The Hills of Tomorrow / Merrily We Roll Along (1980) / Rich and Happy

Lyrics

[STUDENTS] Behold the hills of tomorrow! Behold the limitless sky! Fling wide the gates To a world that waits! As our journey starts Behold! Our hearts Are high! Beyond the hills of tomorrow Are skies more beautiful still! Behold! Begin! There are worlds to win! May we come to trust The dreams we must Fulfill! [VALEDICTORIAN, spoken] Now, it is my privilege to introduce our distinguished alumnus Who wrote that song here twenty-five years ago The great songwriter and film producer, Mr. Franklin Shepard! [Applause as OLDER FRANK enters.] [OLDER FRANK, spoken] I am Franklin Shepard And I also was my class valedictorian here twenty-five long years ago Are these kids swell? We don't have to wonder what happened to the world's ideals anymore Rhis gang behind me has taken them all! So, would I be hanged if I told you young innocents a few realities? I can save you guys so much pain and hurt If I can make you understand today that life isn't about doing the best It's about doing the best you can [YOUNGER FRANK, spoken] No, it isn't. It's doing the best [OLDER FRANK, spoken] A goal is something you aim for more than something you achieve [STUDENT, spoken] It's the old "tell it like it is" speech [OLDER FRANK, spoken] I'm thinking you better start by hearing the word "practical" Right here, right now, today [STUDENT, spoken] Where's the exit? [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Someday I guarantee you'll know "practical" very well [STUDENT, spoken] Wow [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Fate has a way of introducing us to "practical" eventually [STUDENT, spoken] Give us a break, Mr. Shepard [OLDER FRANK, spoken] And it's the same with the word "compromise" [STUDENT, spoken] Compromise? I haven't even started! [FIRST SOLO] Yesterday is done [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Compromise is how you survive [YOUNGER FRANK, spoken] It's how you give up [FIRST SOLO] See the pretty countryside [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Compromise is the bottom line, let me tell you [SECOND SOLO] Merrily we roll along, roll along [OLDER FRANK, spoken] And if you know beforehand— [SECOND SOLO] Bursting with dreams [OLDER FRANK, spoken] —If you know now that all you're intending to happen— [THIRD SOLO] Traveling's the fun [OLDER FRANK, spoken] —Ain't gonna happen the way you think it's gonna happen— [FOURTH SOLO] Flashing by the countryside [STUDENT, spoken] It will [STUDENT, spoken] C'mon, man [OLDER FRANK, spoken] —Because life has some ideas about your intentions [FIFTH SOLO] Everybody merrily [SIXTH SOLO] Merrily [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Hey, kids— [ALL SIX] Catching at dreams [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Listen to us "old guys" if you can I know you don't see it, but someday you're gonna be us [YOUNGER FRANK, spoken] Not if I can help it [ALL SIX] Rolling along... Rolling along... Rolling along... [OLDER FRANK, spoken] I understood the facts least of anybody when I was your age I believe all I ever dreamed of back then was to compose music [GROUP I] Dreams don't die But keep an eye on your dream— [OLDER FRANK, spoken] And I did, as you may remember [GROUP II] And before you know where you are There you are [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Well, you may not remember, but you may Well, you may not either It's been a while [GROUP I] Times goes by And hopes go dry But you still can try For your dream [OLDER FRANK, spoken] Oh, yeah Music was gonna sustain me, fulfill me, support me [SOLO] Tend your dream... [GROUP] How does it happen? [OLDER FRANK, spoken] But "real life" came along. I had choices to make... [SOLO] Dreams take time... Time goes by... [GROUP] When does it disappear? How can you get so far off the track? Why don't you turn around and go back? [SOLO] Bend your dream [GROUP] How dies it happen? Where is the moment? [SOLO] With the road... [GROUP] How can you miss it? Isn't it clear? How can you let it slip out of gear? [ALL, to OLDER FRANK] How did you ever get there from here? [GROUP I] You roll... [GROUP II] How does it happen? How does it happen? When does it disappear? [GROUP I] You just roll... [GROUP II] Isn't it always clear? [GROUP I] Everybody roll... [GROUP II] How does it start to go? Does it slip away slow— [ALL] —So you never even notice it's happening? [YOUNGER FRANK] How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard? [GUSSIE] What did you have to go through? [BETH] How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard? [MEG] Boy, did they do it to you [OLDER FRANK, spoken] If you want to hear something amazing Ask anybody