"The Brooklyn Blues"

return of parakeet

Once more ... with feeling! "The Brooklyn Blues" (sung to melody of "Those Were the Days") Once upon a time there was a Tower Where we used to drink from eight to two. Remember how we slaved away the hours, And dreamed of all the great things God would do. Then the crushing years went crawling by us, We kept our screwy doctrines on the way.
If by chance I'd see you in the Tower,
We'd smirk at one another and we'd say --

These are Last Days, my Friend,
We know they soon will end,
We'll preach and shun till God calls it a day.
We'll live the life they choose,
We'll fight and always lose,
These are Last Days, oh yes, these are the days.
La la la la ...

Just tonight I stood before the Tower,
Everything's the way it used to be.
In the glass I saw a strange reflection,
A dub who now is really free.

Through the door there came a stream of robots,
I saw your face but then forgot your name.
Oh poor dub, you're older but no wiser,
For in your heart the lies are still the same.

These are the days, ex-Friend,
You're still convinced they'll end,
You think you'll live forever and a day.
You live the life they choose,
You fight and always lose,
These are the days, oh yes, these are the days
La la la la ...

(Apologies to Mary Hopkin)

freckles12

Oh, this is good. I can hear Edith Bunker/Jean Stapleton singing in her high pitched voice...Lol

Very creative.

LoisLane looking for Superman

Return of Parakeet...Was that your own original word adoption? Very good. Very true.

Just Lois

return of parakeet

"Return of Parakeet...Was that your own original word adoption?"

Yep, I made it up all by myself.

Anyone else want to adapt a song?

LoisLane looking for Superman

Freckles12...Hello. Good Evening. You are new here. Welcome to JWnet.

Do you know how to start a new thread, and tell us a little, about yourself?

After you post you have 30 minutes to change anything you wrote. You just click the little yellow pencil on your right.

Just Lois

LoisLane looking for Superman

Wow, Return of Parakeet, you know how to write...

"Through the door, came a stream of robots..."

My mind is not on music, or poetry at this time. So there isn't anything coming from me. But you really did a brilliant job on "The Brooklyn Blues", my friend, and yes, those times, they did end. Do you have any more interpretations of songs, done your way, up your sleeve?

Just Lois

return of parakeet

LLLFS: " Wow, Return of Parakeet, you know how to write... Do you have any more interpretations of songs, done your way, up your sleeve? "

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here till ten. Enjoy the scampi.

I haven't improvised any other songs, but I used it do it regularly with other songs and with other themes for my husband to sing at office Christmas parties (he has a great singing voice).

Here's one that I remember. At the time my husband had just bought (over my objections) his first motorcycle. He said it would be practical for getting to school -- Hah! In the winter? Not for long! (He was a public schoolteacher then). To ride in bad weather, he bought and wore the most ridiculous-looking bright-red insulated jumpsuit. I had to adapt a Christmas song just for him --

Robert and the Red-Hued Rain Gear (sung to "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer")

Robert and the red-hued rain gear. It was very bright, no doubt. And if you ever saw it, it would knock your eyes right out.

All of the other bikers used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Robert join in any bikers' games.

Then one rainy school morning, Robert said to me, "If I wear my gear, I'll bet, I'll stay dry and the rest'll get wet!"

Then how the bikers loved him, and they shouted out with glee,

"Where can we get some rain gear? Even though we'll look funny!"

(It's funnier after you've had a few cups of eggnog.)

zeb

I keep coming across mentions of a lot of drinking (alcohol) at bethel how common was it.?

return of parakeet

My older brother did a stint at Bethel in the 1960s. He never spoke about it afterwards (which in itself says something about his experience), so I don't know much about the Bethel climate at that time.

Many posters here, however, have related their first-hand knowledge of the heavy drinking that went on.

"The Brooklyn Blues"

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