Merrily We Roll Along Musical Album Lyrics

[Instrumental]

FIRST SOLO
Yesterday is done ... FRANK (Older)
Compromise is how you survive.

FRANK (Younger)
It's how you give up.
See the pretty countryside ...

FRANK (Older)
SECOND SOLO Compromise is the bottom line, let me tell you.
Merrily we roll along, roll along ...
And if you know beforehand —
Bursting with dreams ...
— if you know now that all you're intending to happen —
THIRD SOLO
Travelling's the fun ...
— ain't gonna happen the way you think it's gonna happen —

A STUDENT
It will.

A STUDENT
FOURTH SOLO C'mon, man.
Flashing by the countryside ...
FRANK (Older)
FIFTH SOLO — because life has some ideas about your intentions.
Everybody, merrily,

SIXTH SOLO
Merrily ...

ALL SIX Hey kids —
Catching at dreams ...
Listen to us "old guys" if you can. I know you don't see it, but some day you're
Going to be us.
Rolling along ...
Rolling along ... FRANK (Younger)
Rolling along ... Not if I can help it.

FRANK (Older)
I understood the facts least of anybody when I was your age. I believe all I
Dreamed of back then was to compose music. And I did, as you may
GROUP I remember.
Dreams don't die,
But keep an eye on your dream ... GROUP II
And before you know where you are,
There you are.
Time goes by
And hopes go dry,
But you still can try FRANK (Older)
For your dream ... Oh, yeah. Music was going to
Sustain me, fulfill me, support
Me.
SOLO GROUP
Tend your dream ... How does it happen? But "real life" came along. I had
Dreams take time ... When does it disappear? choices to make ...
Time goes by ... How can you get so far off the track?
Why don't you turn around and go back?
Bend your dream ... How does it happen?
Where is the moment?
With the road ... How can you miss it? Isn't it clear?
How can you let it slip out of gear?

ALL
(to the older Frank)
How did you ever get there from here?

GROUP I GROUP II
You roll ... How does it happen?
How does it happen?
You just roll ... When does it disappear?
Isn't it always clear?
Everybody roll ... How does it start to go?
How does it slip away slow ...

ALL
... So you never even notice
It's happening?

FRANK (Younger)
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?

GUSSIE
What did you have to go through?

BETH
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?

MEG
Boy, did they do it to you ...

MARY FRANK (Older)
Pick yourself a raod, If you want to hear something amazing, ask anybody here if where they are is
(with another girl) where they were headed. I'll bet you most of them won't even remember
Get to know where they were even headed at your age. If you knew how I've bounced
The countryside. around and been bounced around ...
(with the group)
Soon enough
You're merrily,
Merrily
Practicing dreams,

Dreams that will explode,
Waking up the countryside,
Making you feel merrily,
Merrily,
What can go wrong,
Rolling along?

ALL
Some roads are soft
And some are bumpy.
Some roads you really
Fly.
Some rides are rough
And leave you jumpy,
Why make it tough
By getting grumpy?
Plenty of roads to try.

GROUP I GROUP II
Some roads are soft One
And some are bumpy, Trip, all you get is
Some roads you really One quick ride,
Fly. Look around a bit.
Some roads are rough One quick ride
And leave you jumpy, Through the
Why make it tough Countryside,
By getting grumpy? Stay on the track.
Plenty of roads to try. FRANK (Older)
Some roads you really Better look back. ... And I am going
Fly. to bounce back.
Some leave you Because I know the
High and dry — rules, the rules
I'm trying to share
With you here today.

ALL
Better look back.
Better look back.
Better look back!
Better look back!
Better look —

FRANK (Younger)
How did you get there from here, Mr Shepard?
What did you have to go through?

ALL
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?
How did you get to be you?

Bending with the road,
Gliding through the countryside.
Everybody merrily,
Merrily,
Sing 'em your song,
Rolling along!
Rolling along!
Rolling along!
Rolling a ...

[TYLER]
I said, "Frank, this picture is a watershed..."

[TERRY]
I said, "Frank, one day you'll run my studio..."

[SCOTTY]
I said, "Frank, will you listen to that response?"

[DORY]
I said, "Frank really knows what the public wants"

[TYLER]
I said, "Frank, this picture is a watershed..."

[MARY, spoken]
Know what I'm having?

[REUBEN, spoken]
What?

[MARY, spoken]
Not much fun.

[REUBEN, spoken]
Oh.

[FRANK, spoken]
Party!

[GROUP I]
That Frank—

[JEROME]
The guy is too much—

[FRANK, spoken]
Hey, the party's inside!

[GROUP II]
That Frank—

[FRANK, spoken]
You like the picture?

[TERRY]
The platinum touch

[FRANK, spoken]
How about some Champagne, huh?

[SCOTTY]
He has taste, he has talent—
[TERRY]
Is he the best?

[TYLER]
Plus a fine head for business

[K.T.]
The man is blessed

[COMPANY]
That Frank!

[REUBEN, spoken]
So what do you do?

[JEROME]
He's full of advice

[MARY, spoken]
I drink.

[GROUP II]
That Frank —

[REUBEN, spoken]
No, no, no, what do you really do?

[COMPANY]
And God, is he nice!

[MARY, spoken]
I really drink.

[K.T.]
What a friend—

[MEG]
What a host—

[RICH GUEST]
And his work is great

[TERRY]
Has a wife who is gorgeous—

[MEN]
A son who's straight

[COMPANY]
He's the type you could easily learn to hate
That Frank!

[FRANK]
Who says, "Lonely at the top?"
I say, "Let it never stop!"
It's our time
Coming through
All our dreams
Coming true
Working hard
Getting rich
Being happy—
There's a switch!

[GROUP I]
That smile—

[GUEST, spoken]
Don't you miss writing music?

[GROUP I]
He's hot but he's cool

[FRANK, spoken]
That was the old Frank Shepard.

[GROUP II]
What style—

[GUEST, spoken]
This guy's the American dream!

[GUEST]
And what a great pool!

[GROUP I]
If you had no idea what charisma meant—

[GROUP II]
And you just can't be jealous, he's such a gent—

[COMPANY]
He's the kind of a man that you can't resent
That Frank!

[TYLER]
I said "Frank, you're coming down to Mexico..."

[JEROME]
I think Frank is moving back to Paramount...

[MARY]
These are the movers
These are the shapers
These are the people
That fill the papers

[GROUP I]
Mexico...

[MARY]
These are the friends of Frank

[GROUP II]
Moving back to Paramount...

[MARY]
Each one a perfect blank

[COMPANY]
When you see a movie that successful
What can you say?
(spoken)
Congratulations!

[FRANK, spoken]
Thank you!

