Thursday, April 12, 2007

Fatal (Cat's in the Cradle, Harry Chapin)

When my brother was home last weekend, I told him I'd written close to 20 parodies, but aside from a line here and there in the group numbers, none of them were about Jack. I think we were watching The White Rabbit at the time, and Nathan suggested Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle as a way of exploring Jack's relationship with his father. I deviated from that focus, but ultimately, it seems everything Jack does is motivated at least a little by a desire to prove himself worthy to his father. This chronicles the events leading up to what is probably my all-time favorite Jack moment.

Fatal

Jack: I met that man just the other day.
He'd been helping John hunt some different prey.
But he was set to catch poor Claire, and Kate,
It's all my fault. Before it's too late,
We have to track them through the jungle. If John goes too,
We can split up. I'll go with you, Kate.
I'll chase down Ethan Rom with you.

Any pause could be fatal.
We must find her soon.
Charlie's gone too
In the late afternoon.
Kate, we must make Ethan
Release our friends.
This isn't the way it ends.
This isn't how the story ends.

Kate: We've tramped around on this trail all day.
We're not sure that those three even went this way.
Maybe we ought to go. Jack, it's not smart to stay
Here in the wild. The sky has been turning gray.
If the ground is all wet and the lighting is dim,
I don't see how we will catch him, Jack.
It's gonna be tough catching him.

Going on could be fatal.
We should turn back soon.
Not much to do
By the light of the moon.
Jack, we can't make Ethan
Release our friends.
This may be the way it ends.
This may be how the story ends.

Jack: You can put your knowledge to a good use, Kate.
We will find that man. You are doing great.
Don't abandon me. Let's keep going a while.
It can't be far, just a couple of miles.
There must be some more clues in the brush and the palm trees.
Stick with me, Kate. Don't give up on them, please.

Any pause could be fatal.
We must find her soon.
Charlie's gone too
In the late afternoon.
Kate, we must make Ethan
Release our friends.
This isn't the way it ends, Kate.
This isn't how the story ends.

Kate: Jack, you're getting tired. He said, "Stay away!"
He'll kill you if you do not obey.
You have to give up, Jack. You're not gonna find...
Hey, is that Charlie strung up over there with twine?
Oh, Jack, he's gone. Jack, he's dead! There's not a thing you can do.
We're too late, but no one blames you, Jack.
How could someone blame this on you?
Stop pounding down on his chest. Give him dignity -
Wait! I saw Charlie breathe!
You got our friend to breathe!

Pausing would have been fatal.
I have changed my tune.
Your resolve grew
In the late afternoon.
You would not let Ethan
Destroy our friends,
And you'll find Claire in the end, Jack.
You're gonna find her in the end.


No comments: