Musicals Lyrics (2): Old Friends

MARY
Here's to us —

FRANK
Who's like us?

CHARLEY
Damn few.

FRANK
Hey, old friend,
Are you okay, old friend?
What do you say, old friend,
Are we or are we unique?
Time goes by,
Everything else keeps changing.
You and I,
We get continued next week.

Most friends fade
Or they don't make the grade.
New one's are quickly made
And in a pinch, sure, they'll do.
But us, old friend,
What's to discuss, old friend?
Here's to us — who's like us?
Damn few!

CHARLEY
So, old friends,
Fill me in slow, old friends —
Start from hello, old friends,
I want the when, where and how.
Old friends do
Tend to become old habit —
Never knew
How much I missed you till now.

ALL THREE
Most friends fade
Or they don't make the grade.
New ones are quickly made,
Some of them worth something, too.
But us, old friends —
What's to discuss, old friends? —

FRANK
Tell you something:
Good friends point out your lies,
Whereas old friends live and let live.

MARY
Good friends like and advise,
Whereas old friends love and forgive.

FRANK
And old friends let you go your own way —

CHARLEY
Help you find your own way —

MARY
Let you off when you're wrong —

FRANK
If you're wrong —

CHARLEY
When you're wrong —

MARY
Right or wrong, the point is:
Old friends shouldn't care if you're wrong —

FRANK
Should, but not for too long —

CHARLEY
What's too long?

FRANK
If you're wrong —

CHARLEY
When you're wrong —

MARY
The thing is:
Old friends do leave their brands on you,
But old friends shouldn't compete.

FRANK
Old friends don't make demands on you —

CHARLEY
Should make demands on you —

FRANK
Well, don't make demands you can't meet.

CHARLEY
Well, what's the
Point of demands you can meet?

MARY
Well, there's a
Time for demands,
Whether you meet them or not …

(They squabble.)

ALL
Hey, old friends,
How do we stay old friends?
Who is to say, old friends,
How an old friendship survives?
One day chums
Having a laugh a minute,
One day comes
And they're a part of your lives.

New friends pour
Through the revolving door —
Maybe there's one that's more.
If you find one, that'll do.
But us, old friends,
What's to discuss, old friends?
Here's to us!
Who's like us?

Two old friends,
Fewer won't do, old friends —
Gotta have two old friends
Helping you balance along:
One upbraids you
For your faults and fancies,
One persuades you
That the other one's wrong.

Most friends fade
Or they don't make the grade.
New ones are quickly made,
Perfect as long as they're new.
But us, old friends,
What's to discuss, old friends?
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few!