[MARY]
These are the movers
These are the shapers
These are the people
That give you vapors...

[FRANK]
Twenty years ago, who'd have guessed
Who'd have guessed
We'd be standing here?
God, we would have been so impressed!
Now we're here with the most—

[GROUP I]
Mexico...

[FRANK]
—Brilliant minds on the coast

[GROUP II]
Moving back to Paramount...

[FRANK]
And notice who is their host

[GROUP I]
Mexico...

[GROUP II]
Beautiful, Frank!

[GROUP I]
Acapulco, Mexico...

[GROUP II]
Beautiful, Frank!

[COMPANY]
When you've made a movie that successful
Where do you go?

[FRANK, spoken]
Uh—Paramount...

[GUEST, spoken]
I heard a reliable rumor that you're selling the Malibu house?

[FRANK, spoken]
Ah, you don't want it. Place doesn't even have a pool.

[MARY, spoken]
No pool?! In my rat's hole in New York, the john is terminally busted and the kitchen should be condemned. But no pool?! Trash it!

[FRANK, spoken]
Let's have some coffee, Mary.

[COMPANY]
Poor Frank—

[MARY, spoken]
I never drink coffee.

[COMPANY]
He handled that well

[MARY, spoken]
Caffeine isn't good for you.

[GROUP II]
That Frank—

[FRANK, spoken]
I'm aware this is just a formula picture.

[JEROME]
He's loyal as hell

[FRANK, spoken]
But my next movie—you wait.

[MARY, spoken]
I gave up waiting.

[COMPANY]
He's polite and considerate, rain or shine

[MARY]
It began when I tasted communion wine—

[COMPANY]
That Frank

[FRANK]
Who says, "Mustn't go too far"?
I say, "Look at where we are!"
It's our time
Coming through
I say, "Good—
Me and you"
I say, "Roll!"
I say, "Ride!"
I say, "Hey, there's food inside!"

[COMPANY]
That Frank!

[GUEST, spoken]
Your movie was fun!

[COMPANY]
You'd think he'd relax

[GUEST, spoken]
It's what the public wants.

[COMPANY]
Not Frank—

[GUEST, spoken]
Frank understands commercial!

[COMPANY]
He's laying new tracks

[GUEST, spoken]
And Frank made a star!

[COMPANY]
If you had no idea what charisma meant—
And you just can't be jealous, he's such a gent—
He's the kind of a man could be President
That Frank!
That Frank!
That Frank!

That Frank!

[COMPANY, variously]
How did you get to be here?
What was the moment?
How did you get to be here?

Dreams don't die
So keep an eye on your dream
Or before you know where you are
There you are

Roads may wind
And you may find
What you've left behind
Is your dream

Tend your dream...
How does it happen?...
Dreams take time...
Once it was all so clear...
Time goes by...
How can you get so far off the track?
Why don't you turn around and go back?

Bend your dream—
How does it happen?
Where is the moment?—
With the road...
—When did the road behind disappear?
Where did you let things slip out of gear?
How did you ever get to be here?

1975...
1974...
1973...

[MARY]
Hey, old friend
What do you say, old friend?
Make it okay, old friend
Give the old friendship a break
Why so grim?
We're going on forever
You, me, him
Too many lives are at stake

Friends this long
Has to mean something's strong
So if our old friend's wrong
Shouldn't an old friend come through?
It's us, old friend—
What's to discuss, old friend?
Here's to us
Who's like us—?

[CHARLEY]
Damn few

[MARY]
Charley
Why can't it be like it was?
I liked it the way that it was
Charley
You and me, we were nicer then

We were nice
Kids and cities and trees were nice
Everything...
I don't know who we are anymore
And I'm starting not to care

Look at us, Charley
Nothing's the way that it was
I want it the way that it was
Help me stop remembering then

Don't you remember?
It was good, it was really good
Help me out, Charley
Make it like it was

(spoken)
Come on. We both know it, it was better, Charley. The three of us.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
And you come on—we're not the three of us any more, Mary. Now we're one and one and one.

[MARY]
Charley
Nothing's the way that it was
I want it the way that it was
God knows, things were easier then

Trouble is, Charley
That's what everyone does:
Blames the way it is
On the way it was
On the way it never ever was...

[INTERVIEWER (spoken)]
Now tell me, how do you two work together?

[CHARLEY (spoken)]
Oh, may I answer that?

[INTERVIEWER]
Please

[CHARLEY]
How do we work together? Sure
He goes —
(piano keys)
And I go —
(typing)

(sung)
And soon we're humming along —
Hmmm-mmm
And that's called writing a song —
Hmmm-mmm
Then he goes —
(piano keys)
And I go —
(typing)
And the phone goes brrrring!

And he goes —
"Mutter mutter mutter mutter, yes Jerome
Mutter, no Jerome
Mutter mutter mutter mutter"
— That's his lawyer, Jerome —
"Mutter mutter mutter mutter mutter, do it Jerome"

Click
"Sorry, Charley... "
(piano keys)
So I go —
(typing)
And he goes —(piano keys)
And I go —
(typing)
And soon we're tapping away —
Hmmm-mmm

Bzzz!
"Sorry, Charley... "
Bzzz!
—Secretary —
Bzzz!
— On the intercom —
"Yes, Miss Bizz?"
"It's a messenger... "
"Thanks, Miss Bizz
Will you tell him to wait?
Will you order the car?
Will you call up the bank?
Will you wire the coast?
Will you — "
Brrrrrring!
"Sorry, Charley — "
"Mutter mutter mutter mutter, sell the stock
Mutter, buy the rights
Mutter mutter mutter mutter mutter"
Bzzz!
"Let me put you on hold... "
Bzzz!
"Yes, Miss Bizz"
"It's the interview... "
"Thanks, Miss Bizz"
Will you tell him to wait?
Will you wire the car?
Will you order the coast?
Will you send up the bank?"

And the telephones blink
And the stocks get sold
And the rest of us he keeps on hold
And he's into making movies
And he's now a corporation
Right?

So I play at home
With my wife and kids
And I wait to hear the movie bids
And I've got a little sailboat
And I'm into meditation
Right

He flies off to California
I discuss him with my shrink
That's the story of the way we work
Me and Franklin Shepard, Inc

[INTERVIEWER (spoken)]
Now, when you do work together, I've always been curious
Which generally comes first — the words or the music?

