"Original Life" (Zelda Fitzgerald's Song)

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A VERY GOOD GIRL IN A VERY GOOD HOUSE
ON A VERY GOOD STREET
WEDS A VERY GOOD BOY WITH A VERY GOOD NAME,
THEN RINSE AND REPEAT.
LIKE A GAME ALREADY PLAYED,
GOING 'ROUND AND 'ROUND THE BOARD,
'ROUND THE BOARD TO NO REWARD.
AND I'M ALREADY BORED...

I'D RATHER FLY DOWN THAT GOOD STREET
IN RICKETY ROLLER SKATES, HITCHED TO A FORD,
TRY NOT TO GET CAUGHT WITH A KISSABLE BOY
WHOSE NAME I FORGOT.
I KNOW LADIES DON'T KISS BOYS,
OR PUT THEMSELVES ON VIEW,
BUT THE THINGS THAT NO ONE DOES
ARE EXACTLY WHAT I WANNA DO!

I'M SO FULL OF FIRE
THAT I COULD BURST,
IT'S LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD'S CHAMPAGNE,
AND I'M DYING OF THIRST.
IF I CAN'T BE GOOD,
I MIGHT AS WELL BE FIRST.
I'M ON THE EDGE OF A TRULY ORIGINAL LIFE.

I'LL BE A BALLERINA AND A NOVELIST AND MOVIE STARLET
ROLLED INTO ONE.
KEEP THE PRESSES GUESSING 'CAUSE I'M ALWAYS
THINKING, SPEAKING, DRESSING
LIKE THEY'VE NEVER SEEN DONE.
I'M ON A PATH THAT BENDS,
AND IF THEY ASK ME HOW IT ENDS,
WELL...THAT ALL DEPENDS!

THEY SAY THAT IT'S A PHASE;
I'LL CHANGE MY WAYS JUST LIKE MOTHER DID
WHEN SHE WAS MY AGE.
BEFORE SHE MET MY DAD SHE HAD THE ACTING BUG BAD
AND NEARLY WENT ON THE STAGE.
SHE GAVE IT UP – NOW SAYS SHE'S HAPPY AS CAN BE.
BUT SHE DOESN'T SEEM THAT HAPPY TO ME...

I SEE A SEA OF ME'S BELOW.
WHICH WILL I BE? THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW.
ALL I KNOW IS IT'S SURE TO BE A DAMN GOOD SHOW
OUT ON THE STAGE OF MY DAZZLING, ORIGINAL LIFE,
A ONE-FOR-THE-UNWRITTEN-BOOKS KIND, ORIGINAL LIFE.

OF COURSE I HAVEN'T WORKED OUT THE DETAILS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I AM THE WAY I AM.
I JUST WANNA BE YOUNG,
AND I WANNA BE RASH,
WANNA DANCE ON THE MOON
AND COME DOWN IN A CRASH
SO WHEN I DIE THEY'LL SAY
“HER LIFE WAS LIVED ALL THE WAY TO THE BONE –
AND WAS ALL HER OWN.”

I'LL FIND A WAY TO TASTE IT ALL,
LIKE RAPUNZEL ESCAPING DOWN THE TOWER WALL.
LIKE ALICE CHOOSING TO BE BIG OR SMALL,
I'M ON THE EDGE OF A SPRAWLING ORIGINAL LIFE,
A COMPLETELY UNKNOWABLE, ALL-IN, ORIGINAL LIFE,
A NOTHING-BEFORE-TO-COMPARE-TO, ORIGINAL LIFE.
A JUST-TRY-AND-STOP-ME-I-DARE-YOU, ORIGINAL LIFE.

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