La Viva Band!
Author's Notes: I know it's been a little while since I updated this one…some of you may have noticed that I added 3 other stories so I have been working on those and I have summer gym so I'll have more time for classes this year, plus spending time with my boyfriend (when he's actually around), so I've been pretty busy. Since this is the most requested song of this endeavor, I am expecting more reviews than usual! Note-I am going to keep out dialogue that isn't really part of the song-like Benny at the beginning, the part in the middle, and the Mimi-Roger mini-song in the middle, so…basically just the sung part. You can add in your own lyrics for those if listening to the song while reading.
After the game, the band gathers at the favorite late night spot-Eat N Park, where we eat nothing but milkshakes and appetizers, raid the crayon supply for drawing on the paper menus and napkins, and laugh hysterically at stupid stuff because we are so tired.
(We toast our milkshakes-each member of the band adding their own line)
To days of inspiration,
Playing music, marching on beat from a drill sheet,
The need to express, to communicate,
To marching against the lines--
In designs
That look grand!
To loving tension, detention,
To more than one dimension,
To starving for attention,
Hating convention, hating dissention
Not to mention of course,
Hating our dear marching band!
To playing your
drum
Midday past the three piece flutes
To boots! To no new
salutes!
To recruits! To choice-
To the announcer's voice
To all of this year's grads
To playing it right,
for once
With no music stand!
La Viva Band!
(in an imitation of the Fox)
Is the equipment in the trailer?
It is, you see
That tuba doesn't have a case
Don't get hit in the face! (another member whacks speaker in the face, waiter looks shocked)
Hey mister, she's my sister!
Waiter: So that's five chocolate shakes
Four buffalo wings
Three mozzarella sticks
Two fried zucchini
And one soda with extra straws
Individual: Ugh
Individual #2: It tastes great
Individual #3: If you close your eyes
Waiter: And thirteen orders of fries, are you all set?
Everyone: Don't forget!
(back to individual lines)
To hand shaven reeds made in local music shops
To music, to marching, to flags and plumes and props
To pom poms, to drill downs, to playing in parades
To band camp in summer and instrumental trades
Devotion, slow motion
To causing a commotion
Formation, frustration
More memorization
Performance, conformance, at first glance it's real cool
To pregame
To halftime
To practice after school
Mark time, left flank, detail halt, at ease!
Spring band trip
Get a grip
Ninety degrees!
Saxophones!
Sousaphones!
Marching the end zone tip!
Why marching and football are
Able to enthrall
And keep 'em to the end-
La viva band!
(Imitating the Fox)
And pack the bass drums up before you leave
Ok, I will
Individual: Ugh-my pet peeve
Waiter: Drummers?
Individual: You're close
(individuals again)
Trumpets!
Clarinets, castanets, trombones flicked with wrists
We reminisce, instrumentalists, bliss!
Shows amiss,
Conductors, instructors, phrasing slurs
Accelerando, rallentando, no status quo
Staccato, legato
To minstrel turns, no return, no concern, live and learn
Alma mater, the Anthem, School fight song
Let it go, never playing the same show
To what you know
To leadership
Just make sure you don't trip
To trying out!
La viva band
(A/N: here is the major cut, just so you know…it's to La Vie Boheme B)
Band Parent: And you should see;
They've blocked off the building and they're rioting out by the marquee-
The other band's show
Individual: Say what?
Band Parent: I don't know what they're doing,
The cops are sweeping the lot
But no one's leaving; they're just sitting there booing!
Everyone: Yeah!
To dance!
Only way to join the band front,
Pom poms, glitter, braids, perfection
Always smiling, skirts and tights and tassled boots, and gripping gloves!
Drums!
Percussion, mallet sticks, bells and cymbals, crab steps and pivots
Bass drums, snare drums and quads, cowbell, drum sticks, harnesses and rolls
Music!
Attention drill, formation, memorizing, coordination
Rhythm, feeling, power, harmony, and heavy competition
Conducting!
Four beat pattern, one hand, marking time and cueing,
Decrescendo, halt and cut off, taking charge and making change
To woodwinds, rookies, brass, veterans too
To me!
To me!
To me!
To you and you and you, you, and you!
To people marching with, marching with, marching with
Not marching in the rain
Let he among us without wit
Be the first one to quit!
La Viva Band!
La Viva Band!
La Viva Band!
Anyone marching the half time
Maybe the show will be sublime
Anyone alive who can eight-to-five
Fall down and crawl-
Don't we all?
The opposite of bad isn't good-it's corrections!
La Viva Band!