#33: Beatles Moment, AI & Animated Gulf of America

Saturday May 3, we were scheduled to busk at 5pm.

Phone rang at 3:15. It was Gavin. "Dave asked us to start early at 4."

I had just showered so I threw on my clothes and my costume, hit the subway uptown to 72nd Street.

We performed for four hours straight. I do all the lead vocals and all the talking. Still, by dusk, I still felt vocally okay but I was tired.

Finally, at dusk, I stood up, walked over to the IMAGINE mosaic and invited people to join me in a circle. I had never done that before. Hesitantly, they came, then reached out and held each other’s hands and I said, “This is what John was singing about. When we stand together, strangers from all over the world, there is no rich nor poor, no nationalities, no religion. Just human beings singing a beautiful song.”

We were living out the song in real time. It was beautiful and they were believers.

(Unexpectedly, there was a man with a video camera. He documents all the people who sing at Strawberry Fields. We just popped up on his channel for the first time! https://www.youtube.com/@stuartm.6828)

MY NEW VIDEO
You might have listened to the satirical song I wrote a couple weeks ago called "Gulf of America." I got obsessed with turning it into a video, so I spent three or four days hunched over my laptop doing this. It's silly and funny, while not being so silly and funny.

https://youtube.com/shorts/65tylF-ARhQ?feature=share


For you nerds who want to know the process:
I made the Gulf of America video by conceiving the scenes first in my mind and describing them in plain language to ChatGPT. Then ChatGPT refined the prompt that would give the best results which I used in Sora to generate the images. Then got a new prompt from ChatGPT to describe what action I wanted from the still image. I put those images into both Kling and Hailuo to animate them after inserting the new animation prompt.


https://youtube.com/shorts/65tylF-ARhQ?feature=share


And that's it for this week! I have appearances coming up as well as my new show on June 19th.


I'm encouraging everyone to support Urban Stages, where we debuted our new "Steve and Friends" concert series. Benefit on April 25. https://www.urbanstages.org/benefit2025


I'm honored to perform again this year for the Renewal Summit 2025. It's a fantastic day of presentations, food, drink and me! May 16.


https://www.thethreetomatoes.com/renewal2025

New Show on June 19th at Don't Tell Mama!
https://tinyurl.com/steve-dont-tell-mama


You are free to stream the songs below but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.


And please share this with friends!


[This is the hand-crafted, no-AI, non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--



Steve Schalchlin

Living in the Bonus Round







Spotify Links

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs

Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal

Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor

Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire

Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate

Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics

Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#32: AI, Stress & Music

My friend JD wrote me about a question he posed to an AI program about how to "fix" America. (Not his word). And the AI wrote a reasonable and progressive answer about wealth inequality, voter suppression, corporate capture of government, and what was needed was civic awakening, empowering technology, a new movement, public financing of elections, universal education, etc.


He asked me what I thought about this and also the rational fears of AI. This was my response, and I want to share it with you.


JD,
I love that you're embracing new technologies. Those are the tools by which we will be able to lead, participate in and effectuate any changes we want to make in society.


But for me, when I sing my Beatles songs at Strawberry Fields, I tell people, as we sing Imagine together, that it starts with us putting that positivity and love from the music into our hearts -- then spreading that love and good vibrations to everyone around us. It's the one thing I can do -- that I feel is my primary mission in life.


What I caution everyone -- you included -- to remember that it is self-destructive and self-defeating to allow the ills of the world to become tangible stress on and in your body. The things I cannot change -- Trump ain't calling me for my advice -- must remain in their proper place, below the things I can do.


Worry is not action. It can lead to action, but stress defeats our bodies and our minds. I should not stress over that which I have no control.


I always tell the story about the moment, after I came back to life in August 1996, when I was still in the glow of rebirth, I suddenly had this tangible worry about the national debt. Like a bird had flown into the room and dropped this on me. And I thought, why am I suddenly worried about the national debt? What can I do, standing here vacuuming, about the national debt and then I had a realization, "Oh, is this what it was like before? And what other stresses am I carrying that I'm not even consciously aware of?"



Up until a few weeks previous, while we were doing our first workshop of The Last Session, I was expecting to die. I had a new drug, but there were no guarantees. It was unknown. Experimental.


As we reflected in the character of Gideon in the musical, "knowing" I was going to die had completely freed me. I realized I had no control over it so I just allowed myself to surrender (while still fighting) to the acceptance that my time was coming soon.


It was so freeing, I was powerfully engaged in just trying to eke out every last bit of LIFE.


I was still in that glow when that thought, that absurd thought, about the national debt dropped into my head, spoiling the party.

But the point was that it was nothing more than a thought.


That thought changed my body chemistry. It twisted up my stomach ever so slightly. It gave my brain something to fry in. I've spent all these years since reminding people that everything in our body can change with a single thought. We don't have to live in stress.


So, yes, embrace the tools. Don't be fooled, however, into thinking there is a "person" doing any "thinking" in that computer program. It's a word prediction algorithm. Perhaps, in the larger media, the good news is these principles about how to make change are so pervasive, that the AI reaches for them first after someone asks it these questions. It could just as easily have spit out Fox News propaganda.


It's a confusing world, but what you and I can do is put out music, love, positivity, energy, inspiration and the knowledge that you are not alone.


