Working 04/07/2026
Seven speakers weave together fragments of famous songs like "My Way" and "Bittersweet Symphony" with Italian passages, spoken monologues about desert journeys and mining rescues, and reflections on identity. The piece moves between celebration, nostalgia, and introspection, using repeated refrains to tie together a continuous collage that feels like a rehearsal or jam session.
Chapters
I did it my way. Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption. I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway, and more, much more than this, I did it my way. Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew, When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way.
I've Love, I've laughed and cried. I've had my fill, my share of losing. And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing to think I did all that. And may I I say, not in a shy way. Oh no, oh no, not me. I did it my way.
For what is a man?
What has he got if not himself?
Then he has not to say the things he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows and did it my way.
Yes, it was my way.
Quando sono solo e sogno all'orizzonte mancano le parole. Sì, lo so che non c'è luce in una stanza quando manca il sole. Se non ci sei tu con me, con me. Su le finestre mostra a tutti il mio cuore che hai acceso. Chiudi dentro me la luce che hai incontrato per strada.
Con te partirò.
Desiderio che non ho mai veduto e vissuto con te, adesso sì, li vivrò con te. Partirò su un navi per Mari, che io lo so non esiste, Non esistono più, con te io li vivrò. Quando sei lontana sogno all'orizzonte, mancano le parole. E io sì lo so che sei con me, con me. Tu mi alluna, tu sei qui con me. Mi alza, tu sei qui con me, con me, con me. Ecco me con te, partiro paesi che non ho mai veduto e vissuto con te. Adesso sì, li vivrò con te. Partirò su navi per mari che io lo so non esistono più. Con te io li rivivrò, con te partirò su navi per mari Te io lo so, non esisto più, con te io vivi, con te partirò.
On the first part of the journey, I was looking at all the life. There were plants and birds and rocks and things. There was sand and hills and rains. The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz and the sky with no clouds.
The heat was hot and the ground was dry.
The ground was dry but air full of sound I've been through desert on horse no name Felt good to be outta rain In this dessert you can't remember your names 'cause there ain'no one for give ya any pain Lala la lalaa— La-la-la! Lalaaa... It's good to be out of the rain! In the desert you can't remember your name 'cause there ain't no one born to give ya no pain— la-la-la-laaaaa... La-la... Aaaahh laaaa... Lala lalala lalala lalala. Ahhh naan.
I'm so glad that we're together now because it was such an adventure for me too! It really has been amazing having all these adventures with my friends from China on this trip here at school. Thank you very much guys! Bye-bye everyone!
Under the city lies heart made of ground but humans will give no love! You see I've been through desert on horse with no name it felt good to be out of rain In the desert you can't remember your name 'cause there ain't nobody for to keep ya' from pain La la la la la la la la la la—
Every morning at the mine, you could see him arrive. He stood 6'6", weighed 245, kind of broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip. And everybody knew you didn't give no lip to Big John. Big John, Big John, Big Bad John. Well, nobody seemed to know where John called home. He just drifted into town and stayed all alone. Didn't say much, kind of quiet and shy, and if he spoke at all, he just said hi to Big John. Somebody said he came from New Orleans where he got into a fight over a Cajun queen, and a crashing blow from a huge right hand sent a Louisiana fella to the promised land. Big John. Big John, come on.
Big John, Big John.
Bing bang, John. Well, then came the day at the bottom of the mine when a timber cracked and men started crying. Miners were praying and hearts beat fast and everybody thought they'd breathe their last. Except John.
Big John. Big John, yeah.
Big John, Big John.
Bad John.
Through the dust and the smoke of this man-made hell walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well. Grabbed a sagging timber and gave out with a groan, unlike a giant oak tree, just stood there alone.
Big John. Big John. Big John.
Big Bad John.
Whoa!
And with all of his strength, he gave a mighty shove, then a mighty yelled out, "There's a light above us!" And as 20 men scrambled from a would-be grave, there was only one left down there to save.
