Download piano/vocal score.

my life, part 3

TIM
How’s this?

GARY
Not bad ... But it’s missing something.

TIM
What’s that?

GARY
The words.

TIM
Exactly. And that’s where you come in.

GARY
I do?

TIM
Remember what you said before, Gary: Takes two to tango, right?

GARY
Ha! Now you’re talking
(getting warmed up)
IT TAKES TWO...
SHOO BE DOO BE DOO BE DOO BE DOO.

TIM
SHOO BE DOO BE DOO BE DUM.

GARY
TUM TA TUM TA TUM!
Now that’s nice.

TIM
Tell me about it, Gary.

GARY
MY LIFE.
WAS NOTHING SPECIAL, I’M AN AVERAGE GUY.
BUT, MAN, IT REALLY PASSED ME BY.
HAS IT REALLY GONE SO FAST?
MY LIFE.
I DID IT MY WAY,
LIKE OLD BLUE EYES.
WHEN IT WAS PUNT OR PLAY
I’D ALWAYS PLAY,
UNLIKE MOST GUYS,
EVEN AT 4TH AND TEN.
AND I’D DO IT ALL AGAIN.
TRUCK DRIVER, BOXER, ALL-STATE BACK;
I’VE DONE IT ALL. I’VE BEEN A JACK
OF MANY TRADES.
I TOWED THE LINE FOR MANY YEARS.
HAD SIMPLE TASTES: BOXED WINE, LIGHT BEER.
When life gave me lemons, I MADE LEMONADE.
I LIKED THICK STEAKS, A STEADY PACE,
I TOOK MY MISSUS TO THE RACES.
I HUNTED DEER.
AND THEN ONE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED
I HARDLY RECOGNIZED THE STRANGER
LOOKING BACK AT ME FROM THE MIRROR.
WHAT ONCE WAS BROWN AND FULL IS GRAY.
AH, BUT MY YOUTH DIDN’T FADE AWAY,
(points to his heart)
IT JUST MADE ITS WAY IN HERE.

TIM
That’s great man! Tell me more!

GARY
ONE NIGHT.
I GOT A LETTER FROM LBJ.
I HAD TO GO AND FIGHT THE N.V.A.
WELL, WHO THE HELL WERE THEY?
MY LIFE.
BECAME A JUNGLE OF SWEAT AND MUD.
A NOISY TANGLE
OF BULLETS AND BLOOD
UP THE WAZOO, BUT I HAVE FRANK TO THANK:
HE’S THE VOICE THAT GOT ME THROUGH.
CHOPPERS CHOPPING, BETTIES BOUNCING!
MAN, WE REALLY GOT A TROUNCING
IF YOU ASK ME.
STALE RATIONS NAMED AFTER JOHN WAYNE
UNDER ENDLESS JUNGLE RAIN
JUST BENEATH THE DMZ.
TAKING ON THE VIETCONG.
MANY AT HOME SAID WE WERE WRONG,
BUT HINDSIGHT IS A WONDERFUL THING.
HOW THE GROUND BENEATH US TREMBLED.
AND WHEN THE BOOM BOOM GIRLS ASSEMBLED.
MAN, I TELL YOU: BA-DA-BING!
AND THAT OLD SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH AIN’T GONE
He’s in here. LISTEN HARD AND LONG
YOU CAN HEAR HIM SING.

TIM
You’re on a roll, Gary. Tell me about your family.

GARY
MY WIFE.
WAS A BEAUTY. SHE WAS OUTTA SIGHT.
SHE GAVE ME FIFTY-TWO YEARS OF HER LIFE.
EVERY DAY AND NIGHT.
WITHOUT HER SOMETHING ISN’T RIGHT.
MY WIFE
GAVE ME THREE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRLS.
DONNA, KRIS, AND HARRIET.
STUNNING PEARLS.
I DON’T MEAN TO BOAST.
BUT HAVE YOU SEEN THESE PHOTOS YET?

Music continues as GARY takes out his cell phone and shows TIM some photos of his daughters.

TIM
Wow, Gary. They really are beautiful.

GARY
Hey! Easy, there, Romeo. Don’t get any funny ideas.
THEY GAVE ME GRANDKIDS; FIVE ALL TOLD
THE YOUNGEST NINE YEARS OLD
YOU NEVER SAW SUCH PRECIOUS KIDS
TAKE LUCAS, DADDY’S LITTLE MAN
A KID WITH THE ATTENTION SPAN
OF A COKED-UP SQUIRREL.
PAYTON, DARCY, AND THE TWINS,
SO CUTE THEY’RE WHERE CUTENESS BEGINS
AND ENDS IN THIS WORLD.
MY DAUGHTER’S PARENTING PLANS? I FOILED ‘EM.
THE MOMENT I SAW THOSE KIDS I SPOILED ‘EM.
IT’S MY DUTY AS THEIR GRANDAD.
So you see.
MY LIFE: NOT BAD FOR AN AVERAGE GUY.
BUT HAS IT REALLY PASSED ME BY?
HAS IT REALLY GONE SO FAST?

Words and Music by Michael Johnson
Dialog by Rich Rubin
©2014, Zubsongs, Ltd.