What Would I Do? Songtext
von William Finn

MARVIN (left alone):
What would I do
If I had not met you?
Who would I blame my life on?
Once I was told
That all men get what they deserve.
Who the hell then threw this curve?
There are no answers.
But who would I be
If you had not been my friend?

You′re the only one,
One out of a thousand others,
Only one my child would allow.
When I'm having fun,
You′re the one I wanna talk to.
Where have you been?
Where are you now?


(WHIZZER appears behind MARVIN, dressed as we first saw him. MARVIN turns
Around, sees WHIZZER and catches his
Breath.)

What would I do
If I had not loved you?
How would I know what love is?
God only knows, too soon
I'll remember your faults.
Meanwhile, though, it's tears and schmaltz.

There are no answers.
But what would I do
If you had not been my friend?

WHIZZER:
All your life you′ve wanted men,
And when you got it up to have them,
Who knew it could end your life?

MARVIN:
I left my kid and left my wife
To be with you,
To be insulted by such handsome men.

(They face each other.)


WHIZZER:
Do you regret--?

MARVIN (stopping him):
I′d do it again.
I'd like to believe that I′d do it again
And again and again...
And
What more can I say?

WHIZZER:
What more can I say?

MARVIN:
How am I to face tomorrow?

BOTH:
After being screwed out of today.
Tell me what's in store.

MARVIN:
Yes, I′d beg or steal or borrow
If I could hold you for
One hour more.

WHIZZER:
One hour more.

MARVIN:
One hour more.

WHIZZER:
One hour more.

BOTH:
One hour, one hour more.

MARVIN:
What would I do

WHIZZER:
What would I do

MARVIN:
If I had not seen you?

WHIZZER:
If I had not seen you?

BOTH:
Who would I feast my eyes on?
Once I was told
That good men get better with age.

MARVIN:
Were just gonna skip that stage.

There are no answers.
But what would I do
If you hadn't been my friend?

WHIZZER:
There are no answers.
But what would I do...

(WHIZZER exits)

MARVIN:
No simple answers.
But what would I do
If you had not been
My friend.
My friend.
My friend.

(First JASON, then everyone else gathers around MARVIN.)

MENDEL:
Homosexuals.
Women with children.
Short insomniacs.
We′re a teeny tiny band.
Lovers come and lovers go.
Lovers live and die fortissimo.
This is where we take a stand.
Welcome to Falsettoland.

(DR. CHARLOTTE walks in and joins the circle at the same time as MENDEL.
TRINA consoles MARVIN.)

(Fade to black