[CHARLEY (spoken)]
Generally, the contract

[INTERVIEWER]
Ah, well that sounds like you think making money is a bad thing for an artist

[CHARLEY]
Money?
(piano keys)
Did I say money?
(typing)

(sung)
No, I like money a lot —
Hmmm-mmm
I mean, it's better than not —
Hmmm-mmm
But when it's —
(snort)
Money...
(snort, snort)
Money...
When you're into —
(snort)
Money...
And you should be —
(piano keys)

(spoken)
Listen, Frank does the money thing very well, but you know what?
Other people do it better
And Frank does the music thing very well
And you know what? No one does it better

(sung)
Still, the telephones blink
And the buzzers buzz
And I really don't know what he does
But he makes a ton of money
And a lot of it for me —
Right?

So I think "Okay,"
And I start a play
And he somehow knows
'Cause right away
It's brrrring!
"Hiya, buddy
Wanna write a show?
Got a great idea
We'll own all the rights
With a two-week out
And a turnaround
On the guarantee
Plus a gross percent
Of the billing clause — "

And there I am in California
Talking deals and turning pink
Back in business and I mean just that
Back with Franklin Shepard, Inc

Very sneaky how it happens
Much more sneaky than you think
Start with nothing but a song to sing
Next, you're Franklin Shepard —

(spoken)
Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute
I'm getting in a little too deep here

[INTERVIEWER (spoken)]
Franklin, let me ask you...

[CHARLEY]
See, the thing is Frank and I are not that kind of close anymore
Not like we used to be

[INTERVIEWER]
And now, Frank...

[CHARLEY]
And a friendship is like a garden
You have to water it, you have to tend it
You have to care about it or you lose it
And I miss it, and I want it back

(sung)
Look, nothing permanent has happened
Just a temporary kink
Friendship's something you don't really lose...

(spoken)
Ladies and gentlemen don't let me lose the greatest composer any lyricist ever had
Phone him, write him, stop him on the street - you'll recognise him, he's the one going through his chequebook- and tell that man to get back to his piano

(sung)
Very sneaky how it happens
Every day you're on the brink
First the prizes, then the interviews —
Oh, my God, I think it's happened
Stop me quick before I sink
One more triumph that I can't refuse —

(spoken)
In case you didn't notice, this is my first time on TV — and my last

(sung)
No, here's the point, whatever happens —
Then we'll all go have a drink —
That's the guy I love, the fella who's
Inside -
"Mutter mutter mutter mutter

(spoken)
Quick, Jerome, get the president, there's a crazy man on my TV screen... "

(sung)
Inside —
Bzzz! Bzzz! Brrring! —
Inside Franklin Shepard —
Just write him care of any bank, U.S.A. —
Inc

[GROUP]
Some roads are soft
And some are bumpy
Some roads you really fly
Some rides are rough
And leave you jumpy
Why make it tough
By getting grumpy?
Plenty of roads to try

[SOLO VOICES]
1972...
1971...

[GROUP I]
One trip
All you get
Is one quick ride
Look around a bit
One quick ride
Through the countryside
Stay on the track

[GROUP II]
Some roads are soft
And some are bumpy
Some roads you really fly
Some roads are rough
And leave you jumpy
Why make it tough
By getting grumpy?
Plenty of roads to try

[SOLO VOICE]
1970...

[GROUP]
Some roads you really fly

[SOLO VOICE]
1969...

[GROUP]
How does it start to go?
Does it slip away slow
So you never even notice it's happening?
1968...

[MARY]
Here's to us—

[FRANK]
Who's like us?

[CHARLEY]
Damn few

[FRANK]
Hey, old friend
Are you okay, old friend?
Whaddaya say, old friend?
Are we or are we unique?

Time goes by
Everything else keeps changing
You and I
We get continued next week

Most friends fade
Or they don't make the grade
New ones are quickly made
And in a pinch, sure, they'll do
But us, old friend
What's to discuss, old friend?
Here's to us—
Who's like us?
Damn few!

[CHARLEY]
So, old friend
Fill me in slow, old friend—
Start from hello, old friend
I want the when, where, and how
Old friends
Do tend to become old habit—
Never knew
How much I missed you till now

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
Most friends fade
Or they don't make the grade
New ones are quickly made
Some of them worth something, too
But us, old friends—
What's to discuss, old friends?

[FRANK]
Tell you something:
Good friends point out your lies
Whereas old friends live and let live

[MARY]
Good friends like and advise
Whereas old friends love and forgive

[FRANK]
And old friends let you go your own way—

[CHARLEY]
Help you find your own way—

[MARY]
Let you off when you're wrong—

[FRANK]
If you're wrong—

[CHARLEY]
When you're wrong—

[MARY]
Right or wrong, the point is:
Old friends shouldn't care if you're wrong

[FRANK]
Should, but not for too long

[CHARLEY]
What's too long?

[FRANK]
If you're wrong!

[CHARLEY]
When you're wrong!

[MARY]
The thing is:
Old friends do leave their brands on you
But old friends shouldn't compete

[FRANK]
Old friends don't make demands on you—

[CHARLEY]
Should make demands on you—

[FRANK]
Well, don't make demands you can't meet

[CHARLEY]
Well, what's the
Point of demands you can meet?

[MARY]
Well, there's a time for demands
Whether you meet them or not—

[They squabble.]

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
Hey, old friends
How do we stay old friends?
Who is to say, old friends
How an old friendship survives?
One day chums
Having a laugh a minute
One day comes
And they're a part of your lives

New friends pour
Through the revolving door
Maybe there's one that's more
If you find one, that'll do
But us, old friends
What's to discuss, old friends?
Here's to us
Who's like us?
Damn few!

[FRANK]
Thanks, old friends...
Keep reminding me...
Frank's old friends
Always seem to come through
Frank will, too...

So, old friends
Now it's time to start growing up
Taking charge
Seeing things as they are
Facing facts
Not escaping them
Still with dreams
Just reshaping them
Growing up...

Charley is a hothead
Charley won't budge
Charley is a friend

Charley is a screamer
Charley won't bend
Charley's in your corner

Mary is a dreamer
Mary's a friend
Mary is a nudge

Mary is a purist
Charley's a judge
Charley is a dropout
Everything's a "copout"

Why is it old friends
Don't want old friends to change?
Every road has a turning
That's the way you keep learning

So, old friends
Don't you see we can have it all
Moving on
Getting out of the past?
Solving dreams
Not just trusting them
Taking dreams
Readjusting them
Growing up
Growing up...

Trying things
Being flexible
Bending with the road
Adding dreams
When the others don't last
Growing up
Understanding that growing never ends
Like old dreams—
Some old dreams—
Like old friends
[GUSSIE]
Life is knowing what you want, darling
That's the only thing to know
As I told you moons ago, darling
Nothing wrong with wanting...

Nothing wrong with wanting me, darling
Also nothing wrong with not
Though it's only fair that
You should be aware that
I want you a lot

Growing up
Means admitting
The things you want the most
Can't pursue
Every possible line
Folding tents
Making choices
Ignoring all
Other voices
Including mine...
You're divine...

