I’m not afraid of AI, not yet anyway. I’ve been using Adobe’s AI text-to-image “Firefly” app for some of the images for these entries. It’s fast, fairly reliable, and I don’t absolutely hate its limited styles. It’s more stylized than I would like, but I honestly don’t tweak it much.

I’ve used ChatGPT for bits and pieces of things, like lists of French verb conjugations, correcting code that I’ve written, and the occasional synonym if I get stuck, although a thesaurus is more reliable.

I decided a while back to give my AI-buddy a shot at writing lyrics for a song. I figured I had a head start, what with actually having a published body of work that it might be able to draw on.

Let me make it clear that a key part of this exercise was to put as little effort as possible in the query. Here’s my first try:

Me: Write some lyrics for a Guadalcanal Diary song.

ChatGPT:

(Verse 1) In the heart of the South, where the river flows,
There’s a story unfolding, only Guadalcanal knows.
With a voice that echoes through the Georgia pines,
Guadalcanal Diary, a band ahead of their time.

(Chorus) Oh, Guadalcanal Diary, your melodies shine,
Take us on a journey, through the realms of your mind.
With lyrics that paint pictures, like a vivid display,
Guadalcanal Diary, we’re swept away.

(Verse 2) From the sweltering heat to the cool moonlit nights,
Guadalcanal’s songs ignite our senses and ignite our lights.
Through the streets of Athens, their music resounds,
As they capture the essence of a southern town.

(Chorus) Oh,…

Oops! ChatGPT thought I meant write about Guadal as the subject of a hopeful tribute to a group that was capable of some sort of spiritual guidance. I admittedly was curious as to what this unfolding story was that only we know.

Merrily I pressed on, trying to find just the right lazy combination of words to produce a jewel of a song for my beloved former combo.

Me: Write some lyrics for a song performed by Guadalcanal Diary.

ChatGPT:

(Verse 1) In the twilight of the evening, where the shadows play,
There’s a secret world unfolding, in Guadalcanal’s sway.
With guitars that chime like whispers in the wind,
Guadalcanal Diary, let the journey begin.

(Chorus) Oh, take me back to that southern town,
Where the melodies soar and the spirits abound.
Through the harmonies and the heartfelt cries,
Guadalcanal Diary, you’re the soundtrack of our lives.

(Verse 2) In the fields of Georgia, where the stories unfold,
Guadalcanal’s songs are etched in the souls of old.
With a poetic touch and a touch of rock ’n’ roll,
They’ll transport us to a place where dreams unfold.

(Chorus) Oh, take me back to that southern town,
Where the melodies soar and the spirits abound.
Through the harmonies and the heartfelt cries,
Guadalcanal Diary, you’re the soundtrack of our lives.

(Bridge) In the heart of the night, their music comes alive,
Weaving tales of love, loss, and the will to survive.
With each chord and each beat, they captivate our hearts,
Guadalcanal Diary, your magic never departs.

(Guitar Solo)

(Chorus) Oh, take me back to that southern town,
Where the melodies soar and the spirits abound.
Through the harmonies and the heartfelt cries,
Guadalcanal Diary, you’re the soundtrack of our lives.

(Outro) As the stage lights fade and the final notes ring,
Guadalcanal Diary’s legacy will forever sing.
In the annals of music, their name will reside,
Guadalcanal Diary, forever by our side.

I was entranced by the inclusion, now, of a bridge and an outro, but most of all a guitar solo. Again, it alludes to this mysterious knowledge the band surely possesses, and now it’s a whole world!

I really liked the “fields of Georgia” line. Yessir, many a time have I paused in the scorched heat of the cotton field, leaned on my hoe, and searched the cloudless sky for a sign.

I decided to try another, more arrogant approach. After all, this is MY project, right? (I’ve added comments to this attempt.)

Me: Write some lyrics for a Murray Attaway song.

ChatGPT:

(Verse 1) In the city streets where dreams collide,
There’s a shadowed figure with eyes so wide. (those are glasses)
Murray Attaway, his guitar in hand,
Singing tales of life in a troubled land. (ie, the suburbs)

(Chorus) Oh, Murray Attaway, won’t you sing your song,
Take us on a journey, where we all belong.
With your heartfelt lyrics and melodies so true,
Murray Attaway, we’re all listening to you. (listen up now, all of you!)

