A concert narrative in dramatic form (itself after Puccini's Butterfly), so far, Classicalite has published the entire first act of Daniel Bumgardner's You've Got My Song: The [unofficial] Weezer Musical.
Having championed pretty much everything Bumgardner's led on the stage--Shakespeare, Beckett, Stephen Adly Guirgis--we couldn't be more proud about it.
"I sat with this idea for years," Bumgardner told us recently. "And eventually, I collaborated with Los Angeles musician and writer Ait Fetterolf on what would become our project blueprint, with which we would workshop the piece."
It is in that spirit, then, that Classicalite is giving you, dear reader, the first three scenes to the second act of You've Got My Song.
Or, as Daniel Bumgardner is wont to call 'em below: "The Good Life," "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams" and "El Scorcho."
Nine months later. Withdrawal symptoms, worse than before.
JON: When I look in the mirror, I can’t believe what I see. Tell me, who’s that funky dude starin’ back at me? Broken, beaten-down, can’t even get around without an old man cane, I fall and hit the ground. Shivering in the cold, I’m bitter and alone. Excuse the bitchin’--I shouldn’t complain. I should have no feeling, ’cause feeling is pain, as everything I need is denied me. And everything I want is taken away from me. But who do I got to blame? Nobody but me.
I don’t wanna be an old man anymore. It’s been a year or two since I was out on the floor. Shakin’ booty, makin’ sweet love all the night. It’s time I got back to the good life. It’s time I got back, it’s time I got back. And I don’t even know how I got off the track. I wanna go back. Yeah! Screw this crap, I’ve had it! I ain’t no Mr. Cool. I’m a pig, I’m a dog, so ’scuse me if I drool. I ain’t gonna hurt nobody, ain’t gonna cause a scene, I just need to admit I want sugar in my tea. Hear me? Hear me? I want sugar in my tea!
I don’t wanna be an old man anymore. It’s been a year or two since I was out on the floor--shakin’ booty, makin’ sweet love all the night. It’s time I got back to the good life. It’s time I got back, it’s time I got back, and I don’t even know how I got off the track. I wanna go back, yeah! I wanna go back, I wanna go back, and I don’t even know how I got off the track. It’s time I got back, it’s time I got back, and I don’t even know how I got off the track. I wanna go back. Yeah!
I don’t wanna be an old man anymore. It’s been a year or two since I was out on the floor. Shakin’ booty, makin’ sweet love all the night. It’s time I got back to the good life. It’s time I got back, it’s time I got back. And I don’t even know how I got off the track. It’s time I got back, it’s time I got back. And I don’t even know how I got off the track; I wanna go back...
A practical, methodical lament. Electricity: A Robot Medical Exam.
SUSANNE: I’m so tall, can’t get over me. I’m so low, can’t get under me. I must be all these things. For I just threw out the love of my dreams. He’s in my eyes, he is in my ears. He’s in my blood, he is in my tears. I breathe love and see him every day. Eventhough my love is a world away. Oh, he’s got me wondering. My righteousness is crumbling. Never before have I felt this way. I know what is right, but want for him to stay. I must be made of steel, for I just threw out the love of my dreams.
He’s in my eyes, he is in my ears. He’s in my blood, he is in my tears. I breathe love and see him every day, eventhough my love is a world away. Oh, he’s got me wondering. My righteousness is crumbling. Oh, he’s got me wondering. My righteousness is crumbling, and I see him everyday. Eventhough my love is a world away. He’s in my eyes. He is in my ears. He’s in my blood. He is in my tears. I must be made of steel. For I just threw out the love of my dreams.
Night. Jon is crouched on the floor. The letter is in front of him. He bends down further to smell it. He breathes in deep. Electricity: Red-Eye Over Tokyo. Paul is on the steps to Maria’s apartment. He waits for her to come home. Electricity: Lamp-Lit Sondheim Sidewalk.
JON: Goddamn, you half-Japanese girls--do it to me every time.
PAUL: Oh, the redhead said you shred the cello. And I’m jello, baby.
JON: But you won’t talk, won’t look, won’t think of me; I’m the epitome of Public Enemy.
PAUL: Why you wanna go and do me like that? Come down on the street and dance with me.
JON & PAUL: I’m a lot like you, so, please. Hello, I’m here. I’m waiting. I think I’d be good for you, and you’d be good for me.
PAUL: I asked you to go to the Green Day concert. You said you never heard of them. (How cool is that?) So, I went to your room and read your diary. 'Watching grunge leg-drop new jack through a press table...' and then my heart stopped: 'listening to Cio-Cio San fall in love all over again.'
JON: How stupid is it? I can’t talk about it. I gotta sing about it and make a record of my heart.
PAUL: (How stupid is it? Won’t you give me a minute? Just come up to me and say hello to my heart.)
JON: How stupid is it?
PAUL: For all I know, you want me, too. And maybe you just don’t know what to do. Or maybe you’re scared to say: "I’m falling for you."
JON: I wish I could get my head out of the sand, ’cause I think we’d make a good team. And you would keep my fingernails clean. But that’s just a stupid dream that I won’t realize. 'Cause I can’t even look in your eyes without shakin’. And I ain’t fakin’. I’ll bring home the turkey, if you bring home the bacon.
From August 13-24, Daniel Bumgardner will be directing Suzanne Bradbeer's Full Bloom through Arcturus Theater Company in Washington, D.C.