But I will be using every tool I can find to do it.

#31: News and a Revised Song for Dad in his passing

I almost didn't write a newsletter this week because, since my father passed, I've felt unfocused and a bit lost. I had one big crying jag but it happened in my sleep in the middle of a dream. I woke up sobbing and said to myself, "The dam broke." I had taken his death without a lot of emotion since I was ready for it, but I guess there are larger feelings going on way deep beneath my calm exterior.


Also, I took a look at the song "My Daddy's Room," which I released after we moved him into that assisted living facility. I decided to rewrite the last verse to bring the song up to date and celebrate his passing with a little humor along the way, of course.


I haven't had time to release it as a single, but I revised the video I made of the first song and included all the family photos -- and him and the cat that fell in love with him. Maybe it'll only be meaningful to my immediate family, but here ya go:


https://youtu.be/sAEG7Hg4tVA



MY DADDY'S ROOM 2

©2022 SCHALCHLIN




THE GIRLS HUNG UP THESE PICTURES OF HIS

NOW-DEPARTED WIFE

ACROSS THE ROOM HIS SHIP MATES

FROM HIS CRAZY NAVY LIFE


CHURCHES AND MY BROTHERS

FROZEN SMILES IN BLACK AND WHITE

MOM THERE IN THAT POLAROID

THE LOYAL PREACHER’S WIFE


IN MY DADDY’S ROOM


THERE'S A MENU, SOUTHERN COOKING

DEEP FRIED OKRA ON TONIGHT

DOWN THE HALLS ARE WIDOWS

HE’LL AVOID WITH ALL HIS MIGHT


THREE SCORE AND TEN YEARS

WHERE TWO HAD TRULY GROWN AS ONE

SITTING HERE AT NINETY THREE

A NEW OLD LIFE BEGUN


IN MY DADDY’S ROOM

MY DADDY’S ROOM


HE DROVE US 'CROSS THE COUNTRY

BACK WHEN I WAS BARELY FIVE

ON ROADS THAT EISENHOWER HAD JUST

BUILT FOR FOLKS TO DRIVE


HOT BALONEY SANDWICHES

MOM BUILT RIGHT IN OUR FORD

DESERT HEAT WAS NOTHING

WE’D BEEN CALLED THERE BY THE LORD


TWO YEARS ON, THE CAT LIES

NEAR HIS BARELY BREATHING CHEST

SURROUNDED BY THE FAMILY

TELLING HIM HE WAS THE BEST


NOW HE’S DREAMING OF HER

THAT SHE’S WATCHING FROM ABOVE

THE TWO OF THEM COMMUNING

BY THE POWER OF THEIR LOVE


WE WAIT AND WE WONDER WHEN HE’LL

TAKE HIS FINAL SIGH

TRYING TO CALL DIBS ON ALL HIS DRUGS

AS THEY GO BY


THINKING WHEN IT’S MY TURN

THIS IS HOW I WANT TO DIE


IN MY DADDY’S ROOM

MY DADDY’S ROOM


WE DROVE HIM DOWN TO TEXAS

WHERE MET HIS YOUNGEST KIN

LITTLE GIRLS ALL GIGGLING

AS HE WATCHES FROM HIS CHAIR




NEWS: I'm encouraging everyone to support Urban Stages, where we debuted our new "Steve and Friends" concert series. Benefit on April 25. https://www.urbanstages.org/benefit2025


NEWS: I'm honored to perform again this year for the Renewal Summit 2025. It's a fantastic day of presentations, food, drink and me! May 16.


https://www.thethreetomatoes.com/renewal2025

#30: Something Funny

>

I knew when I asked Sidney Myer, a legendary comic performer here in NYC recently featured in the NY Times in an extensive article about the art of cabaret, to sing "Vacationing in Syria," in my show this past March that it would be very special. But until we all saw it with our own eyes, I had no idea how hilarious it would be.

In fact, we didn't even have a rehearsal. We briefly met at the piano just before the show, but mostly to clear up a few questions he had. Luckily, my friend Magda Katz was there with her video camera. So now I've made a short video using his performance as a teaser video for our new show coming on June 19.

It's only about a minute long, but you are getting the first glimpse. After this week, I go into full on marketing mode. Click if you dare...

https://youtu.be/2ZdoIqiriVk

And if you want to dive even further, my friend Blake found this disco version I did several years ago. I was still learning how to use my recording studio software so I was making all kinds of wacky recordings back then. I was also learning to use new graphic arts tools so I made a lyric video of it, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrZdCSgKGv0

In other news, my dad will be laid to rest this week in Little Rock. Here is his memorial page if you wish to leave a comment. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/north-little-rock-ar/neil-schalchlin-12322524

For the many, many who have reached out with sympathy and stories and love, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. As I said before, I'm glad I was able to spend time with him over the past few years so that we could reconnect after many years apart. It was healing for me and for my family.

See ya next week!

#29: A Gentle Soul Passes

For a gentle soul
In a brutal world


My dad, as expected, passed away a couple of days ago. He was surrounded by love and in complete peace.


My brothers and other family members and I have become close, which is a relief after I spent so many years kind of hiding my life from them. We’ve had great, hilarious conversations. Death brings life.


