...And the Livin' is Easy...

I have had the song Summertime, from the musical Porgy and Bess, in my head for about a week. Part of this is that I'm taking a class in cultural diversity so I had racial controversy on my mind. Part is that I sing my own lyrics to this tune as a lullaby, and have every summer since Abby was about eight months old (so eight years now). And part is that it is in fact summertime in Seattle, and even the weather is appropriate (finally). It's kind of a spooky song really - in the same sense as the "Now I lay me down to sleep..." prayer. But the tune is still beautiful, in Gershwin's smoky-jazzy way, and I really enjoyed singing the real version while puttering around the house. Usually under these circumstances I'm more of a Too Darn Hot kinda gal - that one is from Kiss Me, Kate. I do know my Broadway as a rule.

In spite of the hard work we've done here lately, and the joblessness and new classes and so forth, in many ways the livin' is easy. I can't speak as to whether the fish are jumpin' or the cotton is high, but I'd like to think my girls' daddy is rich and their mama's good lookin'.

Lyrics: 
Summertime and the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high
Oh your daddy’s rich and your mama's good lookin’
So hush little baby, don’t you cry
One of these mornings
You’re goin’ to rise up singing
Then you’ll spread your wings
And you’ll take the sky
But till that morning
There’s a nothin’ can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin’ by