The Oldest Story in the Book
Harmony and Heartbreak: The Timeless Tale of Friendship, Love, and Music
Lyrics
Tom and Harry were the best of friends
Tom and Harry were close friends.
They called themselves The Dharma Bums
They identified themselves as The Dharma Bums.
Lit out from their home and kin
They left their home and family.
With a mandolin and a pair of thumbs
Carrying a mandolin and thumbs, they set out on their journey.
Worked side by side all that summer
They worked together during the summer.
Picking those grapes from the vine
Picking grapes from the vine was their task.
Read by one light, took turns to cook
They read under one light and took turns cooking.
The oldest story in the book
Referring to their experiences as a timeless, common story.
Enter Richard and his sister, June
New characters Richard and June enter the narrative.
Just before the season's end
Just before the end of the season.
Richard's guitar knows a whole lotta tunes
Richard's guitar skills are versatile.
Harry starts a-picking on the mandolin
Harry starts playing the mandolin.
Down by the dam in the moonlight
They spend time by the dam in the moonlight.
When June kisses Tom, Harry doesn't know where to look
Tension arises as June kisses Tom, making Harry uncomfortable.
The oldest story in the book
Referring again to the common, age-old theme of love triangles.
The band pull into town in the afternoon
The band arrives in town in the afternoon.
They've got a hit song on the radio
They have a popular song on the radio.
Richard calls up his sister, June
Richard invites June to the show.
And says 'Do you want to come along to the show?'
June arranges for a babysitter to join the event.
June scrapes the money together for a babysitter
Tom is working late, and June is alone and content.
Tom's working late, she's glad she's on her own
Especially when Harry sings a song about a girl by the lake.
Especially when Harry sings that song about the girl
Harry's song triggers emotions, possibly related to the earlier tension.
By the lake and how the moonlight looked
The song describes the moonlight by the lake.
The oldest story in the book
Reiterating the recurrence of the oldest story in the book, implying love and complications.
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