Cʼmon, Willie!

Drop everything youʼre doinʼ, ʻCause you donʼt need to mow the lawn. Those dirty dishes will never know youʼre gone. CALISTOGA BAY Canʼt you hear that siren song, (Based on “Harlem Air Shaft”) Sayinʼ “Take a little trip, take a little trip, Music, Duke Ellington Take a little trip take a little trip, Lyrics, Lorraine Feather take a little trip?”

Tonight weʼre goinʼ with the tidal flow, Round up all our pals, The moon above us and the sea below. The hippies and those crazy queens Weʼll have a party out on Calistoga Bay. Who used to play the Golden Lantern in New Orleans. Say “Adios” to evʼry care and woe, ʻCause weʼll be shakinʼ up Thereʼll be boocoo hugginʼ, the status quo, Jitterbugginʼ too, Soon as weʼre driftinʼ onto Calistoga One fine yacht is what we got, Bay. Room for everyone we ever knew.

Tonight all trouble Get on the horn to every friend and foe, Will be transcended. The girl who dumped you in Atascadero A cometʼs passing; Could break away and come to It should be splendid. Calistoga Bay.

Why not say all is forgiven? Invite your mama and her latest beau.

Call up your dad, because Pull up the anchor and weʼre good to go. the dude can blow! The decks are gleaming, Weʼll make some music out on thereʼs a feast below. Calistoga Bay. Itʼs great to be together Sail away! on a night like this.

I put your name on a big kiss. Weʼll hang those baby blue lights;

Itʼs time for celebrating life, We star-eyed lovers All the sights and sounds of springtime, Are set for sailing. Ohh, cruise on to heavenly heights. The comet hovers; Itʼs a glittering, glamorous trip. The sectionʼs wailing. You know you want to take it. Yo-ho everybody Weʼll ride a wave Letʼs hit the ocean, On up one side and down the other, Cause one big-time commotion, And then another and Full-steaminʼ laughinʼ and another and another, Screaminʼ. And if the ballroom Bon Voyage! Should get to rockinʼ, Hey, weʼre on our way, Weʼll still be swinginʼ, Out onto Calistoga Bay. Stompinʼ on the dance floor.

1 CICADA TIME Music, Shelly Berg and Eddie Arkin I felt a gathering force. Lyrics, Lorraine Feather And I could tell. By God, itʼs cicada time. Thereʼs a very odd cicada, I wish them all well. Who is fairly rarely seen. He hangs out underground Hey guys, Till heʼs a red-eyed 17. I know youʼll be out partyinʼ He briefly paints the town; Until your time is done. He finds a treetop home, and then I hope I see your crazy kin The hatchlings flutter down. In 2021, So it can all begin again. Havinʼ just a little too much fun, Cicada. The darling buds of May Know today could not be REMEMBERING TO BREATHE Any normal day. Music, Bill Elliott Itʼs finally cicada time, Lyrics. Lorraine Feather Itʼs finally cicada time. They crawl up one by one, Just above the Pick-and-Pay, Like a couple billion in the blazing sun. The baby dancers learn ballet, Itʼs really cicada time, All smiling and remembering to breathe. Itʼs really cicada time. Dressed in tights and satin shoes, And Velcro-closing pink tutus, Well theyʼre gonna breed and die And usually remembering to breathe. By and by First theyʼre gonna cry out loud They never grumble, People gonna stop and sigh And if they stumble, When they fly Their tears wonʼt ever reach their eyes. Takinʼ to the sky in a murky cloud Madame Ouspenskaya knows I heard a deafening screech That when youʼre on your tippy-toes, Did you, my dear? Youʼve got to keep remembering to Itʼs clearly cicada time breathe, Theyʼre finally here Following your heartʼs desire, My oh me, my cicada, More than often, does require Fly, be free, yada yada. Dealing with failure and pain. Find your tree, my cicada. Even though know you love it, Hi-de-hi, my cicada, Are you truly worthy of it? Breeze on by, my cicada, Do you have the right to complain? Watch my eye, my cicada (Saved a couple on the highway). You try again, and then Hup! Hup! You have your shining moment. Reaching far and standing tall, Soon theyʼre gonna dance and dream, Not caring that you still could fall, Swarm and scream. Youʼll always keep remembering to Ainʼt it great to be alive? breathe. Theyʼll be sure to savor it, Then theyʼll split, “Pirouette, jeté, jeté, Make-a like-a Hoffa in ʼ75. No pooching out when you plié,