I wasn’t consciously thinking of my dad when I wrote this week’s song. I was actually thinking about what a warlike atmosphere has been created in public media, politics and religion.


Where does the gentle soul go to find comfort and peace? Is there even a home for peaceful hearted people?


Must I raise my hand?
Must I clench my fist?


My dad could be fierce if he wanted to but his was a gentle soul who served the people in his church. Fixing hot water heaters. Us babysitting all the kids in a family whose parent has to go far away for a medical treatment. Our house had an open door policy and everyone was welcome and cared for who walked through those doors.


This is a very quiet, very gentle song, piano, voice and some rich sounds to enforce the flow of the music. I hope it brings you a moment of peace and quiet and healing.


Gentle Soul
©2025 by Steve Schalchlin




For a gentle soul

In a brutal world

I must change they say

Or I won’t survive


It’s the angry voice

And the squeaky wheel

Who get things done

Who will stay alive


Shall I give up hope

And just let it go

Can we find no home

For a gentle soul


But what kind of life

Do I have to live

If I have to beat

Other people down


Must I raise my hand

Must I clench my fist

Are there peaceful streams

In a stormy town


Shall I give up hope

And just let it go

Can we find no home

For a gentle soul




But if I withdraw

From a wounded world

Does it only prove

What they’re telling me


If I turn away

If I step aside

Does the chaos reign

Does the anger hide


Shall I give up hope

And just let it go

Can we find no home

For a gentle soul


Can we find no home

For a gentle soul

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/0jgsqsve6fQt9I0ydLsklS?si=b285bc1e32e340ba


Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/gentle-soul-feat-bonus-round-band-single/1805171784


YouTube Music:
https://youtu.be/D8N5PmM-2og?si=9JcbuJvu8-QRJHMi

#28: The Reviews are In!

My dad is still hanging in there. He is surrounded by my Texas family and the hospice worker who comes to my brother's home says he can hear them so they are lavishing him with praise and positive words. It should only be a few more days.

I'm feeling positive about it -- we all have to go sometime -- but I still feel this emptiness or sadness or something lingering and it's keeping me from being all that productive. My dreams are weird and disturbing, but this too shall pass.


Meanwhile, I promised you the reviews of my show! I've provided the links below but here is a summary.


And here is some footage taken by Magda Katz.


FOOTAGE:

https://t2conline.com/steve-schalchlin-a-genre-bending-night-of-music-combining-cabaret-heart-with-beatles-harmony


Steve Schalchlin's recent performance at Don't Tell Mama was met with enthusiastic and nuanced praise from multiple critics. Bart Greenberg captured the essence of the show, describing it as a "very satisfying evening" that successfully blended diverse musical genres through Schalchlin's remarkable "charm, charisma and enormous talent." Despite the potential challenges of mixing styles from country-western to punk rock, the performance maintained a cohesive and engaging quality that delighted audience members.

The songwriting emerged as a particular highlight of the evening. Alix Cohen noted Schalchlin's ability to transform various experiences into compelling musical narratives, praising his versatility in creating songs that could be "wry, tender, observant, or... rockabilly fun." Critics were especially impressed by specific tracks like "I Only See You Young," which was described as "a ballad for the ages," and "Someone to Get Groceries With," a charming piece that captured the universal desire for companionship.

Guest performers played a significant role in the show's success. Blake Zolfo, Sidney Myer, and Natalie Douglas were singled out for their exceptional contributions. Zolfo's performance of "My New York Life" and his co-written "Someone to Get Groceries With" were particularly praised, while Sidney Myer's comedic delivery in "Vacationing in Syria" drew special mention for its unique and entertaining approach.

The Bonus Round Band provided exceptional musical support, with Charlie Viehl's violin work receiving special recognition. The band's ability to navigate multiple genres - from folk to punk - demonstrated the group's musical versatility. While one review suggested some potential for editing, the overall consensus was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting Schalchlin's impressive songwriting and the show's warm, collaborative spirit.

Ultimately, the reviews painted a picture of a multifaceted musical experience that showcased Schalchlin's talents as both a songwriter and performer. From romantic ballads to comedic numbers, the show offered a rich tapestry of musical storytelling that left critics and audiences alike thoroughly entertained and impressed.
https://nitelifeexchange.com/the-multi-varied-universe-of-steve-schalchlin-entertained-brightly-at-dont-tell-mama/

https://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/playing-around/steve-schalchlin-and-the-bonus-round-band/


https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/Review-STEVE-SCHALCHLIN-AND-FRIENDS-Shines-at-Dont-Tell-Mama-20250313

If I didn't know me, I'd go see that guy!

#27: Lost in Space Animated!

This week's newsletter is short because I've been playing around in my AI sandbox by taking the video we released last week and animating it! Last week, this wasn't possible!


Here is the original so you can compare them:
https://youtu.be/QuZRK9xLaHU


This is the new one where all those stills are animated:
https://youtu.be/NKF0oIp00b4


Then I had the idea to take one of Jim Brochu's drawings of Times Square 1964 and animate that! It's only 5 seconds long, but check it out!


https://youtu.be/He4lpNAT6m8


I'm just having way too much fun these days.


