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Swing

from Swing by Geha

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about

Earlier this summer, Amanda Palmer held a song writing contest (spoiler: I didn't win). But I'm posting my song anyway.

The contest was held based on this article in the New York Times:
www.nytimes.com/2019/07/13/nyregion/nyc-power-outage.html

...which was based on the NYC power outage on July 13th, 2019.

For context, if you don't read the article... Jennifer Lopez had to cancel her concert. A police officer had to ask some women to stop taking selfies in the middle of the street...

Anyway. My song isn't perfect. But I'm proud of it. So here it is.

lyrics

We are without our traffic lights
Nothing is telling us what we should do
But folks are still polite
No one screams or fights
We’re New York, This is what we’re used to
And Con Ed said our systems can anticipate and prepare
We’ll have your power back by ten or so, relax and don’t be scared

The lights stopped working
The dancers, they stopped twerking
Poor Jennifer was just about to sing
Then the streets started filling with the
Adventurous and willing
And we conjured up a midsummer night’s swing


Of course, we got a lot of words from the important and powerful men
They spoke from Albany and Iowa asking how could this happen again?
But no one cares, no one’s listening on twitter or tv
We’re in the streets and in the sunset, feeling joyful and carefree

The Powers failed us
But that’s not gonna derail us
Although Jennifer, she didn’t get to sing
Still, we gather together
In this perfect July weather
For an impromptu midsummer night’s swing

And ladies, this is not the time for selfies in the streets.
No. It’s the time for dancing…

The billboards cannot advertise
But we get our light from the sky
A picture perfect July evening
The streets are full of happiness
And a little New York scrappiness
An impromptu midsummer night swing

42 years ago, I’m told a blackout happened on this very day
And I am 42 years old, and though I’m powerless, I’m bold enough to say
we sit inside, We watch our concerts, phones and shows
But in the darkness we can meet and dance and touch and sometimes glow

Now the power’s coming block by block
The lights will tell us when to walk
On Monday, Jennifer will sing
But tonight is for the rest of us
We’re powerless and marvelous
And love to bust a midsummer night’s swing

Oh, swing… with me
Darling, won’t you swing with me

Swing with me
Come on, darling, won’t you swing?
Swing with me

credits

from Swing, released August 13, 2019
words and music by Andrew Geha

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all rights reserved

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Geha New York, New York

Andrew Geha is an award-winning playwright and theater teacher who has worked at Friends Academy, a Quaker school in Locust Valley, NY, since 2001.

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