Everybody´s free
performed by Baz Luhrmann, written by Mary Schmich
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97:
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you
will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until
they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at
photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now
how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you
really looked….You’re not as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that
worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation
by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt
to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind
that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you.
Sing
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up
with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead,
sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end,
it’s only with yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults;
if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank
statements.
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do
with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t
know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some
of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have
children, maybeyou won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40,
maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th
wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either
– your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be
afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the
greatest instrument you’ll ever own..
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own
living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you
feel ugly.
Brother and sister together will make it through,
Some day a spirit will take you and guide you there,
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be
there for you And I'll be there just helping you out,
whenever I can.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll
be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the
best link to your past and the people most likely to stick
with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious
few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in
geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the
more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you
hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it
makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians
will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll
fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable,
politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have
a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you
never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're
40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those
who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is
a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off,
painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…
Brother and sister together will make it through,
Some day a spirit will take you and guide you there,
I know you've been hurting, but I've been waiting to be
there for you And I'll be there just helping you out,
whenever I can.
Everybody's Free, oh yeah, to feel good, ohhhhh, to feel good.
* Everybody´s free mp3 & lyric