Write a Comedy Song derived from Truman Capote’s short quasi-journalistic story “A Day’s Work?”  That’s a tough assignment.  In fact, aside from being difficult to execute, it also led us assignees right up to the the very edge of the great American Racial Abyss - and then directed us to be funny about it.

So why am I posting Mi Esposo? 

Well, I actually think it was a pretty good assignment.  Maybe a very good assignment. 

“A Day’s Work” (from Capote’s last published collection of stories “Music For Chameleons“), is a quasi-journalistic account of Truman Capote accompanying his African American cleaning lady Mary Sanchez around Manhattan as she completes a day’s work. In the course of their journey, Mary reveals details about her relationship with her recently deceased husband, Pedro Sanchez. The source material is not, in my opinion, racially offensive in of itself, though it does feature a woman who is a pot-smoking middle-aged African-American domestic worker in conflict with her drunken – and deceased - philandering Latino husband, a situation which definitely has the potential to fall prey to any number of negative stereotypes.

Mary Sanchez, however, feels like a real person.

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And our assignment was to write a Comedy Song. 

Yikes!

As always, finding a Title was of great importance.  Once I came up with “Mi Esposo” I never looked back.  The music soon spun itself out very satisfactorily.  But wow, that lyric was tough. I still don’t think I’ve totally nailed it. Much will depend upon an actor's (and director and choreographer's) interpretation and performance. 

Also, in order to finish the lyric with confidence I still want to consult further with a native Spanish speaker, preferably one from New York City.

As alluded to earlier, another major consideration with “Mi Esposo” is its danceability.  A successfully danceable rendition of this song will by necessity employ a director/choreographer and musical arranger far more conversant than I with the conventions of New York's Latin Ballroom Musics.

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(It's notable that I encountered no specifically "dance" oriented assignment in the course of my interaction with the BMI Workshop.)

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Mi Esposo NEEDS to DANCE!!!

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Some huge part of its impact will come from watching Mary Sanchez dancing with the ghost of Pedro Sanchez.

(Today I am imagining Mary Sanchez holding on to her broom and investing it with Pedro's spirit.  Dancing with broom ensues.)

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If I never were to let this song out into the world until I think the lyric is perfectly realized, then Mary and Pedro will never get their chance to dance together again.  That would be a tragedy.  And so, with all standard excuses, today I will share what I have so far.

...Mi Esposo...