| Schmuel would work till half-past ten at his tailor shop in Klimovich
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| Get up at dawn and start again with the hems and pins and twist
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| Forty-one years had come and gone at his tailor shop in Klimovich
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| Watching the winters soldier on, there was one thing Schmuel missed
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| «If I only had time,» old Schmuel said
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| «I would build the dress that’s in my head
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| A dress to fire
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| The mad desire
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| Of girls from here to Minsk
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| But I have no more hours left to sew»
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| Then the clock upon the wall began to glow…
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| And the clock said:
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| «Na na na na, na na na
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| Oh Schmuel, you’ll get to be happy!
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| Na na na na, na na na
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| I give you unlimited time!
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| Na na na na, na na na
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| So Schmuel, go sew and be happy!»
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| But Schmuel said
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| «No, no, it’s not my lot
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| I’ve gotta make do with the time I’ve got»
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| «Oh, look at the time»
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| Schmuel was done at half-past ten and he said «Good night, old Klimovich»
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| Put on his coat to go, but then the clock cried, «Wait! |
| Not yet!
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| Even though you’re not wise or rich
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| You’re the finest man in Klimovich
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| Listen up, Schmuel
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| Make one stitch and you’ll see what you get»
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| But Schmuel said
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| «Clock, it’s much too late
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| I’m at peace with life
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| I accept my fate…»
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| But the clock said
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| «Schmuel! |
| One stitch and you will
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| Unlock the dreams you’ve lost!»
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| So Schmuel, with reluctance, took his thread
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| He pulled a bolt of velvet and said
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| «I should take out my teeth and go to bed
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| I’m sitting her with talking clocks instead!»
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| And the clock said:
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| «Na na na na, na na na
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| Oh Schmuel, you’ll get to be happy!
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| Na na na na, na na na
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| I give you unlimited time
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| Na na na na, na na na
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| Just do it and you can be happy!»
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| So Schmuel put the thread through the needle’s eye
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| And the moon stared down from a starless sky
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| And he pushed the thread through the velvet black
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| And he looked, and the clock was turning
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| Back
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| So he grabbed his shears and he cut some lace
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| As the hands reversed on the old clock’s face
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| And his fingers flew and the fabric swirled
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| It was nine-fifteen all around the world
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| Every cut and stitch was a perfect fit
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| As if God Himself were controlling it!
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| And Schmuel cried through a rush of tears
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| «Take me back! |
| Take me back all forty-one years!»
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| And on it went down that silent street
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| Till Schmuel’s dress was at last complete
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| And he stretched his arms
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| And he closed his eyes
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| And the morning sun finally started to rise
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| And the dress he made on that endless night
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| Was a dress that would make any soul take flight
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| Not a swatch, not a skein had gone to waste
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| Every ribbon and button ideally placed
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| And swen into the seams were forty-one seasons of dreams
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| Dreams that you could feel
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| Coming real
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| And that very dress, so the papers swore
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| Was the dress a girl in Odessa wore
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| On the day she promised forevermore
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| To love a young man named Schmuel
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| Who only one day before
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| Had knocked at her kitchen door
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| Plenty have hoped and dreamed and prayed
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| But they can’t get out of Klimovich
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| If Schmuel had been a cute goyishe maid
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| He’d’ve looked a lot like you
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| Maybe it’s just that you’re afraid to go out on to a limb-ovich
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| Maybe your heart’s completely swayed
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| But your head can’t follow through
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| But shouldn’t I want the world to see
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| The brilliant girl who inspires me?
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| Don’t you think that now’s a good time to be
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| The ambitious freak you are?
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| Say goodbye to wiping ashtrays at the bar
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| Say hello to Cathy Hiatt, big-time star!
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| 'Cause I say:
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| Na na na na na na na na
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| Cathy, you get to be happy!
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| Na na na na na na na
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| I give you unlimited time!
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| Na na na na na na na
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| Stop temping and go and be happy!
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| Here’s a headshot guy and a new BackStage
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| Where you’re right for something on every page
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| Take a breath
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| Take a step
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| Take a chance
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| Take your time
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| Have I mentioned today
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| How lucky I am
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| To be in love with you?! |