The TA
The TA
Copyright 2005 by Jeff Suzuki
To my knowledge, this is the first filk I wrote, shortly after I discovered that filk existed. I was about 15 or 16, and this filk looks like it was the first filk ever written by someone who was about 15 or 16.
Many, many years later I was at a party, and got to the line about the parking structure, whereupon someone asked me “You want to Large Local University, didn't you?” In fact, I had, but at the time I wrote it, the parking structure line was completely fictional. Life imitates art, I suppose.
The tune is The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel. Add la la la to fill in wherever necessary...
Though I just a student And my story's often told, I have squandered my life savings For the classes that I really need to graduate. All lies in tests, Still in lecture halls, one tape records And disregards the rest, La la la, la la la la. When I left my home and family, I was no more than a boy In the company of roommates In the basement of the campus garage Running scared, Laying low, Dodging pushers and the druggies who all Made their presence there La la la, la la la la Asking only for work study, I go looking for a job, But I get no offers, Just a memo from the college saying Pay up or get out... I do declare, there were times when I wanted to go over there and (Description of horrific, but funny, violence) Die, die, die, die die die die, die die die die... Now I'm laying out my winter clothes And wishing I was home, Where the megacity winters aren't freezing me, Bleeding me...going home. In the Union stands a TA, And a student by his trade And he has his dissertation, From a thesis defense it has come All cut up, 'til he cried out, In his anger and his shame, “I am leaving, I'll flip burgers” But the TA still remains La la la, la la la la...