Mary Ellen Carter... Ye gods what a song... rare is the gig that goes by without me lashing this one out... and I've NEVER blown any of the lyrics!! (LOL!!! Ya, RIGHT!) But the above quoted line I have to admit is one of my favorites ever written by Stanly...

Unfortunatly, I have loaned out my copy of "An Unfinished Conversation", the 'official' biograph of Mr. Rogers... So what I can add to this thrad isn't much for now... I'll come back once I get my book back fer sure...

For now I have to fall back on parody.. that's one to this song that give's me a giggle from time to time... and it works great on children stages when uptight parents may be offended by "Smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go"... ( Me thinks they do protest too much...)

^^^

But here goes anyway...

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider

The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout
Down came the rain, and it washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and it dried up all the rain
And the itsy-bitsy spider climbed again...
She wouldn't let the elements distract her from her goal
The purpose of her struggle was imbedded in her soul;
Now see the sun shine down on beasts, on women and on men
And see that itsy-bitsy spider rise again

Rise again! Rise again!
She never let bad luck keep her from doing what she can.
No matter if your legs are two or four or eight or ten
Be like that itsy bitsy spider, Rise again!

This childhood song's a metaphor: a lesson to us all
We cannot be defeated if we rise each time we fall
And if you think this story's one you learned too long ago
Then think about some other ones you know...
You know the myth of Sisyphus, and you know Jack and Jill
It's such a potent image, going up and down a hill.
So every time you fall,or lose a lover or a friend
Be like that itsy-bitsy spider, rise again

( chorus )

Perhaps you think this allegory goes a bit too far
Climbing up a pipe is not like reaching for a star
But whether it's a water spout or mountain that you climb
You've come this far, indulge me one more time...
It could be said that each of us climbs up a water spout
The downward pull of gravity is not what it's all about
The upward pull of hope is what will save us in the end
Be like that itsy-bitsy spider, rise again

Rise again! Rise again!
You must never let bad luck keep you from doing what you can
And whether your legs may number two
Or four or eight or ten
Be like that itsy bitsy spider, Rise again!

Now I'm not a big fan of parody.. it usually come off sounding cheep and offencive, but even I have to admit, this ones great! LOL!!!!

^^^