(Verse 2) Through the broken hearts and shattered dreams,
Murray’s words unravel the seams. (the sleeves are a little long, I can take those in)
He weaves his stories with a gentle grace,
Touching souls in every time and place. (let me know if I’m touching your soul too much, I don’t want to be a pest)

(Chorus) Oh, Murray Attaway, won’t you sing your song, (yes, oh yes, I will!)
Take us on a journey, where we all belong. (don’t need no tickets, you just get on board)
With your heartfelt lyrics and melodies so true, (and new and blue and you too)
Murray Attaway, we’re all listening to you.

(Bridge) In a world so chaotic, you bring us peace, (all I am saying is give peace- you know…)
With your music as the sweet release.
Your voice carries hope through the darkest night,
Guiding us towards a ray of light.

(Verse 3) From the stage he stands, the crowd in awe,
As Murray’s melodies break down every wall.
His words of wisdom resonate within,
A troubadour’s spirit, a poet’s kin. (one of my uncles wrote poetry, so this is accurate)

(Chorus) Oh, Murray Attaway, won’t you sing your song, (oh hell yes, gonna sing for you right damn now!)
Take us on a journey, where we all belong. (I’m thinking Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride)
With your heartfelt lyrics and melodies so true,
Murray Attaway, we’re all listening to you.

(Outro) As the spotlight fades, the echoes remain,
The magic of Murray’s music will never wane.
In our hearts forever, his songs will play,
Murray Attaway, you’ve paved the way. (in addition to paving, I also do patios, arbors and some light landscaping)

NOW we’re getting somewhere. Some primitive part of my ego is being stroked by these lyrics, but they’re so vague that the pleasure is confused and incomplete. I need focus.

Me: Write lyrics for a ROCK song by Murray Attaway

ChatGPT

(Verse 1) In the city’s neon glow, where the wild ones roam,
There’s a rebel spirit that’s calling me to come along.
Through the smoke and the haze, I’ll find my way,
I’m gonna break these chains and seize the day.

(Chorus) I’m a rock ’n’ roll renegade, no rules to obey,
With a burning fire deep inside, I’m ready to ignite.
In this electric storm, I’ll rise and I’ll sway,
Murray Attaway, the rock ’n’ roll runaway.

(Verse 2) The amps are cranked up, the adrenaline’s high,
In this sonic battlefield, I’ll make my battle cry.
With a thunderous rhythm and a guitar’s roar,
I’ll paint the night sky with a symphony of pure hardcore.

(Chorus) I’m a rock ’n’ roll renegade, no rules to obey,
With a burning fire deep inside, I’m ready to ignite.
In this electric storm, I’ll rise and I’ll sway,
Murray Attaway, the rock ’n’ roll runaway.

(Bridge) I’ll dive into the mosh pit, let the chaos reign,
Feel the pulse of the crowd, as we break free from the chains.
With every riff and every scream, we’ll find release,
In this rock ’n’ roll cathedral, where we find our peace.

(Guitar Solo)

(Chorus) I’m a rock ’n’ roll renegade, no rules to obey,
With a burning fire deep inside, I’m ready to ignite.
In this electric storm, I’ll rise and I’ll sway,
Murray Attaway, the rock ’n’ roll runaway.

(Outro) As the stage lights fade and the curtains fall,
I’ll carry this rebellion, this rock ’n’ roll call.
In the hearts of the faithful, my music will reside,
Murray Attaway, the rock ’n’ roll outlaw, with pride.

Well, I mean- what’s left to say? Mission accomplished, that’s what!

I know ChatGPT’s reach is supposedly limited but somehow it’s burrowed into my very psyche. “Rebel spirit”, “rock’n’roll renegade”? It’s like looking into a mirror!

“In this electric storm, I’ll rise and I’ll sway.” Why, just last weekend there was a thunderstorm with lightning in the area and doggone if I didn’t catch myself rising and swaying.

Obviously I have wasted hours, days, YEARS of my life writing songs in my sad, obsolete fashion. No longer: my muse has just shoved me aside.

Let’s talk later, ok? Right now I’ve got to go paint the sky with a symphony of pure hardcore!

NEXT TIME: 🎶 Fame! I’m gonna knit you a sweater, I’m gonna learn how to drive…