Personal note: You may recall that we took my aging dad down to Texas to live with my brother, Scott and his wife, Annette. Well, he's now under hospice care. 95 years old. He lived a good, long life and now that he's near the end, it's bittersweet, of course. But he's being doted on constantly and even one of their cats, who refused to go anywhere near a human, has chosen him as its companion. Sleeping near him and letting dad stroke him.


So, being surrounded by love in your final days? Not the worst way to go.

#26: Great Show & New EP!

I'm happy to report that our show, Steve Schalchlin and Friends at Don't Tell Mama, was a resounding success. I wrote on social media that it was the best night of my whole life.

The room was packed, they laughed at the funny lines and cried on the sad ones. I heard there were no less than four critics there. I'll do the reviews next week after they come out. Cross fingers they liked it.

BUT THE BIG NEWS
Gavin Gold, my partner in the Beatles project, and I have released a new 6-song EP. These didn't quite fit into Rebel Nerds or Bonus Round Band. And they're a bit bent, I think. He brings out a twisted side of me. We met at the Jack Hardy Songwriter Exchange and I began writing lyrics for him, on deadline, every week. Or he'd have a half a lyric and I'd finish it up.

Here's an example: There's a song called "Lost in Space." Because Gavin has a tender heart for animals and aliens, he started this fantasy song about them coming to earth and becoming zoo animals, put on display. So I took that and extended it to a man feeling so poorly about this that he fantasizes making a deal with the aliens to go to their planet as a volunteer zoo animal and they split the profits.

Here is the link to the rather disturbingly silly video: https://youtu.be/QuZRK9xLaHU

This is a link to the full Schalchlin/Gold EP.
https://open.spotify.com/album/47VnVumQhD8hQ60aSl5XBM?si=Hl-W64F2TcqraV14OjDFjg

You are free to stream the songs but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.

And please share this with friends!

[This is the hand-crafted non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--



Steve Schalchlin
Living in the Bonus Round

Spotify Links

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m
Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs
Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal
Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor
Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire
Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate
Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics
Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin
https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#25: Almost Here!

Today, I was composing a final press release to go out later this morning and I was trying to describe our show on Friday at Don't Tell Mama. (https://tinyurl.com/Steve-DTM)


Using an app, it asked me questions. Specifically, what is this show? Is it a show? 


I answered the question by describing how it was taking shape: In front of people in small spaces in casual settings, like the afternoon lounge aboard a ship or in our friend, Jane Goldman's, living room, then a few numbers at the Actor's Temple, then suddenly and unexpectedly on stage at the Urban Stages festival, where we all laughed together, cried together, felt love together, remembered love together and left with a greater appreciation for life.


I even did a version of this show for two people on the ship who couldn't get to the appointed time! They were from Australia. Hello, Jane and Richard!


It feels like the show is driving me! That's when I realized what this show is all about. It's about that loose living room warmth and telling stories.


And that's all it has to be. If there is something larger there, I believe it will emerge just as The Last Session emerged from the songs. What I do know is that this group of songs are relationship/love songs, the first set I've ever tried to write -- and I've been writing them since before the pandemic.

So here's part of the press release:

"Join composer and performer Steve Schalchlin and his cherished friends, including special guests legendary cabaret comedian Sidney Myer, jazz virtuoso Natalie Douglas from Birdland, and rising star Blake Zolfo, for an intimate evening of music and connection in "Steve Schalchlin and Friends: Two Things Too" at Don't Tell Mama NYC on March 7, 2025. This isn't just a performance; it's a warm gathering, a living room concert where hearts meet and music heals.

"Imagine friends gathered around a piano, acoustic guitars, a violin, and a chorus of voices, creating an atmosphere of pure musical camaraderie. Steve Schalchlin, whose deeply personal and genre-bending music has been praised by The New York Times for its "triumphant and very touching" blend of humor and emotion, invites you to experience his latest collection of original songs."

Does that work?


I had a great rehearsal on Sunday with the Rebel Nerds, Gavin Gold and Jake Adams, the punk band that's going to merge with the rotating casts of my Bonus Round Band, which now consists of me, Blake Zolfo and new-in-town violinist/music director Charlie Viehl.


We have a vocal rehearsal on Thursday and then Friday night at 7, we are on! I'm vibrating with nervous anticipation.


One of the songs we'll be singing is a minor hit by Rebel Nerds for which I contributed most of the lyrics. It's called Sooner or Later and it will charge up your morning with joy! Stay tuned for more exciting music news. So that's our link for the week.


YouTube Music
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=WSLbpUtDGeA&si=wJyhjtbqgbjXdgqW


Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/5TbFH1N5FH7lVkPn7ctCzl?si=892ac2f5c4b3448f


Amazon
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0BBPFJ62P?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_1rqbUadI2Dz4StnCcynLI82f


Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/us/album/sooner-or-later/1571781221?i=1571781226


You are free to stream the songs but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.


And please share this with friends!


[This is the hand-crafted, non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--


Steve Schalchlin
Living in the Bonus Round


Spotify Links

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs

Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal

Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor

Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire

Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate

Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics

Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#24: Heavy is the Crown

I grew up with The Beatles who never wrote the same song twice. It's fun watching young people do reaction videos on YouTube because they'll listen to "Eleanor Rigby" followed by "Helter Skelter" followed by "Octopus's Garden." What kind of band can do this?


