathed in the golden glow of nostalgia, hitting my tin pan with a stick. I have written a number of song parodies, but there are two relevant here. Directly about CMP is the story of my time in Cupertino for CSN: Cupertino Star, sung to the tune of Roger Miller’s Kansas City Star. You can tell this one is fiction; CMP would never offer anyone a company car, at least not a journalist.

CMP-adjacent is my account of the freelance experience, King of the Keys, sung to the tune of Miller’s King Of The Road.

Why yes, I have been keeping busy in retirement.

My latest reincarnation song How Many Times (Have We Been Together) [https://open.spotify.com/track/5hFSJBOZyUj5LNGWOXmsZc] went up on Spotify today, joining my other reincarnation song, If Offered A Choice. [https://open.spotify.com/track/1kVRS7VmyX2SFvFYLiyHyP]

Just in time for Valentine’s Day: love longs from a Semi-Pro ($7 from Spotify) that have that have the added charm of being true.

That Girl Was You

Amazing Eyes

Nothing I Wouldn’t Do

You Put My Heart On A Silver Plate

The story behind the story (A quarter century of tech journalism (including television software reviews) and a decade of teaching 8^th grade U.S. history

A combination of a hip replacement and pneumonia meant that I was not much of an announcer or musician in the 2024-25 season. I did not cover myself with glory that final season; rather whatever is the opposite of glory. There is no longer room for me in the Tenor Sax section and the conductor has taken over announcing.

I enjoyed my time with the Danville Community Band: 25 years announcing, 19 years playing, after eight years playing and announcing for the Lamorinda Town Band. I will miss DCB.

If only I could drive at night, I might try for a seat in the San Ramon band. But I think the live music part of my life is over. I’ll just keep writing lyrics and recording. The Beatles gave up live performance for the studio; I will do the same.

There is some chance one of my grandchildren will want to play tenor someday, so I’m parking my sax at my daughter’s house. A 34-year-old Selmer Paris is still a pretty good horn. And if unplayed for a few years, will be as good as new with little oil and new pads.

So I thought I’d give you something I made.

I wrote love poems for my wife and paid a freelancer (The Welsh Wonder) to set them to music and sing them.

BEST SONGS SO FAR
Amazing Eyes
If I’ve learned nothing in two years of writing love songs, I’ve learned the best ones have the added charm of being true, and come from real life. Looking into Vicki’s eyes one morning, I realized they were another reason I love her. Early response has been great; one professional musician said it was the only song I’ve written with commercial potential..

That Girl Was You (You’re The Only Woman Man Enough To Bask In My love)

The gender-reversed version, Bask In My Love

Also: Nothing I Wouldn’t Do (If  You Let Me Stay With You)

LATEST SONG: My First Real Kiss (Made The Room Swirl)
This is my latest lyric, set to music by the Welsh Wonder and sung by Marvelous Mia. This my first song from a woman’s viewpoint. Despite the protagonist being a six-foot blonde, it is NOT about my wife. If you don’t have the link, you can search Spotify for “Made The Room Swirl.” (First Real Kiss brought up too many false matches)

I have recorded nearly all the songs in my own voice: Paul Sings Paul. A longer origin story as well as the lyrics. Sheet Music.

You can listen to my  half dozen parodies as well.

Bumps On The Road To Nirvana is a How Did I Get Here song suggested by Clark Smith: “All your songs are about your wonderful love. How did you get there?

REINCARNATION SONGS
I have written two: If Offered A Choice sung by me in front of an 80-piece band. Or If Offered A Choice In 4-part harmony.

How Many Times sung by the Welsh Wonder.

If you only listen to a few love songs, listen to the Lyrics by Paul playlist  on YouTube with the four best songs, sung by The Welsh Wonder, who wrote the melodies for all my lyrics: If Offered A Choice,  You’re The Only Woman Man Enough (To Bask In My Love), Holding My Heart, Nothing I Wouldn’t Do.

There is a 25-minute MP3 file of all the songs plus patter.

The easy way to get the songs?  A YouTube playlist, Spotify  (be sure to ask for Paul Sings Paul; otherwise you’ll get the old versions of the songs, or possibly songs by the other Paul Schindler) and iTunes. Of course those methods cost.

also pretty good:

Long-Distance Love

How I got here:

* 30 years practicing journalism (20 of them covering computers)

* 10 years reviewing products on The Computer Chronicles

*10 years teaching U.S. History at Joaquin Intermediate School,  Moraga, CA

* 5 times appearing on television game shows

* 5 years writing lyrics for, and producing, love songs. They’ve been published on Spotify as singles and albums, including a “best of” album (soon)
Nothing would make me happier than to believe that one of these songs:

* touches someone

* cheers them

* brings a smile that says, “That’s how I feel, expressed well.”

Specifically, am I the Paul Schindler you once knew?

* Of all my professional accomplishments, writing lyrics, the least remunerative (I’m not in it for the money) may touch more people than any of the others, even the 1,000 students I taught.