"Stop" is the 3rd number in my new musical titled Life Happens. It is a very intense confrontational song between Carly and her alcoholic mother, Kathleen. The number takes place in Scene 3 when Carly returns home and begins immediately packing to leave California for Chicago, where she will begin living for a while with her father, Harland. This news infuriates Kathleen, who is unwilling to accept not only Carly's decision to leave, but Carly's complaints about how Kathleen has always treated her. It's a very bad relationship because of Kathleen's alcoholism, which started soon after Harland left the marriage, when Carly was still a little girl. Kathleen has abused Carly for years, mostly verbally/emotionally/psychologically, but also sometimes even physically. It's a very harsh/edgy song that lays out the kind of dynamic and pain felt by both women over the course of their relationship. Throughout the song, Kathleen is drunk.

𝐋𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐒 - "𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩"

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘:
STOP PRETENDING
YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO BLEEDS, MOTHER. 
THAT ALL YOUR NEEDS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MINE,
MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYONE ELSE’S.
STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU CARE.
‘CAUSE YOU DON’T REALLY CARE FOR ME. NO.
YOU DON’T CARE FOR ME. (K: YOU DON’T CARE FOR ME)
 
𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐍:
STOP COMPLAINING. 
‘CAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW THE PAIN I FEEL.
CAN’T SEE WHAT’S REAL BEYOND 
THE LITTLE WORLD THAT YOU LIVE IN.
ONLY SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE.
STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU CARE.
‘CAUSE YOU DON’T REALLY CARE FOR ME. NO 
YOU DON’T CARE FOR ME. (C: YOU DON’T CARE FOR ME)

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘:
EVERYTHING YOU SAY TO ME
IS JUST ANOTHER LIE
EVERYTHING YOU DID TO ME
BECAME A PART OF ME.

𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐍:
DON'T PREACH TO ME
DON'T LECTURE ME
I GAVE MY LIFE AWAY FOR YOU

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 / 𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐍:
I CAN'T JUST LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND
EVERY TEAR,
ALL THE FEAR,
YEAR AFTER YEAR,
I NEVER WILL FORGET
SO, PLEASE, JUST. . .

STOP EXPLAINING WHY YOUR WORLD
IS ALWAYS SOMEHOW FALLING APART, 
WHY ALL THE MIND-GAMES YOU PLAY EVERYDAY ARE JUSTIFIED,
WHY ALL YOUR PROBLEMS ARE ALWAYS BECAUSE ME.
STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU CARE.
‘CAUSE YOU DON’T REALLY CARE FOR ME. NO.
YOU DON’T CARE FOR ME. YOU DON’T CARE FOR ME.

STOP PRETENDING. STOP PRETENDING. 
STOP PRETENDING. STOP PRETENDING. 
STOP PRETENDING, PLEASE. ‘CAUSE YOU DON’T LOVE ME.

Life Happens

Stop

Richard Abanes is an artist of many talents: singer; actor; dancer; painter; playwright; photographer; musician; composer; lyricist.

Stop

Richie Abanes