How I started writing songs

One day in my Junior year of High School History class, my teacher gave us 3 options on how we can submit our final grades:

1: Take a test

2: Write a paper

3: Re-Write a song with new lyrics about World War 2

I asked my teacher “ Hey!? Can we write our own song?” He replies “ Even better.” I think to myself “ This has got to be the easiest assignment ever. It’s almost too good to be true…” Then my teacher assigned us groups. He puts me with 3 shy girls and Derrick, who is flunking the class. I said to the team “ you guys sit back, look pretty, and act like you’re having a good time. I’m gonna sing this song and we’ll all pass this class. Derrick, just act like you love it!”

Presentation day comes. We are set to go last. The teacher says “Alright everyone! Here’s Doug Trasher’s group singing about World War 2!” All the pretty girls are there. The stoners, jocks, nerds, weirdos, geeks, popular kids, and seniors were there. We do our schtick. The shy girls bring some enthusiasm… Derrick acts like he’s having a good time… I sing the song… We stop…

Standing ovation! My teacher says “ That was the highlight of my teaching career!” The shy girls opened up, Derrick passed the class, and they had us back the next year. It was the easiest “A+” I’ve ever gotten! I’ve been doing it ever since.

I’ll see you out there,

-Douglas Alan Trasher