2 Keep smiling and remembering to Canʼt charm a snake or hold my booze. breathe.” Iʼm lousy at debating my political views. Eight, and one, and two, and three, But I can feel better any time I choose, They cross the floor so gingerly. Yeah yeah yeah yeah. “Girls, we must keep Remembering to breathe!” Canʼt pretend I have a lot of style and grace. They never grumble, Canʼt play the ocarina or the And if they tumble, upright bass, Their mommies never see them cry. But I can always get to my favorite Three, and four, and five, and six, place. And seven, eight, again, the trickʼs Relaxing and remembering to breathe. Theyʼve got a fabulous diner there, Gets a colorful crowd from everywhere, Dancing toward your dreams can bring Havinʼ the best meal that ever was, A breathless joy, but hereʼs the thing: Workinʼ up a coffee buzz. Youʼve got to keep remembering To breathe. Weʼll gab, giggle the way we do. Sheʼs the craziest girl I ever knew. Weʼll plan to head out but stay instead, I KNOW THE WAY TO BROOKLYN Big-talkinʼ ʻbout the week ahead. Music, Eddie Arkin Lyrics, Lorraine Feather Canʼt run a mile in a minute flat, Canʼt pull off a toga or a pillbox hat, I donʼt know how to bake a pie, But I can get to Coney Island, Or skywrite a letter in the summer sky, Just like that. And I sure donʼt know how to keep a guy, My hairʼs an unbelievable catastrophe, But I know the way to Brooklyn. Canʼt spell “Tyrannosaurus” for the life of me, I donʼt know how to build a boat, But I know every stop along the IRT. Or operate the buttons Go on, try me. on the damn remote, But Iʼve got one skill of particular note: I donʼt know how to tell a joke, I know the way to Brooklyn. Or turn a clever phrase with uptown folk, But I can mend my heart Bookinʼ out to Brooklyn on an early train, whenever itʼs broke, Bringinʼ my umbrella ʻCause I know the way, ʻcause there might be rain, I know the way, Time to hang a little with Amanda Jane. Sheʼs always lived in Brooklyn. I donʼt know the way to San Jose. Never seen the birds in Bodega Bay. I couldnʼt say how to get to Spain, I got lost for a day in downtown L.A., Or help you make your way But I know the way to Brooklyn. across the Ukraine, Yeah yeah yeah yeah And flyinʼ to the moon I know the way to Brooklyn. would bend my brain, But I know the way to Brooklyn. Canʼt swing a bat, Canʼt change a flat,

3 Canʼt scat. Knew your sweet kiss Sca do be do ya do ba Long before you would offer it Do ba doo wee. By the barnacled pilings Swaying with me on the esplanade ON THE ESPLANADE Music, Russell Ferrante Lyrics, Lorraine Feather SWEET HONOLULU (based on “Dooji Wooji”) I met you Music, Duke Ellington In the year of El Niño Lyrics, Lorraine Feather At the edge of the ocean My skirt brushed your hand Warm was the night when I drew you. on the esplanade Cold chills, like mine, ran through you, Your kind face Back on sweet Honolulu. Hadnʼt ever been handsome What I thought was compassion I was torn with confusion, Flooded my soul on the esplanade While reading the words that you wrote, I was off to a seaside hoedown By the way that you answered You broke my stride my serious question Turned me around With one of your witty rejoinders, All the boys would be waiting in your note. None especially worth dating Over open ocean, I was dissatisfied On a fragile notion, And then I found We were headinʼ somewhere. Would we ever get there? Something so real As the tide leapt in closer Paradise And the sky became inky Asks not a little price. One fine stormy day on the esplanade Now and then, men and women who Oh, on the esplanade Walk in it, swim in it, Do get eaten alive, We took flight But we needed it bad, Circle following circle Went a little mad in Honolulu. Wheeling over the water One fine starry night on the esplanade Unbelievably green was the isle Moments later, the old pier that we flew to. Was to be our arena I was in love and a bit of a drama queen, Flashy Venus our spotlight You were a pretty riddle As indigo clouds ringed the esplanade I had no clue to. It was a riddle With the innocent pride of lovers Posed on sweet Honolulu. We claimed the stage A dancing flame Once, I could swear that I knew you. Curious heavenly creatures Soft was the kiss I blew you. Jammed the celestial bleachers We dreamed one dream—it threw you. You hadnʼt spoken it Darlin,ʼ it was a dream on But I knew your name sweet Honolulu,

