I could resist with post #1999 – thanks, Prince. Next up, tomorrow my 2,000th retirement message. It’s been nearly that many days since I left the workforce on December 30, 2016 (1.925 days to be exact). It shows that I’ve met my daily pledge of a post each day. “Party On, Wayne!” I recall the t-shirts that we printed back in my Ft. Wayne softball days, circa 1984. “Hello, my name is Doug Clark and I wanna party with you!” His wife wore a similar version of “Hello, my name is Deb Clark and you’d rather party with me.” They were phrases coined at the bar where we would hang out after games – O’Sullivans Tavern. As we passed along full trays holding shot glasses of kamakazes, Doug and Deb were the friendly faces of our group that would take over the bar and sing “New York, New York,” on stage. We would have easily adopted this song if would have existed at the time:

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you
I only want you to have some fun
… I was dreamin’ when I wrote this
Forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this mornin’
Could’ve sworn it was judgment day
… The sky was all purple
There were people runnin’ everywhere
Tryin’ to run from the destruction
You know I didn’t even care
… Say, say, 2000-00, party over


Oops, out of time
So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999
… I was dreaming’ when I wrote this
So sue me if I go too fast
Life is just a party
And parties weren’t meant to last
… War is all around us
My mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die
I’m gonna listen to my body tonight, yeah
… They say, 2000-00, party over


Oops, out of time
So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999
Yeah, yeah
… Let me tell ya something
If you didn’t come to party
Don’t bother knockin’ on my door
I got a lion in my pocket
And, baby, he’s ready to roar
Yeah, yeah
… Everybody’s got a bomb
We could all die any day, aw
But before I’ll let that happen
I’ll dance my life away, oh-oh-oh
… They say, 2000-00, party over
Oops, out of time
We’re runnin’ outta time
So tonight we gonna party like it’s 1999
… Say it one more time
2000-00, party over


Oops, out of time, no, no
So, tonight we gonna, we gonna, whoa!
… Alright, it’s 1999
You say it, 1999
1999
Oh, 1999
Don’t stop, don’t stop, say it one more time
… 2000-00, party over
Oops, out of time
Yeah-yeah
So tonight, I’m gonna party like it’s 1999 (we gonna, whoa)
… 1999


Don’tcha wanna go (1999)
Don’tcha wanna go, oh (1999)
We could all die any day (1999)
… I don’t wanna die
I’d rather dance my life away (1999)
Listen to what I’m tryin’ to say
Everybody, everybody said party
… C’mon now, you said party
That’s right, everybody say (party)
You can’t run from the revelation, no (party)
Sing it for your nation, y’all (party)
… Dreamin’ when youu’re singin’, baby say (party)
Telephone’s a-ringin’, mama now (party)
C’mon, c’mon, you say (party)
Everybody, do tell me (party)
… Work it down to the ground


I say (party)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh (party)
Come on, take my body, baby (party)
That’s right, c’mon, sing me the song (party)
Yeah-yeah, oh, no no (party)
… That’s right (party)
Got a lion in my pocket mama, say (party)
Oh, and he’s ready to roar (party)
… Mommy
Why does everybody have a bomb?
Mommy
Why does everybody have a bomb?”

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Prince
1999 lyrics © Npg Publishing