Happens to all of us. I've sweated blood over an article of maybe 500 words, edited and re-edited it until I'm mumbling it in my sleep then come across it a year or two later and not recognize it as my own. Most stuff, yes, I know the rhythms of my writing style, turns of phrase, etc. but every once in a while I sort through old columns and wonder if maybe I was channeling somebody else, or they got the byline wrong. Considering the enormous body of work he's created, it's easy to understand blanking on lyrics now and then. Even great actors "go up" (as they say) while performing on stage words they've said hundreds of times before, night after night. If your concentration falters momentarily or a cough distracts, the train of thought jumps the track.
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