Philip Roth Song by Rachel Garlin

In the year of surprises, the odds they told a lie
No one predicted Bob Dylan would be the guy
How do words come into fashion
How do prizes seal the deal
Philip Roth, after the Nobel, how does it feel

You can decline to speak, you can skip this interview
You can turn a cheek or just keep doing what you do
Some folks they serve a tasty dinner, some folks are seated at the meal
On the day after the Nobel, how does it feel

You’re the second child of man who sells insurance
You’re the second child of Herman Roth and Beth
You accept a prize and the prize accepts a place on your desk
You write for your whole life, you try your best

Mmmmmmmm

We all need validation though we’ll tell you it’s not true
Even Toni Morrison said the prize meant something to her too
How the gates magically open, keepers of the gates will not reveal
On the day after the outcome, how does it feel

There’s no denying a hard rain is gonna coming too
And the times they much be changing, we’re tangled up in red and blue
Maybe the stakes are over-rated, maybe prizes speak too loud
Maybe all anyone ever wanted was just to make their parents proud

Mmmmmmmm

Will we go on turning pages
Philip Roth believes we won’t
He says the screen is taking over
We used to read and now we don’t
Why do some folks come in second
Why oh why do some folks win
The answer is blowin’ in the wind