TECHNICAL WRITER
(or "What if John Lennon had worked in software documentation?")
(to the tune of the Beatles' "Paperback Writer":)
lyrics © May 2000 by Paul A. Estin, tablature added December 2001
Thanks to Rachel "Gingi" Silverman for the idea
and to Nomi Burstein for further suggestions.

[a cap.] Technical writer (technical writer)...

e:-----------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------------------------|
G:-----------------------------------------------|
D:-----------5-----3-----------------------------|
A:-----3--5--------------3-----3--5--------------|
E:--3-----------3-----3-----3--------------------|

Dear [G7] Sir or Madam, did you read the docs?
They took me days to write-- well, since 9 o'clock--
You don't RTFM, so it's not my fault
When you lose your data!  You ignored me, the   [+]
Technical [C] writer, Technical [G7] writer!

The writing's simple, at least that's the plan, (so)   [-]
When you use the software, you can understand.
The manual's based on the loose specs I got,   []
'Cause I can't run the actual program as a
Technical [C] writer, Technical [G7] writer!

[a cap.] Technical writer (technical writer)...
[repeat musical intro]

(Tech... spec...) It's [G7] 600 pages, give or take or few,
(Wri... ter...)   And if it runs too long, we'll print a volume two!
(Tech... spec...) Take a break, read Dilbert, hope that Tina's there
(Wri... ter...)   'Cause she's just like me, another trod-upon   [+]
Technical [C] writer, Technical [G7] writer!

(Tech... spec...) In the [G7] latest update there are several bugs
(Wri... ter...)   It's my job to sweep them underneath the rug!
(Tech... spec...) If you must complain, then blame the coding team
(Wri... ter...)   'Cause it's not my fault!  I just want to be a
Technical [C] writer, Technical [G7] writer!

[C] Technical [G7] writer (RTFM now!)
[G7] Technical [C] writer (RTFM now!)    [repeat, fade to end]


Notes:

[] To be more technical, you can replace with "on the loose specs I got" with "on
the Approval forms".  "Approval" is a term used by Kenan and many other companies.

[-] There's an extra unstressed syllable (three instead of two) at the end of this
line / start of the next line, but it still scans, as long as you sing the first
syllable a beat early.

[+] There's a missing unstressed syllable (two instead of three) at the end of these
lines (the original is "and I want to be a "), so just vocally drag out the final
word a little longer when singing.  In the final stanza, it's the same as in the
original song.