You decide on what you want, darling
Not on what you think you should
Not on what you want to want, darling
Not from force of habit
Once it's clearly understood, darling
Better go and grab it
Things can slip away for good, darling
What is it you really—hmm?

[COMPANY]
Yesterday is done
See the pretty countryside
Merrily we roll along, roll along
Gathering dreams

Traveling's the fun
Flashing by the countryside
Everybody merrily, merrily
Following dreams

Rolling along...
Rolling along...
Rolling along...
Rolling along...

[BETH]
Not a day goes by
Not a single day
But you're somewhere a part of my life
And it looks like you'll stay

As the days go by
I keep thinking when does it end?
Where's the day I'll have started forgetting?

But I just go on
Thinking and sweating
And cursing and crying
And turning and reaching
And waking and dying
And no
Not a day goes by
Not a blessed day
But you're still somehow part of my life
And you won't go away

So there's hell to pay
And until I die
I'll die day after day
After day after day
After day after day
After day
Till the days go by!
Till the days go by!
Till the days go by!

[SCOTTY]
So you've made a mistake
So you're singing the blues
So you'll take some time, go visit some places—

[MARY]
You gotta be somewhere
Where there's nothing to remind you—
Right?

[TYLER]
What you need is a break—
I'll arrange a nice cruise
You'll relax a bit and see some new faces—

[CHARLEY & MARY]
You've gotta do something
But just never look behind you

[CHARLEY, MARY & TYLER]
Right?

[SCOTTY & K.T.]
Best thing that ever could have happened—

[FRANK, spoken]
Right.

[JOE]
So you'll sit in the sun
You'll come back with a tan
Then we'll do that show you've always been talking

[SCOTTY]
The side is retired
So we start another inning—
Right?

[DORY]
On a boat is such fun—

[JEROME]
You'll come back a changed man—

[TYLER]
I've had lots of guests and no one's squawking—

[CHARLEY & MARY]
Feels like an ending
But it's really a beginning—
Right?

[SCOTTY]
Best thing that ever could have happened—
[JOE]
Best thing that ever could have happened

[K.T.]
One more thing not to think about...

[SCOTTY]
I say, best thing that ever could have happened—

[FRANK, spoken]
Right!

[MARY]
All right, now you know:
Life is crummy
Well, now you know

I mean, big surprise:
People love you and tell you lies
Bricks can tumble from clear blue skies
Put your dimple down
Now you know

Okay, there you go—
That's the sum of it
Now you know
It's called flowers wilt
It's called apples rot
It's called thieves get rich and saints get shot
It's called God don't answer prayers a lot
Okay, now you know

Okay, now you know
Now forget it
Don't fall apart at the seams
It's called letting go your illusions
And don't confuse them with dreams
If the going's slow
Don't regret it
And don't let's go to extremes

It's called what's your choice?
It's called count to ten
It's called burn your bridges, start again
You should burn them every now and then
Or you'll never grow!

Because now you grow
That's the killer is
Now you grow

All right, nothing's fair
And it's all a plot
And tomorrow doesn't look too hot—
Right, you better look at what you've got:
Over here, hello!
Okay, now you know
Right?

[JOE]
So you'll find a new gal—

[JOE & SCOTTY]
So you'll write a new play—
In a month or two, you're going to thank us

[MARY]
You may have missed one road
But there's plenty more to follow
Right?

[TYLER]
We'll go through the canal
Up the coast to L.A.
You'll come see the place I'm building at Trancas—

[CHARLEY]
You hang around here, pal
And you're only gonna wallow
Right?

[ALL]
Right!

[JOE & TYLER]
Best thing that ever could have happened!

[MARY]
I mean, you'll come back
I mean, what's the fuss?

[CHARLEY]
I mean, sea and sun and comfort plus

[CHARLEY & MARY]
I mean, after all, you've still got us
Best thing that ever could have happened!

[ALL]
Best thing that ever could have happened!
Best thing that ever could have happened!
It was all getting much too complicated...
It was all getting much too complicated...
Best thing that ever could have happened!

[FRANK]
Right!
You've gotta let go
Gotta do it from scratch
Take a long deep breath
Go back to your sources
A little vacation
Which is all about forgetting—
Right?

[ALL]
Right!

[FRANK]
Right!
Then we'll do a new show—
No, we'll do a whole batch
Maybe one that's all about divorces!
I mean, a divorce court—
What a fascinating setting!
Right?

[ALL]
Right!

[FRANK, spooken]
Right!

[GROUP I]
Best thing that ever could have happened...
Best thing that ever could have happened...
I say, best thing that ever could have happened...
I say, best thing that ever could have happened...
It's your time, your time...

[GROUP II]
Yesterday is done
See the pretty countryside
Soon enough you're merrily merrily
Rolling along...
Rolling along...

[GROUP III]
So you'll sit in the sun
You'll come back with a tan
In a month or two
You're going to thank us
It's your time...

[ALL]
What's your choice?
It's called count to ten
It's called burn your bridges, start again
You should burn them every now and then
Or you'll never grow!

Because now you grow
That's the killer
So now you grow

[MARY]
You're right, nothing's fair
And it's all a plot
And tomorrow doesn't look too hot—

[ALL]
Right, you better look at what you've got:
Over here, hello?

Now you know, now you know, now you know
Over here, hello!
Now you know! Right!
Now you know! Right!
Now you know! Right!
Now you know! Right!
Right! Right! Right! Right!
Right! Right! Right! Right! Right! Right! Right! Right!
Now you know!

[GUSSIE]
He's only a boy...
Why do I think he loves me?
Maybe he loves what I can do for him
Maybe he thinks that I'll come through for him
Maybe the moon is cheese!

And yet maybe
Maybe
Something real is happening here
But baby
You're a baby
And the man I'm married to needs me near...

Okay, the moon is cheese!
And I love the guy I shouldn't
And I don't the one I should
Ah, but love is blind
And I go for the kind
That I finally find
Is no good...

It started out like a song
It started quiet and slow with no surprise
And then one morning I woke to realize
We had a good thing going

It's not that nothing went wrong...

[JOE]
Listen to that!
Will you listen to that!

[FRANK]
Do you know what that means?
Let me tell you what that means—
Wait, no—
Anyone who even thinks it
Don't say it
You'll jinx it...

[CHARLEY]
Listen to that!

[JOE]
Did you listen to that?