Consequently, I never thought of "styles" of music growing up. To me, all music is good music if the music is good. Which leads to this week's song, Heavy is the Crown. It was inspired by all the strong men around the world, now and in history, who grab as much power as they can, "they think that power lasts forever."


And the phrase "heavy is the crown" kept popping into my head. You think you have everything you want, but once you get all that power, how do you keep it? And what new problems arise once you have it? You become both king and target.


I did some research on power hungry mad men and found Caligula, who built a statue to himself in the worship centers and put his horse in the Senate. And the song came to me almost immediately, along with -- and now I'm back to the Beatles again -- a techno dance beat. It was the only thing that fit. So "Beatle Steve," as Gavin calls me when we busk in Central Park, is veering from his usual piano/vocal vibe and hitting the dance floor.


Let's dance into the apocalypse together!

Heavy is the Crown
©2025 by Steve Schalchlin

Caligula came tumbling down
Heavy is the crown X2

V1
Gold embroidered purple robes
Precious jewels, a golden laurel
From his famous floating bridge
The water shines in candle light

V2
Four white horses thundering hooves
A goblet spilling royal wine
A taste that fed his fever to
The Senate’s final bloody night

CH
But Caligula came tumbling down
Heavy is the crown x2

V3
On Palantine in marble halls
Footsteps echo, smoky incense,
The Forum, colors, banners, noise
Gladiators, mangled limbs

V4
At the temple to the gods
Built a statue to himself
Oil lamps, gold leaf, sacrifices
Virgin whores, unholy hymns

CH
But Caligula came tumbling down
Heavy is the crown

BRIDGE
Contemporary emperors
Dancing on their empty yachts
Grasping on with greedy hands
Ruling from their ivory tower
They think that power lasts forever

CH
But Caligula came tumbling down
Heavy is the crown


Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/us/album/heavy-is-the-crown-feat-steve-schalchlin-single/1795999699
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/2osUyYvy5qMc8yXLKbFEN4?si=387f33a97cfc4425
Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DWLTBGP9?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_I7VqQOie591yzwnAlgytBKDXo&trackAsin=B0DWLT45Y2
YouTube Music
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lV1iDwopoIy7iUB6fnLCkqHCu01PJGSjc&si=48XK3zXeTRUMujCO


And don't forget March 7th. It's selling out. Reserve your tickets now!
https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/8788-steve-schachlin-friends-3-7-2


You are free to stream the songs but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.


And please share this with friends!


[This is the hand-crafted, no-AI, non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--

Steve Schalchlin

Living in the Bonus Round


Spotify Links

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs

Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal

Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor

Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire

Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate

Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics

Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#23: Valentine's and Going It Alone

This week, Charlie Viehl (on violin), and I were honored to sing for a group of women writers and authors with Three Tomatoes Book Publishing's remarkable leader Cheryl Benton, who has published remarkable memoirs, novels, books of essays and biographies. Mostly of women but not exclusively.
https://www.thethreetomatoespublishing.com/

Charlie and I were blatantly promoting our show on March 7th, of course. But I personally love the gift of having a violin playing along with me, especially Charlie. I'm hoping to expose him to more musicians and performers and musical directors because he's talented, he's fast and he's a real pro with a sweet, cooperative disposition.

This being Valentine's week, I'm going to link to one of the most popular songs from The Last Session, "Going It Alone." Not a traditional love song.

In fact, when I started writing it, it was meant to be a battle song about the war inside my body as I fought HIV, but then, in that early morning hour., I heard Jim stir in the other room asleep. And I thought, "I know what I'm going through, but what must it feel like for him? To be on the outside looking in, feeling helpless and watching someone you love fade away?"

And that's when it turned into "Going It Alone."

There are a number of excellent renditions of this from various casts for which you can search online.

But I've chosen the one I recorded for a CD called "The Bonus Round Sessions." This is partially a album I made in almost a single hour back 25 years ago, sitting at a piano playing and singing live with no pitch adjustments or do-overs.

(I had only enough money to rent the studio for an hour.) It also contains most of the original demos for The Last Session using members of the cast of the first staged reading, including Chip Esten, recently the star of the TV show Nashville.

If you have someone special, do something extra special for them this week. If you don't, then find someone else who might be alone and could just use a friend. Share the love.

GOING IT ALONE
Music & Lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

Though you’ve been a rock for me to stand on
Beside me every moment of the fight
Even though you make it so much better
When I go to sleep at night

The fight that I am fighting is my own
And it feels as though I’m going it alone

Now and then my friends take me to dinner
And tell me how they’re with me all the way
They lean across the table and they
Say they’re thinking of me

Then they take the bill so
I don’t have to pay

And they tell me they’re so proud of how I’ve grown
And they say they know I’m going it alone

But is it such a lonely battle?
Have I been so wrapped up in myself?
What about what you’ve been through as well?
Do you lie awake and worry
Never falling back to sleep?
Are you going through some private kind of hell?

Do you also feel you’re out there on your own?
Do you feel as though you’re going it alone?

