I tend to make up a lot of songs. This probably isn't news to you if you know me, but I was thinking about it again today, because I was in a room when a song with words came on. I have a compulsion: if I hear a song with words, I will sing along-- where by "sing along", I mean "make up different words that I sing to the same tune".*

    So, nine times out of ten, this is a fleeting endeavor that may amuse someone within earshot (or cause them to hurt me if I'm within armshot), but soon disappears into the aether. However, occasionally, I write down a scrap or two of whatever I've been singing. And if I do that, sometimes even if the original scrap is lost, I'll remember one or two lines, which I will be compelled to sing when I hear the song.

    Tonight, after watching the extremely kitschy old Disney version of Robin Hood, a few of us were sitting around listening to songs when on came some Pink Floyd. Without even realizing it, I began singing:

    Daddy's flown across the ocean
    Left no number where he'd be
    ...
    ...
    All in all it's just a-nother number to call.
   
    411 is information (teach you how to use the phone)

    ...etc. I know that at one point, I'd written out more, but those are the snippets I remembered. And sang, unbidden not only by those around me, but even my own mind. It just happens.

    Last week I was at a party where rap music came on, and I immediately began rapping quietly. I usually start by rapping about sitting at the party and not having fun, then what I'll rap about is anyone's guess, though if they ask me about rapping while I'm doing it, I'll usually toss in a few lines about how I can't rap. Alas, if only I'd gotten Ham-STAR into Blackalicious. It's been suggested that I start my own group called Whitealicious, but somehow I don't think I've quite got the cool.

    Seeing as you probably won't get to hear my Pink Floyd parody nor my rapping anytime soon, I'm going to go (belatedly) post October's file.