[FRANK]
Does that make you feel proud?
Well, feel more than just proud—
Okay, wait
I'll tempt fate
And I'll state it out loud
That's the sound of a —

Hit!
It's a hit!
Gang, I think this is it!
No more writing clever little shows
For those basement saloons
No more proclamations from the pros
That you "can't hum the tunes"—

[CHARLEY]
No more sneaking in at intermission
To the plays you wish you could afford—

[MARY]
Or producers having you audition
Whenever they're bored—

[CHARLEY]
And who'll say right away
As you play the first chord:
(spoken)
"Boys, boys, that is very, very, uh, what's the word? Interesting. And if I thought an audience would come to see it I would produce it in a minute. Next!"

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY, BETH & JOE]
We're a hit!
We're a hit!

[JOE]
Standing up—
The whole bit!

[FRANK]
No more coaching those sopranos
With voices like bees—

[CHARLEY]
No more secondhand pianos
With six broken keys—

[MARY]
No more agents giving you opinions
As they turn you over to their minions—

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY, BETH & JOE]
Just for these
Guarantees
We should please
Thank the Lord!

It's a hit!
It's a hit!

[BETH]
Will my folks have a fit!
After all of that baloney
They made me go through
All that "Honey, not that he's a phony
But what does he do?"
Will their faces be stony
When they see on their Sony
Someone handing the phony
The Tony Award!

[FRANK, spoken]
'I would like to begin by thanking all of the hundreds of people who have turned down every show I have ever written so that I could win tonight for this one. Thank you!

(sung)
Listen to that!
Will you listen to that?
Tell me
Is that a noise
Or is that a noise?
That is a noise
We've been waiting
The whole of our lives to hear!

[BETH]
Listen to that!
Did you listen to that?
Honey, is that a noise
Or is that a noise?
That is the loveliest noise
For a bread-winning wife to hear!

[FRANK]
Listen to that!
Will you listen to that!
I can't stand it!

[MARY]
Listen to that!
That's obscene!

[JOE]
That is a noise
That is really a—
Listen to that!
Will you listen to that?
Golly, I can't—listen to that!
Will you listen to that?

[CHARLEY]
Listen to that!
Fellas, that is a noise
That is really a noise!
I can't stand it!
Will you listen to that!
Will you listen to that!

[BETH]
Listen to that!
Did you listen to that?
I can't stand it!
Did you listen to that!
Listen to that!
Will you listen to that!

[FRANK]
Listen to that!
That is the noise I've been waiting
My life to hear!
Listen to that!
Will you listen to that!
Will you listen to that!

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY, BETH & JOE]
That's the sound of an audience
Losing its mind!
It's the Pope on his balcony
Blessing mankind!

[JOE]
Folks, it's Funny Girl, Fiddler
And Dolly combined!

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY, BETH & JOE]
It's a hit!
It's a hit!
It's a palpable hit!

[FRANK & CHARLEY]
If it only even runs a minute
At least it's a wedge
It's the theater and we're really in it
Not just on the edge!

[JOE]
If your spirits ever need improving
You can drop in any night for free!

[FRANK]
But the thing that's positively moving—

[CHARLEY]
You could have fooled me—

[FRANK & CHARLEY]
—Is we're still old friends!
Nothing can kill old friends!

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
Where there's a will, old friends
Don't need success to survive!

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY & BETH]
And us, old friends
What's to discuss, old friends?

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY, BETH & JOE]
We've got a surefire genuine
Walk-away blockbuster
Lines down to Broadway
Boffola sensational
Box office lalapalooza gargantuan—
Hit!
It's a hit!
It's a hit!
It's a hit!
It's a hit!
It's a hit!

[SOLO VOICES]
Dreams don't die
So keep an eye on your dream
'Cause before you know where you are
There you are

Time goes by
And dreams go dry
But you can't give up
On your dreams...

Tend your dreams...
Dreams take time...
Time goes by...
Bend your dreams
With the road...

[GROUP]
Some roads are easy
Some roads are all uphill
Some roads you plod along with a will
Some roads you travel just for the thrill

Some rides are breezy
Some rides are full of jiggles and bumps
Can't let it get you down in the dumps
Don't let it get you down in the dumps!

[SOLO VOICES]
1964...
1963...
1962...

THE BLOB
Have you seen — ?
How was it — ?
You're not serious!
Do you mean — ?
That does it!
You're not serious!

Darling!
We bought the most — !
Darling!
We had the best — !
Darling!
We saw the first —
Darling!
Was that the worst — ?

Best — !
It's the first — !
It's the finest — !
It's the latest — !
It's the least — !
It's the worst — !
It's the absolutely lowest — !
It's the greatest — !
It's the single — !
It's the only — !
It's the perfect — !
It's the —

Hi!

Dreadful!

Fabulous!

FRANK (spoken)
Hi, I didn't know if you'd remember me, I'm Franklin Shepard? Oh and that's Charley Kringus who writes my lyrics.

GUSSIE (spoken)
Remember you? You're the reason we're giving this bash! I have invited the richest and most influential people in this town tonight, none of whom are as rich or influential as you are going to be
I call them 'The Blob', they absorb everything.

(sung)
Meet The Blob
The bodies you read about
The ones who know everyone
That everyone knows

THE BLOB
Hi!
Dreadful!
Fabulous!

GUSSIE
Meet the blob
Not many and yet —

THE BLOB
Oh. Right...

GUSSIE
— you never see one —

THE BLOB
What?
No!

GUSSIE
They come as a set

THE BLOB
Who? —
Him?

GUSSIE
And we're in their debt —

THE BLOB
But what did you think?

GUSSIE
'Cause, honeybunch
They write the books
And put on the shows
And run the saloons
And design the clothes
They keep us natives on our toes

THE BLOB
Albee!
Warhol!
Kurosawa!

GUSSIE
Then they read the books
And go to the shows
And swamp the saloons
Wearing all the clothes...
What you might call a glut
But
They're the most important people
In the most important city
In the most important country
In the you-know-what!

THE BLOB
Heavy!
Miltown!
Gestalt!

[GUSSIE]
Life is knowing what you want, darling
That's the thing you have to know
You'll get everything you want, darling
Have a little patience
Climbing mountains can be slow, darling
Take it easy as you climb
I'd say you're a winner
Also a beginner—
One step at a time

Growing up
It's what they call growing up
It's when we're all starting out
And starting to sway

Growing up
You hate the delay
But after today
You'll be on your way
So whadda you say—?

[GUSSIE, spoken]
Anyway, this song is from a little show that they wanna do that we hope will be in a big show that we wanna do.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
In a big show? Frank, what the hell is she talking about?

[FRANK, spoken]
Later. Sing!

