We Do What We Can

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Downstairs they're playing Kenton The house set to swing I lay in my bed And listen to everything 'Cause Leo's in rare form tonight His trombone sings so sweet This is the room Where they all come to meet [Chorus] And he said "I do what I can I live for the moment And that's who I am Yeah, that's who I am And isn't it good? If we could freeze moments in time We all would I do what I can I do what I can" [Verse 2] Downstairs he's playing Kenton The Magnavox sighs And oh, how the music has changed In all of our lives He says, "Nobody listens to modern jazz And I'll never have what those guys have" [Chorus] And he said "I do what I can I work for a living And that's who I am That's who I am And it's good to be alive But everything's different Since Leo died I do what I can" [Verse 3] Is this the end of the modern world? What could it mean for a young girl Who sees the pain on his face? He does what he can The procession on the TV screen What could it possibly mean for a man Who's come this far, just to turn around? Could there still be life in Kenton's swing With the Kennedys gone and everything? Those sad rows of houses with their optimistic colors Democrat grandparents and draft-dodging brothers Riots down the street and discontented mothers We do what we can [Bridge] Downstairs it's quiet Less alive somehow Somehow, he was everything that I am now [Chorus] And he said "I do what I can I work for a living And that's who I am That's who I am But it's good to be alive And these are the choices we make to survive You do what you can"