4 It was a dream on sweet Honolulu, Heʼs got a tender little heart, Honolulu. And heʼs afraid to break it.

Itʼs a drag, ONCE BITTEN The day you first get bit. Music, Eddie Arkin You can get in a bit of trouble, and Shelly Berg Tryinʼ to handle it. Lyrics, Lorraine Feather Passion has a pretty vicious appetite. Never was a love who Anyone can see the man is awful fine. wouldnʼt sometimes bite. We used to be an item, but he wasnʼt mine. I could play it safe until Iʼm old and grey, Thought he was a cutie, But Iʼm too big a fool and we sure did click, to live my life that way, But first heʼd cozy up, So Iʼll be reaching out my hand one day, and then heʼd back off quick. Though I was Once bitten. Ever since ʻ01 heʼs had the same m.o. His women say thereʼs never any quid pro quo, A RAMBLE THROUGH So if you fall in love with him, THE PARK you ought to know Music, Russell Ferrante That he was once bitten. Lyrics, Lorraine Feather

Told me all about her on a fateful night. Would you like to take a ramble No lie, I got the heebie-jeebies through the park, when he went all white. Till the cheerful strains of day I was cuddled up beside him Become the plaintive notes of dark, in his classic car, Walk arm in arm When I saw the humiliation Along the Hudson? and I felt the scar. All our long-forgotten dreams Some get hurt by love, are in the breeze. and love another day, Once I listened for your footsteps Some will take a vow to make In this very grove of trees, the whole world pay, When I was yours, And some will simply One endless April. ever after stay away, If they were once bitten. Came here as a kid. Everybody did, Once bitten, twice shy, To ride our Stingrays, He was a cautious and a careful And play jacks on the wall. A beware-ful guy; He would jump back Loved this place, and you, from wherever we were, Still somehow you knew Look in the eyes of romance Iʼd break away, and see a nasty cur. Break away from it all, He tried to shake it, And leave Manhattan. But couldnʼt take it.

5 Would you care to take a ramble High school brought her Track through the park, and Field, Amble on till weʼre enfolded And though sheʼd always fly, By the deep embrace of dark? Something never quite appealed, The sylvan lawns And Lana told me why. Go on forever. Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles Travʼling far past conversation, Were really more her speed. Weʼll remember who we are, She needed horsepower at her heels, By the shy illumination To revel in her lead. Of a twilight April star. One day, at the end of May, She jogged up to Thunder Bay, INDIANA LANA Then thought it might be fun (based on “Jubilee Stomp”) To run down to Indianapolis Town. Music, Duke Ellington Lyrics, Lorraine Feather Got to the place Where there was a race, Indiana Lana was a runner Onto the speedway, out of Gary, Indiana. Into the lead, hey, Never was a runner who could beat the I donʼt jive. time of Indiana Lana. She won the Indy Five. When she was only one, She jumped up and began to run. Indiana Lana was a runner out She ran around the apple tree, of Gary, Indiana. Until you couldnʼt even see a blur. Never was a Hummer who could beat “Now, get her!” the time of Indiana Lana. She yelled “First place or bust!” Soon the baby Lana was Then left those race cars in the dust. the dinner table She ran around the track and back, talk of Indiana. Around the track and back Our budding champion! around the track. Oh baby, how she could cover ground. “You go, girl!”

Quicker than a rabbit, Who began again to be the dinner table With a habit talk of Indiana? Of passing every car in Indiana. Our home-grown champion! “Way to go, Lana!” Oh baby, how she could cover ground. How that little girl ran around! Quicker than a rabbit, Once she started movinʼ, With a habit Couldnʼt hardly stop. Of passing every car in Indiana. She raced her brotherʼs pickup truck “Way to go, Lana!” To the bait and tackle shop. How that little girl ran a- The boys all found it funny, How that little girl, Till it hurt their pride, How that little girl, To see that squirt smoke How that little girl ran around! everybodyʼs ride.