[CHARLEY]
It started out like a song
We started quiet and slow
With no surprise
And then one morning I woke
To realize
We had a good thing going

It's not that nothing went wrong:
Some angry moments, of course
But just a few
And only moments, no more
Because we knew
We had this good thing going

And if I wanted too much
Was that such
A mistake
At the time?
You never wanted enough—
All right, tough
I don't make
That a crime

And while it's going along
You take for granted some love
Will wear away
We took for granted a lot
But still I say:
It could have kept on growing
Instead of just kept on
We had a good thing going
Going
Gone

[Applause]

[GUSSIE, spoken]
Wait, wait, wait. Keep them there. We want to hear it again. Tell them! Wouldn't you all just like to live your entire life to that music. Okay, down everybody, down down down. They're gonna do it again. One mo' time.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Frank, no. Say "No."

[MARY, spoken]
Charley's right.

[BETH, spoken]
But they loved it.

[FRANK, spoken]
They thought we were great.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
You wanna know what true greatness is? It's knowing when to get off.

[FRANK, spoken]
I'll sing with you. Come on.

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
It started out like a song
We started quiet and slow
With no surprise
And then one morning I woke
To realize—

[DORY]
I said, "Joe, this show will be a watershed..."

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
We had a good thing going

[GUSSIE, spoken]
Shh!

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
It's not that nothing went wrong:
Some angry moments—

[GUESTS]
Did you hear—?
No kidding—!
You're not serious!

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
Of course
But just a few

[MARY & GUEST, spoken]
Shh!

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
And only moments, no more

[JOE]
Dadadadada—

[GUSSIE, spoken]
Shh!

[GUESTS]
It's a clear case of Tammany politics
We were stuck in the tunnel till half past six!

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
Because we knew
We had this good thing going

[GUESTS]
It's a show that'll murder them in the sticks
Did you read—?

[GUESTS' babbling overtakes the singing.]

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
And if I wanted too much
Was that such
A mistake
At the time?

[GUESTS]
It'll never—!
They just don't mix
What we need—!
Did you ever—!
Till half past six!
It's a clear case of Tammany politics
Did you read—?
It'll never—!
They just don't mix!
What we need—!
Did you ever—!
Till half—

[GUSSIE, spoken]
Shh!

[CHARLEY & FRANK]
You never wanted enough—
All right, tough
I don't make
That a crime

[GROUP I]
Darling!
We saw the new—
Darling!
We had the most bad—
Was it good?
It's the biggest—!
He's a genius!
Well he can't
But he used to!
It's the dumbest—!
She's a genius!
It's the best—!
It's the first—!
He's a genius!
It's the least—!
She's a genius—!
It's the absolutely lowest—!
They're a genius!

[GROUP II]
Did you read—?
It'll never—!
They just don't mix!
What we need—!
Did you ever—!
Till half past six!
It's a show that'll murder 'em in the sticks...
It's a clear case of Tammany politics

[COMPANY]
It's the greatest—
It's the single—
It's the only—
It's the perfect—
It's the one—
It's the real—
It's the true—
It's the final—
It's the—

[COMPANY]
Traveling's the fun
Flashing by the countryside
Merrily we roll along, roll along
Catching at dreams

Yesterday is done
See the pretty countryside
Everybody merrily, merrily
1961...

Some roads are easy
Some rides are breezy
Some roads the ride gets out of control

[SOLO VOICE]
Grinds to a halt and ends in a hole

[COMPANY]
Some roads you stall before you can roll

[CHARLEY]
1960...

[BETH]
It's 1960...

[FRANK]
And gosh, what a swell year it's been!

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
So many blessings
Such wonders it has brought
You hardly know where to begin:
There's Xerox
And lasers
The twist and the "pill"
A city in Brazil—

[BETH]
That no one wants to fill

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
Khrushchev stopped screaming
And Librium came in

[CHARLEY]
And Nixon didn't win

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
Goodbye then to Ike and the brass
To years that were cozy but crass

[FRANK]
It's true Ike was icky

[CHARLEY]
But better him than Dicky—

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
Now meet the first first family with class
En masse

[CHARLEY]
There's Bobby—

[BETH]
And Jackie—

[FRANK]
And Jack—

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
And myriads more in the back:
There's Ethel and Teddy and Pat alone—
[CHARLEY]
Plus Eunice—

[BETH]
And Peter-

[FRANK]
And Jean—

[PIANIST]
And Joan—

[CHARLEY]
And what's-his-name—?

[BETH]
Stephen—

[FRANK]
And hold the phone—
The one in the army—

[BETH & CHARLEY]
One in the army?

[FRANK]
Captain... Major...

[CHARLEY]
Sargent!

[FRANK]
That's it!

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
So many cards in the pack
You want to know how to keep track?
Well, one is good looking and young and rich
While one is good looking and young and rich
The rest are good looking and young and rich—
There isn't a lot that they lack
Not Bobby and Jackie and Jack
And Ethel and Ted and Eunice and Pat and Joan
And Steve and Peter and Jean and Sarge—
There's probably dozens of others at large
God knows—
And Joe and Rose

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
We're bringing back style to the White House

[BETH]
I'm painting it beige for a start

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
We're making it into a cultural lighthouse

[CHARLEY]
For glamour—

[BETH]
And beauty—

[FRANK]
And art:

[BETH]
Evenings of the Budapest playing Vivaldi
And Munch doing bits of Ravel
I'll get Leontyne Price to sing her
Medley from "Meistersinger"
And Margot Fonteyn to dance "Giselle"

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Together?

[BETH]
Won't it be perfectly swell?

[FRANK]
We'll have Bernstein play next on
The Bechstein piano—

[CHARLEY]
And Auden read poems and stuff

[BETH]
And Galina Vishnevskaya

[FRANK & CHARLEY, spoken]
Gesundheit.

[BETH]
The Russian soprano—
Just pronouncing her name is refreshing enough

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
We're bringing back style to the White House
With casual culture the rule

[FRANK]
Let's have Tebaldi—

[CHARLEY]
She makes a guy feel good

[BETH]
And Oleg Cassini—
Well, I think he's real good

[CHARLEY]
And how about Heifetz?

[BETH]
And Callas!

[FRANK]
And Gielgud!

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
And later, when everything's cool
We'll push them all into the pool!

[FRANK, spoken]
All right Bobby, I'll make you attorney general. Now get off my back.

[CHARLEY]
With Bobby—

[BETH]
And Jackie—

[FRANK]
And Jack—

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
The White House is under attack

[FRANK]
Eight years is the limit, but eight will do

[CHARLEY]
By then there'll be Bobby—

[PIANIST]
—And Teddy, too

[BETH]
Or Peter or Stephen—

[FRANK, CHARLEY & PIANIST]
—Or even you

[BETH]
Ooh!
And then there's the Colonel—

[FRANK & CHARLEY, spoken]
Colonel?

[BETH]
Major—?

[FRANK & CHARLEY, spoken]
Major?

