Song Parody for Someone Else's Retirement: "Upstate New York"

This first Monday morning of my re-retirement, I'm posting a song parody that I wrote for the retirement of Sue Hannan, my suite mate in the offices of St. James Episcopal Church. The thing is, she's continuing the volunteer work that she has done for years. I misunderstood when she said that, now age 80, she was going back to where her family is in upstate New York. I thought it was forever; she meant a few weeks.

I quickly knocked out a song for the congregation to sing at her retirement, knowing that I myself would soon lose access to the office printer. It matches what John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote for Liza Minelli, rhyme for rhyme, syllable for syllable, except at the bridge, where I take liberties à la Frank Sinatra's version.

Well, she's expected at the office this morning, and I'm not. So here's the perfect song for an occasion that may never happen:

Start spreading the news:
Sue's going away
where she'll enjoy retirement,
upstate New York.

But filling her shoes
without any pay --
that's such a hard requirement!
Please wait, New York!

Who else can balance acounts, be registrar, and plan wakes?
Who else can teach E.F.M.?
lead Evening Prayer?
proofread The Bells?
That's what it takes!

"Recycle, re-use,"
she'll probably say,
to serve her new environment,
upstate New York!

So now we say "so long"
with a recycled song:
Sue, renovate
up-
state
New York!