Big John, Big John, Big John, Big John, Big John, Big John.
With jacks and timbers, they started back down. Then came that rumble way down in the ground, and as smoke and gas belched out of that mine, everybody knew it was the end of the line for John. Now they never reopened that worthless pit. They just placed a marble slab in front of it, and these few words are written on that stand: At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man. Big John, Big John, Big Bad John. Big John!
Yeah!
Big John!
Big bad John! Big John! Big John!
Big John!
Big bad John!
Kickstart my heart. See, I got trouble, trouble in my heart. I'm just looking for another good time to heart. My heart, kickstart my heart. Yeah, you ready now? Yeah, you ready now? Yeah, kickstart my heart, give me a start. Yeah, bring it on. Whoa, yeah.
Years gone by, I say we've kicked some ass.
When I get ready to hit the stage, adrenaline rushes through my veins and I say we are still kicking ass. Kicks down my heart, hope I never stop till the day we did it all a bit too far. Yeah, kicks down my heart Give it a stop. Keep down the heart, hope it never stops. Set your trees where nobody Give your tears to the tide. We didn't need a story. We didn't need a real world. We just had to keep walking. And we became the stories. We became the places. We were the light in the deserts. Our waywardness. We were you before you even existed. Carry on! Carry on! Carry on, they left you rather far. Carry on, carry on, carry on, see the hope leads the way. Hey! me. Let's lie, channel me and meet your slip to whatever you die.
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down.
You know the one that takes To the places where our fates meet. Yeah. No change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change.
But I'm here in my mold. I am here in my mold. But I'm a million different people from one day to the next.
I can't change my mold.
No, no, no, no, no.
I live the melody, shall it cleanse my mind? I feel free now.
The airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now.
No change, I can't change, I can change, I can change, but I'm here in my moment.
I I'm here in my moan, and I'm a million different people from one bit to the next. I can't change my moan, no, no, no, no, no.
I can't change it, you know, I can't change it.
'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony that's like Try to make ends meet, try to find someone to let you die. I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down. You know, the one that takes you to the places where I've All the things we get.
You know I can't change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change.
But I'm here in my moan.
I am here in my moan.
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next. I can't change my moan. No, no, no, no, no. I can't change my moan.
No, no, Running is a victory. Run, boy, run! Beauty lies behind the hills. Run, boy, run! The sun will be guiding you. Run, boy, run! They're dying to stop you. Run, boy, run! This race is a prophecy. Run, boy, run! Break out from society. Tomorrow is another day, hey, and you don't have to hide away, yeah, you'll be in my body, but for now it's time to run, it's time to run. Run, boy, run! This ride is a journey to— Run, boy, run! The secret inside of you— Run, boy, run! This race is a prophecy— Run, boy, run! And disappear in the trees.
Tomorrow is another day.
Hey! And you won't have to hide away, yay! You'll be among the boys. But for now, it's time to run, it's time to run. Tomorrow isn't all today, hey! When the night fades away, yay!
You'll be among the boys.
But for now, it's time to run, it's time to run.
I want you to know who I am. But all that matters is that I know who the hell I am. I picture young Rob with cross pen in hand yelling at the postman, no letters he received. Even a no would be all right, even a sorry but not today, a sign of life would bring relief. Even a thank you, but no thank you. Goodbye, take care, I already got one. I thought I heard you laugh once, no, I guess it must have been a ghost. I don't see no one. Every time I get close, can't keep you around. Thought I knew you, but it must Must have been a ghost. I don't see no one. Shame on my eyes thinking you were real. Today all them horses run a bit faster. So I know if you want it, baby, you can give me an answer. But see, my problem is I want you to know who I am. But all that matters is that I know who the hell I am. I picture young Honest Abe twiddling them thumbs for 2 weeks. No letter has he received. Are you one of those people that would rather disappear than show up and disagree?