[BETH]
You know—!

[FRANK]
Sargent

[BETH, spoken]
Yes!

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
Dozens to take up the slack
If anything goes out of whack

[FRANK]
And some day elections will be unknown—

[BETH]
'Cause each of our kids will ascend the throne—

[CHARLEY]
And their kids have more kids with kids of their own—

[FRANK]
It's sort of a family knack—

[BETH, CHARLEY & FRANK]
Till most of the nation's
Made up of relations
Of Bobby and Jackie and Jack
And Ethel and Ted and Eunice and Pat and Joan
And Steve and Peter and Jean and Sarge
And Joe and Rose and rows and rows
And rows and rows and rows and rows
The decade is starting anew
And maybe the country is, too

[BETH]
Not a day goes by...

[MARY]
Not a single day...

[MARY & BETH]
But you're somewhere a part of my life
And it looks like you'll stay

[FRANK & MARY]
As the days go by
I keep thinking, when does it end?

[BETH]
That it can't get much better much longer
But it only gets better and stronger
And deeper and nearer—

[FRANK & BETH]
And simpler and freer
And richer and clearer

[FRANK, BETH & MARY]
And no
Not a day goes by—

[MARY]
Not a blessed day—

[MARY & BETH]
But you somewhere come into my life
And you don't go away

[FRANK, BETH & MARY]
And I have to say
If you do, I'll die

[FRANK & BETH]
I want day after day
After day after day after—

[MARY]
I'll die—

[FRANK, BETH & MARY]
Day after day after day after day
After day
Till the days go by...

[FRANK & BETH]
Till the days go by...
[MARY]
Till the days go by...

[TYLER]
How does it happen?
Once it was all so clear
How did you get so far off the track?
Why can't you turn around and go back?

[DORY]
How does it happen?
Where is the moment?
When did the road behind disappear?

[TYLER]
Where did you let things slip out of gear?

[TYLER & DORY]
How did you ever get to be here?
1959...

[FRANK, spoken]
How's it going?

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Good. You?

[FRANK, spoken]
Fair.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Yeah, tell me.

[FRANK, spoken]
Chinese laundry.

[MARY, spoken]
Hi.

[FRANK, spoken]
Mary.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Say hello

[MARY]
I think I got a job

[FRANK, spoken]
Where?

[MARY, spoken]
True Romances.

[FRANK, spoken]
Posing?

[MARY, spoken]
Thank you. Writing captions.

[FRANK, spoken]
What about the book?

[MARY, spoken]
What about the book?

[FRANK, spoken]
Nothing, are you working on the book?

[MARY, spoken]
Yes...

[FRANK, spoken]
Good.
[MARY, spoken]
No...

[FRANK, spoken]
Mary—

[MARY, spoken]
Right, I know, yes, me and Balzac

[CHARLEY]
I finished the one-act

[FRANK]
I got an audition—

[MARY]
I started the story

[FRANK]
Rehearsal pianist

[CHARLEY]
So where are we eating?

[MARY]
I'm moving to Playboy
[FRANK]
The publisher called me

[CHARLEY]
I'm doing a rewrite

[MARY]
My parents are coming

[FRANK]
I saw My Fair Lady

[CHARLEY]
I rewrote the rewrite

[FRANK, spoken]
I sort of enjoyed it.

[MARY]
I threw out the story

[CHARLEY]
I'm meeting an agent

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
We'll all get together on Sunday
We're opening doors
Singing, "Here we are!"
We're filling up days on a dime
That faraway shore's
Looking not too far
We're following every star—
There's not enough time!

[FRANK]
I called a producer

[CHARLEY]
I sent off the one-act

[MARY]
I started the story

[FRANK]
He said to come see him

[CHARLEY]
I dropped out of college

[MARY]
I met this musician

[FRANK]
I'm playing a nightclub

CHARLEY
They're doing my one-act!

[MARY]
I'm working for Redbook

[FRANK]
I rewrote the ballad

MARY
I finished the story

[CHARLEY]
We started rehearsals

[MARY]
I threw out the story
And then the musician
I'm moving to Popular Science

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
We're opening doors
Singing, "Look who's here!"
Beginning to sail on a dime
That faraway shore's
Getting very near!
We haven't a thing to fear—
We haven't got time!

[FRANK]
Bum-bum-bu-bum-bum bum-bum
La-da-da-na-na la-na

[FRANK, spoken]
How's it coming?

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Good. You?

[FRANK, spoken]
Done.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
One minute...

[FRANK, spoken]
Hamburg Heaven.

[MARY, spoken]
Hi.

[FRANK, spoken]
Mary.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Say hello.

[MARY]
I got another job

[FRANK, spoken]
Where?

[MARY, spoken]
"Chic."

[FRANK, spoken]
What's that?

[MARY, spoken]
A brand-new concept:
Pop-up pictures.

[FRANK, spoken]
What about the book?

[MARY, spoken]
What about the book?

[FRANK, spoken]
Did you give the publisher the book?

[MARY, spoken]
Yes...

[FRANK, spoken]
Good.

[MARY, spoken]
No...

[FRANK, spoken]
Mary—

[MARY, spoken]
Look, I never—

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Finished!

[FRANK, spoken]
Let me call you back.

[MARY, spoken]
Right.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
This is just a draft.

[FRANK, spoken]
Right.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Probably it stinks.

[FRANK, spoken]
Right.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Haven't had the time to do a polish—

[FRANK, spoken]
Will you sing!

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Right!
(sung)
Who wants to live in New York?
Who wants the worry, the noise, the dirt, the heat?
Who wants the garbage cans clanging in the street?
Suddenly I do...
They're always popping their cork—
(spoken)
I'll fix that line—
(sung)
The cops, the cabbies, the salesgirls up at Saks
You gotta have a real taste for maniacs—
Suddenly I do!

[JOE]
That's great! That's swell!
The other stuff as well
It isn't every day I hear a score this strong
But fellas, if I may
There's only one thing wrong:

There's not a tune you can hum
There's not a tune you go bum-bum-bum-di-dum—
You need a tune to go bum-bum-bum-di-dum—
Give me a melody!

Why can't you throw 'em a crumb?
What's wrong with letting 'em tap their toes a bit?
I'll let you know when Stravinsky has a hit
Give me some melody!

Oh sure, I know
It's not that kind of show
But can't you have a score
That's sort of in between?
Look, play a little more
I'll show you what I mean!

