Gordon Jenkins - Finale: Before The Music Ends lyrics

I reached the age of forty somewhat sooner than expected Living at a fairly hectic pace When I count the years that I have happily collected The future shows its apprehensive face (But now, Francis, what the hell do you do now, Francis?) Quite a different song must be sung When the singer is no longer young Before the music ends, before it fades away There are several very necessary things I must do Friends I must see again, certain places Where I must be again Before the music ends I must go to Hoboken one more time I wanna run down that street where that thin Italian kid ran Then slow down at the school Where those nice old ladies tried to teach me Unaware that I knew much more than they did And stop at the poolroom for a beer And sadly say to myself, I don't know anybody here (Francis, don't go home again.) One thing I'd like to do Before the music ends Is to thank some wonderful life-long friends I've never met but have known so well From one Frank to another, thank you for your dream Your dream is now my own And thank you Ludwig Van For the flight of fancy you sent me on Thank Mrs. Verdi, for Joe and a special thanks to Giacomo All of you took turns in delivering sunrise a little sooner to my window Before the music ends, with company by Dino and Sarge I'd like to make one more charge at Vegas You won't find me at that idiot wheel that spins, and spins and spins I won't play the slot machine The management always wins Not for me the game where the Jack is called Black: Hand me them dice and stand back! (Put five hundred on the line And a hundred on the come If Sinatra makes his Nine, blow the trumpets, beat the drum!) You won't hear me talk about baby‘s new shoes, baby's got 57 pairs... All I ask is a Nine, just a plain and simple Nine (just a little five and four, just a little six and three Nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine, nine) Nine!!! [dice rolls] [cello solo] In years to come, I may forget if I lost or if I won But I'll always remember how much fun it was (just a little five and four, just a little six and three) And when the music ends I'd like it to end this way I'll ask Chester to write me one more song I'll get Lefty to make me one more chart And I'll make one more record with the best musicians in the world And when that cat with the scythe Comes tugging at my sleeve I'll be singing as I leave (Sinatra, Sinatra, Sinatra)