for a few years now, peter melnick and i have been working on a original musical called “the last smoker in america” … we’re doing some readings in new york this month so i thought i’d post the title lyric — it was the second song we wrote for the show … the lead character, an english-lit professor named pam is singing this to her teen-aged son, jimmy
first i want to say i’ve always loved you
when i left i thought my heart would break
sometimes there are forces
way beyond our control
my addiction has the force of an earthquake
i’m the last smoker in america
your father would have sent me off to jail
the last smoker in america
fearing for my life when i exhale
i’ve been on the run two years and counting
hooked up with some renegades i met
we were chased by bloodhounds
and by smoke-bots
they got my pals
and stubbed out my last cigarette
i’m the last smoker in america
and life is getting harder all the time
the last smoker in america
how much must i suffer for my crime?
and you have seen
how i tried to quit
cold turkey and patches and s.a.
the nicotine
wouldn’t manumit
couldn’t break the filthy habit
so i made my get-away
now i’ve reached the end of butts and filters
only want to eat until i gag
jimmy, will you help me flee the country?
perhaps in england i could somehow snag a fag
i’m the last smoker in america
has anybody known a sadder lot?
the last smoker in america
maybe i should take up smoking pot!
yes i am the last smoker in america
and now my life is not worth diddly-squat