goodbyesong by rick rea (*first draft*)

inspired by "The Gun Song" by Stephen Sondheim, submission for the New York City Center's Encores! Lobby Project, 2017. 

"The Gun Song" by Sondheim is sung by a quartet of assassins (both attempted and successful) of U.S. presidents.

 My song is inspired by what seems to be the 21st century equivalent - violent young white men in America feeling marginalized and using gun violence against civilians to retaliate against society.

Lyrics:

Growing up I was told,
“you are special,” “you have something to say,” 
“you deserve to be heard.”

So I post, and I stream, 
and I tweet, and I scream, 
but it feels no one’s hearing a word.

Do they hate what I write
‘Cause I’m straight, ‘cause I’m white,
Just another privileged sheep in the herd?

You can see in their eyes,
I’m the one they despise,
And the thought that my life matters? Absurd.

[[[OMMITED LYRICS:
But they’ll give three cheers
For the hippies and the queers
All the artists and baristas 
Crying liberal tears.

Do the snowflakes see
They’re the ones oppressing me
I’m magnificent, good-looking,
And yet none of them agree. ----]]]

What does it take to change the world?
What does it take to reach 
this twisted world where no one seems to notice me?

*cocks pistol*

[to audience] Now, you noticed me. 

And the girls that sneered me
Will finally hear me in the morning.
All the apes who smeared me
Will finally fear me in the morning.

You can write a manifesto
post it with a single click--
But a second click’s required 
to make your message stick.

And there won’t be a trigger warning
In the morning.

How does a man become a god?
How do his words get etched in stone, 
so that forever you’ll be immortalized?

Or demonized?

Will the world despise me
Or idolize me in the morning?
Will they still reject me, 
or finally respect me in the morning?

If they see me as a monster, 
I’ll gladly to take the fall.
I’d rather die a monster 
than not be seen at all.

When at last they see me, 
Will it finally free me in the morning
When they’re mourning
In the morning...
In the morning...

rickreation

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