Do you lie awake and worry, never falling back to sleep?
Have I put you through some private kind of hell?
I’d have to read your mind to even tell

Just before I turn to go to sleep
I brush a little hair back from your eye
Suddenly the loneliness I felt just melts away
And I smile because I know the reason why

Can we really say we’re out there on our own
Can we really say we’re out there on our own
When together we’ve been going it alone
When together we’ve been going it alone

©1996 by See No Evil Music/Lil Shack O Tunes (ASCAP)

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1y18S4tGWHOG05mqu5ekYx?si=4927ca2e026d4c76

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B01BIUT0RO?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_pQ7eJd7jabmpsX1CFH0PgM8oG&trackAsin=B01BIUT41Q

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/going-it-alone/1082085482?i=1082085646

YouTube Music:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn7zuS16fZo&si=jygkIiD_ARBl2PeP

#22: My Surgical New York Life

Two great pieces of news today. One, my surgery went quickly, successfully and almost painlessly. As you read this, they'll be pulling the stitches out. I don't know if I'll get that fierce pirate scar I was hoping for because the surgeon was really good, but that's how it goes.

Two, Blake Zolfo and I made a successful studio recording of a tricky song that works so well in person. Tricky because it has a LOT of subtle humor that requires timing and context.


Here is the video of us performing it this past year at a party at Jane Goldman's home. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about. Blake is such a skilled entertainer, watch him find every moment of humor and pathos. Seriously, people are screaming with laughter before crying their eyes out.
https://youtu.be/LHkVLPHTb6A?si=4zfayQGQnf0J_4xf


Knowing we couldn't reproduce that in a studio without audience feedback, I instead worked out a full orchestral arrangement. I confess I'm really proud of it. I hope you'll add it to your playlists.


And don't forget! Blake will join me for our one show only! March 7 at 7pm at Don't Tell Mama here in NYC. Tickets: https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/8788-steve-schachlin-friends-3-7-2


My New York Life
Words & Music by Steve Schalchlin


Down on 42nd street they built a new hotel
With cruise ship cabin-sized Japanese pods
The sign out front is purple
And the halls inside are purple
And the bar is serving nectar from the gods

Just across 10th avenue the sandwich shop is closed
The sign out front says taxes are still owed
And the sign out out front is yellow
Like the cabs out front are yellow
As they fight for strong positions on the road

And though you think I do not know
Each night when I do a show
I can actually see your cell phone glow

This is my New York life / This is my New York life
This is my glamorous New York life
This is my New York life / This is my New York life
My glamorous New York life

Now I work at Equinox
Front desk guy at Equinox
Last month I almost paid my rent on time
And the tourists come from Asia
Cuz the money's all in Asia
So the Broadway shows don't even try to rhyme


A subway virtuoso plays
Songs that have seen better days
How I wish I known the Village in its prime


This is my New York life / This is my New York life
This is my glamorous New York life
This is my New York life / This is my New York life
My glamorous New York life


And they're building castles facing Jersey
Cuz it's such an honor facing Jersey
And rain pours down from misty skies
And some kid surfs a subway train and dies

Up on 42nd street I hear the scream of sirens
The homeless are almost swept away
The grocery stores are closing up
The mom and pops are dying out
But I can get a hot dog any time of day

And I love my neighbors at this bar
Where we’re all just who we are
Some I don’t know
Some I do
But long before the night through
Someone has to play the Broadway star

Cuz everyone in town’s a Broadway star
Or thinks they are

This is my New York life / This is my New York life
This is my glamorous New York life

And all my books are on my phone
And all my friends are home alone
This is my glamorous New York life


Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3jiJOBbPb9WF5Y3aABHtPp?si=a6c9040a8e354798

Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/my-new-york-life-feat-bonus-round-band-steve-schalchlin/1792853791

YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=O0EwCWQEa3Y&si=rOG_8M9fWVzlojWw

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DV3Z5S9S?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_0XvzrKTf7sKxTS48WYqXDMf1





As always, I'm happy if you stream the songs but purchasing them on Apple or Amazon is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.


And please share this with friends!


[This is the hand-crafted, no-AI, non-bot newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--



Steve Schalchlin

Living in the Bonus Round







Spotify Links

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs

Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal

Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor

Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire

Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate

Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics

Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#21: Operation Cold Comfort

Tomorrow I go in for my operation for the basal cell carcinoma, which everyone tells me is no big deal even with the word CANCER written all over it. And I believe them, but it's cold comfort when it involves someone cutting holes in your face. (I say that with a smile).


Speaking of Cold Comfort, I was putting together a playlist on Spotify for all the songs we're going to perform on March 7 at Don't Tell Mama when I realized I have never released a recording of the song Cold Comfort, which is one of the most popular numbers we perform live.


Back a few years ago, Blake Zolfo, Bill Goffi and I recorded a loosey-goosey version in my studio, which I never released because I worried it wasn't "perfect." So last week, I dug into the archives and found it -- and it's not bad at all. In fact, I kinda liked that it wasn't honed to perfection. So, I brushed off the cobwebs and decided to just put it out there. (There are numerous live versions up on YouTube here and there.)


It starts off autobiographical and then I turned it into a love song just to give it some life. The opening line is "I never learned how to dance / My preacher daddy said Jesus would like it / So I never learned how to dance."


Blake once told me laughingly there was more information in that line "My preacher daddy said Jesus wouldn't like it" than in most entire songs. I do love that line. All the lyrics are below so you can follow along.


So, hold me in your prayers as they go digging in my face tomorrow morning. And next week, I'll take a picture of a big bandage on my face.


Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/cold-comfort-feat-steve-schalchlin-blake-zolfo-2022-demo/1792332394?i=1792332395


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3qKOCrf6Zpu29T9Nodweo9?si=4b240c3c723e4b13


Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DTQ2XN1J?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_5qkauVyn4kNi0ywTuMJU0q5rJ


COLD COMFORT
Words and Music by Steve Schalchlin

I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DANCE
I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DANCE
MY PREACHER DADDY SAID
JESUS WOULDN’T LIKE IT
SO I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DANCE

NOW THAT I CAN DANCE
I DON’T KNOW HOW
GOT NO FEELING FOR IT NOW

SO IT’S COLD COMFORT --
COLD COMFORT --
COLD COMFORT
IN MY BONES
IN MY BONES

I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DRINK
I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DRINK
A NASHVILLE DRAG QUEEN ONCE
GAVE ME SOME MOONSHINE
BUT I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DRINK

AND NOW THAT I CAN DRINK
I DON’T KNOW HOW
I GET IN TROUBLE FOR IT NOW

SO IT’S COLD COMFORT - A BITTER PILL
COLD COMFORT - ALIVE, BUT STILL
COLD COMFORT
IN MY BONES
IN MY BONES

COLD COMFORT (NO WARNING LABEL)
COLD COMFORT (I’M ABLE SO I)
WIN THE BATTLE
BUT I LOSE THE WAR

NEVER LEARNED TO MAKE LOVE
NEVER LEARNED WHAT TO DO
BUT I LEARNED ENOUGH TO STAY
HERE WITH YOU

I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO FIGHT
I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO FIGHT
MY MAMA’S HEART WOULD BREAK INTO PIECES
IF SHE SAW ME IN A FIGHT
BUT NOW THAT I CAN FIGHT
I FIGHT TO WIN
SO YOU SHOULD LET ME IN

FOR SOME COLD COMFORT --
COLD COMFORT
COLD COMFORT
IN MY BONES
IN MY BONES
COLD COMFORT
COLD COMFORT - IF YOU LOSE THE BATTLE
BUT YOU WIN THE WAR
COLD COMFORT NO MORE
IF YOU LOSE THE BATTLE
BUT YOU WIN THE WAR
COLD COMFORT NO MORE



--

You are free to stream the songs but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.


March 7 at 7pm at Don't Tell Mama here in NYC. Tickets: https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/8788-steve-schachlin-friends-3-7-25


And please share this with friends!


[This is the hand-crafted newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--



Steve Schalchlin

Living in the Bonus Round

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs

Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal

Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor

Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire

Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate

Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics

Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

#20: Beatles in the Frozen Park

Last week, it was 22-degrees Fahrenheit (-5.5 C) so we decided to go ahead and sing anyway in Central Park. We lasted about 90 minutes thanks to Carl Draper and Blake Lee Zolfo joining us. And we had a blast! A winter blast!

I made a very short video of us out there and no, we're not going out there today, the 22nd, because it's 9-degrees. Watch us!

https://youtu.be/omE93OEPLH8

Remember Carl, Blake Lee, Gavin and myself are going to be singing together on March 7 at 7pm at Don't Tell Mama here in NYC. And now I'm getting back into my warm bed with Jim and the cat. Tickets: https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/8788-steve-schachlin-friends-3-7-25

Stay warm, folks!

And please share this with friends!

[This is the hand-crafted newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]

Steve Schalchlin

FREEZING in the Bonus Round

#19: In My Hands, away from the noise.

In school, I was terrible in shop class. We had to make a wooden paper towel hanger, but I always wasted wood, screwing it all up. The machines scared me, the teacher yelled at me, but looking back, I think I was scared of being "found out" that I wasn't a "real man."

But I love making things. A friend once told me how he loved going into his shed, closing off the world, picking up a tool, carving wood and making something beautiful. I realize how privileged I am to be able to go into a room, close the door, pick up an instrument and lose myself in that same hypnotic act of creation, much like the carpenter in this week’s song who "ignores (his) buzzing phone as distant headlines break."

"In My Hands," is the first song of the year! What better way to start the year than to shut off the noise and confusion of yesterday, clear your mind and reboot, tracing "the lines of grain" until "the world outside disappears." (Except I am keeping an eye on the horrible fires in LA. We lived there for at least 10 years, and I’m finding myself scouring every Facebook page to see how they’re doing. Even with that weighing on my mind, creating music offers a kind of refuge.)

Also on my mind: Don't Tell Mama on March 7th at 7. It's going to be a transformative night because I’m getting out there on the New York stages for the first time in years. And to be honest, it’s scary! Like shop class all over again! My courage comes from the fact that we did this show in December and blew the roof off Urban Stages so all I really have to do is show up and sing.


Tickets: https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/8788-steve-schachlin-friends-3-7-25

I don’t have a press agent or manager, so I’m just sending out the press releases myself. A real Do-It-Yourself operation. I’ve already gotten a few bites from last week’s.

Today’s release announces jazz/soul sensation Natalie Douglas is joining us on stage, as well as the reliably hilarious Sidney Myer. Natalie is one of the best singers in New York City, and she has an international following. Now to find the perfect song for her.