[CHARLEY]
Who wants to live in New York?
I've always hated the dirt, the heat, the noise
But ever since I met you, I—

[JOE]
Listen, boys
Maybe it's me
But that's just not a
Hum-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mable melody!
Write more, work hard—
Leave your name with the girl
Less avant-garde—
Leave your name with the girl
Just write a plain old melodee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee
Dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee

[CHARLEY]
They're stopping rehearsals
They ran out of money

[MARY]
We lasted one issue
My book was rejected

[FRANK]
The nightclub was raided
I have to start coaching

[MARY]
My parents are coming

[CHARLEY]
They screwed up the laundry

[FRANK]
My wallet was stolen

[MARY]
I saw the musician

[CHARLEY]
We're being evicted

[MARY]
I'm having a breakdown

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
We'll all get together on Sunday
They're slamming the doors
Singing, "Go away!"
It's less of a sail than a climb
That faraway shore's
Farther every day
We're learning to ricochet
We still have a lot to say...

[FRANK]
You know what we'll do?

[CHARLEY, spoken]
What?

[FRANK]
We'll do a revue

[CHARLEY, spoken]
What?

[MARY, spoken]
What?

[FRANK]
We'll do a revue of our own!

[MARY, spoken]
What?

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Where?

[MARY, spoken]
Why?

[CHARLEY, spoken]
When?

[FRANK, spoken]
Not just songs, but stories, scenes
Piano pieces, mime—

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Yeah!

[MARY, spoken]
"Frankly Frank!"

[FRANK]
A showcase of our own!

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Where?

[FRANK, spoken]
The club's reopening.

[MARY, spoken]
We'll write a lot of new stuff—

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Rewrite old stuff—

[FRANK, spoken]
What about the girl?

[CHARLEY, spoken]
What about the girl?

[FRANK, spoken]
Only that we're gonna need a girl.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
Well, Mary—

[MARY, spoken]
Thanks, I don't perform except at dinner.

[FIRST GIRL]
Who wants to live in New York?
Who wants the worry, the noise, the dirt, the heat?
Who wants the garbage cans—
(spoken)
I can sing higher!

[FRANK, spoken]
Thank you for coming. Next eight, please.

[BETH]
They're always popping their cork—

[FRANK, spoken]
Up a tone.

[BETH]
The cops, the cabbies, the salesgirls up at Saks—

[FRANK, spoken]
Up a tone.

[BETH]
You gotta have a real taste for maniacs—

[FRANK, spoken]
Thank you. You're hired.

[BETH]
I'm Beth

[FRANK]
I'm Frank

[BETH]
I really thought I stank

[MARY]
I'm Mary

[CHARLEY]
Charley

[FRANK]
By the way
I'm told we open Saturday

[MARY]
What!? You're not serious!

[CHARLEY]
Nobody's ready!

[FRANK]
Apparently somebody cancelled a booking

[CHARLEY]
The songs aren't finished

[MARY]
And what about costumes?

[BETH]
And how do I learn all these numbers?

[FRANK]
I'll bring you the copies of everything later this evening

[CHARLEY]
Not to mention I still haven't
Finished the Synanon song or the Kennedy number...

[BETH]
Okay, but I'll have to have all the music
And Saturday I've got to sing at a wedding
Oh God, is there dancing, 'cause I'm not a dancer

[FRANK]
You don't have to, we'll segue the
End of it into the dance we cut out..

[MARY]
And have we decided or not on the restaurant sketch?
I need two or three days at the least to replace it...

[CHARLEY]
And what'll we do about getting publicity
Run around town putting stickers on windows?

[FRANK]
No, we'll use it but not with the long introduction...

[FRANK, CHARLEY, MARY & BETH]
We'll worry about it on Sunday!

We're opening doors
Singing, "Here we are!"
We're filling up days on a dime
That faraway shore's looking not too far
We're following every star—
There's not enough time!

We're banging on doors
Shouting, "Here again!"
We're risking it all on a dime
That faraway shore's looking near again
The only thing left is when
We know we should count to ten—
We haven't got time!
We haven't got time!

[FRANK JR., BETH & MRS. SPENCER]
Bending with the road
Gliding through the countryside
Merrily we roll along, roll along
Catching at dreams

Dreams that will explode
Waking up the countryside
Everybody merrily, merrily
Sing 'em your song

Rolling along...
Rolling along...
Rolling along...

[FRANK]
Something is stirring
Shifting ground
It's just begun
Edges are blurring
All around
And yesterday is done

Feel the flow
Hear what's happening
We're what's happening
Don't you know?
We're the movers and we're the shapers
We're the names in tomorrow's papers
Up to us, man, to show 'em

It's our time, breathe it in
Worlds to change and worlds to win
Our turn coming through
Me and you, man
Me and you

Feel how it quivers
On the brink...

[CHARLEY, spoken]
What?

[FRANK]
Everything!
Gives you the shivers
Makes you think
There's so much stuff to sing!

And you and me
We'll be singing it like the birds
Me with music and you the words
Tell 'em things they don't know!

[FRANK & CHARLEY]
Up to us, pal, to show 'em...

Our time, breathe it in:
Worlds to change and worlds to win
Our turn, we're what's new
Me and you, pal, me and you!

Feel the flow
Hear what's happening:
We're what's happening!
Long ago
All we had was that funny feeling
Saying some day we'd send 'em reeling
Now it looks like we can!
[CHARLEY]
Some day just began...

[FRANK & CHARLEY]
It's our heads on the block
Give us room and start the clock
Our time coming through!
Me and you, pal
Me and you!
Me and you!

[CHARLEY, spoken]
There!

[FRANK, spoken]
There it is!

[MARY, spoken]
Don't say it for me.

[CHARLEY, spoken]
You call it "Sputnik."

[FRANK, spoken]
You call it a miracle.
[CHARLEY, spoken]
We're standing on the threshold of the future.

[FRANK, spoken]
We gotta be the luckiest people who ever lived. After this moment, this moment that the three of us are sharing here together, nothing's ever gonna be the way it was ever again. You guys realize that now we're gonna be able to do anything? Anything we ever dreamed of? What a time to be starting out. What a time to be alive.
(sung)
Something is stirring
Shifting ground
It's just begun

[CHARLEY]
Edges are blurring
All around
And yesterday is done

[MARY]
Feel the flow
Hear what's happening

[FRANK, CHARLEY & MARY]
We're what's happening
Don't you know?
We're the movers and we're the shapers
We're the names in tomorrow's papers
Up to us now to show 'em

It's our time, breathe it in
Worlds to change and worlds to win
Our turn coming through
Me and you, pal
Me and you!

Years from now
We'll remember and we'll come back
Buy the rooftop and hang a plaque:
"This is where we began
Being what we can"

[COMPANY]
It's our heads on the block
Give us room and start the clock
Our dream coming true
Me and you, pal
Me and you!
Me and you!
Me and you!
Me and you!
Me and you!
Me and you!
Me and you!
Me and you!