There have been many movie and stage play versions of “Annie,” since it first was performed. Some of them have changed the lyrics of the song “Tomorrow” to make its “happiness” more immediate: “The sun’ll come out tomorrow… It’s only a day away.[1]”
I live in northwest Oregon and, while the lyrics may be good for us in summer, they would be a poor bet this time of year. In fact, I can almost guarantee that tomorrow (Monday June 4) the sun will not come out here. Its coming is definitely not a day away. (From the look of our current weather forecast, it may be a week away.)
Expectations are good, but they should be realistic. In the original stage play, Annie sang that she loved “tomorrow” because it was always (not, only) a day away. Her idea was that things will change, but not necessarily immediately. Expect things to get better; they will. You just have to hang on ‘til tomorrow.
The
sun'll come out tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow
There'll be sun.
Just
thinkin' about tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow
'Til there's none.
When
I'm stuck with a day that's gray and lonely
I just stick out my chin and grin, and say, oh
The
sun'll come out tomorrow
So you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow
Come what may.
Tomorrow,
tomorrow
I love ya, tomorrow.
You're always a day away
* * *
The year 2020 was a horrible one, probably the worst year that most of us have lived through. We’d like it all to end, Right Now! Unfortunately, all the problems of 2020 are still with us, and most of them just as far from solved as they were last week – Climate Change, Covid-19, The Economy, Political Upheaval… I could go on, but that’s probably more than enough to think about at one time. None of those problems will be solved Tomorrow (only a day away), and we’re going to be living with 2020 for quite some time, yet.
Lately, I’m finding it hard to be an optimist about our situation, but I think we are making progress on some of the issues, and have a clearer path now to seriously work on some of the others. But nothing is certain, and the answer is not in want or hope or wish or pray – it is in planning, prioritizing, explaining, convincing, ACTING. There isn’t a lot we lowly citizens can do but encourage. At least, for the first time in four years, we have a chance that somebody will listen to our encouragement, then understand and act.
* * *
Oh, I should tell you more of Annie’s story, in case you don’t know it. She sang the song for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his Cabinet. They were having a hard time, sorting out all the problems they were confronted with, reconciling differences of opinion, and all those other things that an effective Presidential staff would be doing. But they weren’t making much headway, until Annie showed up, and offered her words of encouragement. It was just what FDR and his advisors needed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIioHJ8wn6s
President Biden and his staff are going to be badly in need of their own “Annie” in these next couple of years. Maybe, we can fill her role?
Tomorrow, tomorrow……….
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[1] “Tomorrow” lyrics © Edwin H. Morris & Co. Inc.; Songwriters: Martin Charnin / Charles Strouse.