I’m excited to be rebooting my career after so long and at the merry old age of 71. (That'll bring in the kids, right?)

Here are the links and lyrics to "In My Hands" and happy new year!


Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-my-hands-feat-bonus-round-band-single/1789966673
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/0O496lkvIi6zZvx0GvZkD4?si=bb32c797116a4209
Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DSLV3NLB?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_P2i9ecAg75rcpBa4tXi3uTXTh&trackAsin=B0DSLV7QF1
YouTube
https://youtu.be/UpBc51SnWnc?si=8GMcPNxEeDcAVR9a


In My Hands
©2025 by Steve Schalchlin

My fingers trace these walnut boards
I've saved for twenty-odd years,
Following the lines of grain
The world outside disappears

I ignore my buzzing phone
As distant headlines break
I start a brand new cabinet
I control what I can make

In my hand
Treasured plans
I control what’s
In my hands

My father’s tools worn smooth with time
Carve fine lines in this wood
A older craft than I am
Through time his work has stood

Trending topics fall away
And die outside this place
This cabinet will hold cherished things
More precious as they age

In my hands
Are my plans
I control what’s
In my hands

Kids will hide behind these doors
They won’t know my name
Blankets, keepsakes, cubbyholes
Inside this crafted frame

The world outside moves faster
With each day, new stress and more
I count my time by shavings
From my workbench to the floor

SOLO

At night, I put it all away
And focus on us two
I put myself where I feel safe
The last place that feels true

In your hands
No more plans
I am safe here
In your hands


--

You are free to stream the songs but purchasing them is the best way to support independent artists such as myself. Or if you have the means, you can make a small donation through PayPal or Venmo using my email address: steveshack@gmail.com.


And please share this with friends!


[This is the hand-crafted newsletter of Steve Schalchlin. If you wish to be removed from the list, send me an email. If someone sent you this and you want to be added, write me at steveshack@gmail.com]--



Steve Schalchlin

Living in the Bonus Round







Spotify Links

2024 Songs https://tinyurl.com/3su9t85m

Love Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevelovesongs

Personal Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepersonal

Comic/Humor Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevehumor

Inspirational Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/steveinspire

Meditation Music by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevemeditate

Political Songs by Steve Schalchlin https://tinyurl.com/stevepolitics

Rebel Nerd Songs - lyrics by Steve Schalchlin

https://tinyurl.com/steverebelnerd

Press Release 1 for March 7, 2025 at 7pm

###


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:
Steve Schalchlin
Phone: 212-470-7593
Email: steveshack@gmail.com


STEVE SCHALCHLIN AND FRIENDS:

FROM OFF-BROADWAY TO BEATLES MAGIC AT DON'T TELL MAMA



A Genre-Bending Night of Music Combining Cabaret Heart with Beatles Harmony



NEW YORK, NY (January 2025) – Award-winning composer Steve Schalchlin, known for his poignant storytelling and emotionally resonant music, brings his unique sound to Don't Tell Mama NYC on March 7th at 7pm. Expect an evening of laughter, reflection, and soaring melodies as Schalchlin weaves together his signature blend of gallows humor and heartfelt depth. The New York Times called his work "triumphant and very touching," and this special concert offers a rare opportunity to experience that magic firsthand.



Along with a special appearance by cabaret legend Sidney Myer, the stellar ensemble features internationally acclaimed vocalist Carl Draper, known for his powerful baritone and emotive performances, rising star tenor Blake Zolfo, celebrated for his angelic voice and stage presence, and virtuoso Charlie Viehl on violin, vocals, and guitar, bringing his distinctive improvisational energy to each performance. The Rebel Nerds – South African musician Gavin Gold and Maine native Jake Adams – will bring their high-energy pop-punk infused sound to several numbers, with Adams seamlessly transitioning to bass with the Bonus Round Band.



The evening culminates as Schalchlin and Gold transform into the duo Strawberry Feels NYC, bringing audiences together through the universal language of Beatles classics. Expect a Sgt. Pepper's-inspired singalong of the Fab Four that embodies the same spontaneous, magical community spirit they create weekly in Central Park.



For those unfamiliar with Schalchlin, he's an award-winning composer whose career has been defined by music's power to connect, heal, and transform. From Off-Broadway musicals to Beatles singalongs in Central Park, he has consistently used his art to bridge emotional and cultural divides. Selected by George Michael to play John Lennon's IMAGINE piano for a documentary, Schalchlin has dedicated his career to music's transformative potential. His accolades include NY Drama League, NY Outer Critics Circle and awards from the LA Drama Critics Circle, GLAAD Media Awards, and LA Ovation Awards for works like the Off-Broadway musicals "The Last Session" and "The Big Voice: God or Merman?". This one-night-only performance offers a glimpse into his powerful ability to build community through music.


TICKET INFORMATION:


The performance takes place on March 7, 2025, at Don't Tell Mama NYC (343 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036). Seating begins at 6:15 PM, with the show starting at 7:00 PM. The cover charge is $20.00, with a $20.00 minimum (including two drinks).


Please note that Don't Tell Mama is a cash-only venue, so please be prepared. Advance reservations are highly recommended, as seating is limited. Reservations can be made at donttellmamanyc.com.



Don't miss this unforgettable night of music. Reserve your seats today at donttellmamanyc.com.

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