here if where they are is where they were headed I'll bet you most of them Don't even remember where they were even headed at your age If you knew how I've bounced around and been bounced around... [MARY] Pick yourself a road [MARY & GIRL] Get to know the countryside [MARY & GROUP] Soon enough you're merrily, merrily Practicing dreams Dreams that will explode Waking up the countryside Making you feel merrily, merrily What can go wrong Rolling along? [ALL] Some roads are soft And some are bumpy Some roads you really fly Some rides are rough And leave you jumpy Why make it tough By getting grumpy? Plenty of roads to try [GROUP I] Some roads are soft And some are bumpy Some roads you really fly Some rides are rough And leave you jumpy Why make it tough By getting grumpy? Plenty of roads to try Some roads you really fly [GROUP II] One trip All you get Is one quick ride Look around a bit One quick ride Through the countryside Stay on the track Better look back [OLDER FRANK, spoken] And I am going to bounce back Because I know the rules The rules I'm trying to share with you here today [STUDENTS] Better look back! Better look back! Better look back! Better look back! Better look— [YOUNGER FRANK] How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard? What did you have to go through? [ALL] How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard? How did you get to be you? Bending with the road Gliding through the countryside Merrily we roll along Roll along Catching at dreams Dreams that will explode Waking up the countryside Everybody merrily, merrily Sing 'em your song Rolling along! Rolling along! Rolling along! Rolling a— [The STUDENTS throw off their graduation robes and reveal themselves as early middle-aged Hollywood swingers, party-goers at Frank's house, chattering to each other.] [TERRY] So we bought this little condominium... [KATE] So we found this little Chinese gardener... [JEROME] It's a clear case of studio politics... [PHOTOGRAPHER] We were stuck on the freeway till half past six... [TERRY] So we bought this little condominium... [FOUR GUESTS, individually] Great... Smog... Points... [FOUR GUESTS take a snort of cocaine.] [ALL] Party! [FRANK] Life is swinging Skies are blue and bells are ringing Every day I wake up singing "Look at me, I'm rich and happy!" Days are sunny Working hard for lots of money Filled with people smart and funny Filled with people rich and happy! Who says, "Lonely at the top"? I say, "Let it never stop!" It's my time coming through All my dreams coming true: Gorgeous house [ALL, spoken] Yeah! [FRANK] Gorgeous wife [ALL, spoken] Yeah! [FRANK] Who wants any more from life? Skies are beaming Future bright and prospects gleaming Best of all, I don't stop dreaming Just because I'm rich And famous And therefore Happy, too! [ALL] Party! [GUEST] Well, you must admit the movie's terrible... [ANOTHER GUEST] I imagine Frank is feeling terrible... [MARY] These are the movers These are the shapers These are the people That fill the papers [ALL] Terrible... [MARY] These are the friends of Frank... [ALL] Wasn't it just terrible? [MARY] They all have Frank to thank [ALL] When you see a movie that bad What on earth can you say? [ALL, spoken] Congratulations! [FRANK, spoken] Thanks! [MARY] These are the movers These are the shapers These are the people That give you vapors [FRANK] Twenty years ago who'd have guessed Who'd have guessed I'd be standing here Playing host to the very best All the powers that be? [ALL] Terrible... [FRANK] Everybody I see... [ALL] Wasn't it just terrible? [FRANK] And look who's one of them—me! [GROUP II] Terrible... Beautiful, Frank! [GROUP I] Wasn't it just terrible? Beautiful, Frank! [ALL EXCEPT MARY & FRANK] When a movie's that bad What on earth can anyone say? Party! [ALL EXCEPT MARY] Life is swinging Skies are blue and bells are ringing Every day I wake up singing "Look at me, I'm rich and happy!" Days go zipping Sitting by the pool and tripping [MARY] Everybody's flip or flipping Everybody's rich— [ALL] And happy! [FRANK] Who says all our dreams get burned? Every bit of this was earned It's our time coming through [ALL, spoken] Huh? [FRANK] All our dreams [ALL, spoken] What? [FRANK] Coming true [ALL, spoken] Oh [FRANK & ALL] All our days full of beans— This must be what happy means! Skies are beaming Future bright and prospects gleaming! Best of all, we don't stop dreaming Just because we're rich— [FRANK] And famous— [ALL] And suntanned— [FRANK] And influential— [ALL] And on the covers of magazines And in the columns and on the screens And giving interviews Being photographed Making all the important scenes And— At the parties cutting capers And on the talk shows and in the papers And unbelievably Happy, too!