Another slice of Cake

A MIDLIFE'S TALE
My neighbour does some funny things:
he's got three kids and he's got six drinks to go
before he sleeps tonight,
Singing liberation songs out on the front verandah.

My neighbour falls asleep out there,
he wakes up next morning with the sun,
And it reminds him that it’s time,
Well it's off to work we go,
It's always one day starting way behind another.

Dreaming is a casual thing you do if you believe
in just by chance one day the lovely things will come true.
But he's well past thinking that,
It's now a day by day proposal
he's lost the magic – [Christ] he'd like to get it back now.

Get it back now
Get it back now

Once upon a time there were so many plans.
Holidays and blossoms and some fine romance.
But it's all behind him now,
There's no game plan to be followed,
He's lost the magic – [Christ] he'd like to get it back now.

Get it back now
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The jury's out for me as to how well song lyrics work in print; my hunch is not that well. That's why they're song lyrics: they're best sung.

That said, I find this song by The Cake stirring, almost harrowing. Among other things, I reckon it captures the empty regret of a life lived for this world's dreams and thrills -- particularly as such a life and its hopes meet with the fickle kisses of reality and the passing of time. And, though I'm not middle-aged, the feeling of "one day starting way behind another" is all too familiar.

Speaking of middle age, does anyone know when this scary period officially begins? The other day a friend suggested it was at 36. Let's just say this 35 year old shot him an icy glare.