Lately I’ve been seized by the desire to be in a rock band. Maybe it’s watching Sonic Highways by Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters on HBO. That show makes me realize that I totally missed the boat when it comes to rock bands.

I mean, really, when punk showed up, and I was living in New York in the early 80s, I should have jumped right in. I could actually sing and play the piano (keyboard, I mean!). I had actually musical training, for crying out loud. I even knew my way around the guitar: after all, you only need three chords to play any song.

Unfortunately, my background had been more classical piano and singing in choruses, where we performed American musical theater classics (think Rogers and Hammerstein) or major works like The Messiah or various Requiems by dead European composers. I listened to rock music, sure, but playing it? Nope. It never even occurred to me.

Anyway, now at age 58, I am asking myself: Is it too late to join a rock band? Or form a rock band? Why don’t the local parks & recreation departments offer an over-50 class called “Rock Band?” Give me a bass guitar, some amps, and a microphone, and I would be ready to rock.

In the absence of that, I hereby offer a 30-second rock song that I wrote after watching Sonic Highways the other night. To clarify: It took me 30 seconds to write it. Probably that long to sing it.

Dave Grohl has been writing a song for each episode about each town: Chicago, New Orleans…He and his crew were back in Seattle, home of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana. I listened to his latest song (sorry to say, they all sound alike on Sonic Highways, but never mind). Then I wrote this in exactly 30 seconds.

Just think Foo Fighters, and I’m sure a melody or harmony will present itself, or at least the rhythm:

I don’t want to cry, baby,
I don’t want to sigh, baby

Give me what I need, baby
Don’t be full of greed, baby

Don’t make me die, baby
Just want to get high, baby.

Okay, so I guess that is the chorus. Or maybe it’s the verse. Obviously this song needs some development. I offer it to anyone who is actually in a rock band and needs an idea. Just be sure to credit me on the lyrics.