Impressions and reflections

My song lyrics were a consequence of being a captive in my automobile twice a month some years ago while driving eight hours at a stretch, mostly at night. This opportunity to reminisce made me recall incidents and people who, for one reason or another, left an indelible impression on my mind. With a small cassette tape recorder by my side, I decided one day to express my thoughts, memories, and feelings. As the words formed phrases and sentences they fell into a rhythm and evolved into melodies that became my form of self-expression for about two years. I never tried, consciously, to be poetic or profound. Writing in the first person singular seemed the easiest way to go. Taking advantage of poetic license it worked well even when I, personally, had the experience only as an observer. Because I have had no musical training I depended on a friend to transcribe the songs from tape to lied sheet form and piano accompaniment. Where I used real names, the songs were intended to be a tribute to the persons. Where a fictitious name was used, it was no less a tribute.