6 SHAMEFUL Now even you can barely understand a Music, Eddie Arkin and Bill Elliott word you say. Lyrics, Lorraine Feather You got precision vision. Your easy manner says The hour is tiny, “Iʼm casual The room is black. But still in charge.” Youʼre dead awake, And flat on your back, when Youʼre never heard to make Stray thoughts make a sneak attack, An inappropriate crack And theyʼre shameful. About the leggy new designer Behind her back. Youʼve got all you need, The yearly seminars taught you well. But you lust for more, Youʼre worse than all of ʻem, Like a crazed consumer but no one can tell. Who buys out the store. No one could possibly tell. A frantic feeling Shakes your core, You feel shallow and And itʼs shameful. envious, lacking in class. Your consummate cleverness People think youʼre so mellow, gives you a pass. An exemplary fellow, Their cover boyʼs really A reputation thatʼs nothing a walking disaster. At which to sneeze. Itʼs shameful. Youʼre adored by your legions Of employees, You wish you were more full of cheer than you are, But thereʼs a hidden smallness Like the guy who sings Tosca You donʼt find cute, while washing your car. Makes you less than comfy Your soulʼs a black hole Inside your suit. deep inside of the star, Theyʼve declared you great, and itʼs shameful, But it wonʼt compute, Sha-a-a-meful. And thatʻs shameful.

Climbing up the ladder was a ton of fun, Although you trembled in your shoes at every one-on-one, TRYINʼ TO GET OVER Drawinʼ a blank on (Based on “Doinʼ the Voom Voom”) what youʼd say to impress, Music, Duke Ellington But baby, you pulled it out of the hat. and Bubber Miley When you laid out the new solution, Lyrics, Lorraine Feather All the brass were mumbling, “Who was that?” Now some gals think theyʼre funny, They loved your clear-sightedness. And some come from old money, You were on your way, hey, But thereʼs one thing I can You were on your way. Promise you, honey, Theyʼre tryinʼ to get over. Youʼve mastered all the corporate Lingo of the day; Well, some guys dress real pretty,

7 And some sure know the city. Some girls may sport big muscles, There are those whoʼll cry Or parasols and bustles, and ask for your pity, Fake an accent and pretend All tryinʼ to get over. theyʼre from Brussels. Theyʼre tryinʼ to get over. Walking down the Promenade, Conservative or quirky, Some boys will choose your vino, Implacable or perky, Then fork out cash for Keno, See theyʼre really all the same. And the question is, Theyʼre simply bent on Do they know that we know finding one whoʼll Theyʼre tryinʼ to get over? Love and never leave them, Whoʼll unblamingly receive them, You can snag a mate if youʼre Even when they learn the truth. notorious or handy. Be burly, or a dandy, Now some gals wear black leather, Or a thief whoʼs on the lam, or simply Or string long words together. Wax articulate, Either way, thereʼs not much Like Eleanor “La Roosevelt,” doubt as to whether Who bewitched the dashing Franklin Theyʼre tryinʼ to get over. With her pithy little quotes.

I remember being late for kindergarten, We start cute conversations, ʻCause I took an extra hour Or mindless altercations. Polishing my Mary Janes ... Itʼs the same old game, with endless mutations. Gotta get ʻem nice and shiny... Weʼre tryinʼ to get over.

Sulking all through Junior High, and Everybodyʼs tryinʼ to get over, Asking God to tell me why Everybodyʼs tryinʼ to get over. He didnʼt give me looks instead of brains, So I could get over, get over. HAPPY YOU WERE HERE Music, Eddie Arkin Even when I turned into a swan, Lyrics, Lorraine Feather I spent a thousand tearful nights With only Mittens and the big TV. Happy you were here, That was a big TV. To change my days, Delight me with Pondering my future, Your little ways. Watching flicks where leading men of 56 Your soulful eyes Made love to chicks of 23. Wouldnʼt let me pass you by.

Leading men of 56, Happy you were here, And chicks of 23! Despite it all, To stroll the pier Weʼre all tryinʼ to make the big score, That last warm fall. Get that fabled “Something to Live For,” I turned my head. Even stay in love forevermore. Couldnʼt let you see me cry.

8 Through my tears, I always knew How grateful I would be For the years That God gave you and me.

Sometimes I see you in a dream, My dearest one, The way you were When we had just begun. I meet your eyes, And once again itʼs clear. Although it broke my heart to lose you, Iʼm so happy you were here.

Dash, 1985-2001 Happy You Were Here

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