Peter Callander, a British songwriter...

...who provided lyrics for some of the worst music of my childhood, died at age 74. While I'm sure Mr. Callander was a nice man (actually I'm not sure, but I feel compelled to say that about someone who just passed away), he was responsible for such "hits" as “The Night Chicago Died,” “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” (below) and “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast” (bottom).

If you grew up in the 1970s, like I did, you were subjected to this kind of thing over and over and over again on Top 40 AM radio until you discovered such "freeform progressive rock" stations as WXRT in Chicago or KQRS in Minneapolis. (Which have both since gone to hell, by the way.)

Kids today have it so much easier than their parents.