Not For The Life Of Me

Not For The Life Of Me

From: Thoroughly Modern Millie
By: Tesori
Voice Type(s): Alto,Mezzo,Belt

Melody
G
Full
G

Show Synopsis:
Millie Dillmount moves from a small town to New York City to marry a wealthy man and live in the lap of luxury for the rest of her life. She gets a room at the Hotel Priscilla and becomes friends with the wealthy Miss Dorothy, who wants to learn how to live a less affluent life. Millie gets a job at Sincere Trust as a stenographer with the intention of marrying the company boss Trevor Graydon, while Miss Meers, the owner of the Hotel Priscilla, tries to capture Miss Dorothy to be sold into white slavery. Millie unintentionally foils her plan, and she and Dorothy go to a club to celebrate Millie's employment. They see Jimmy, who is beginning to fall in love with Millie, and the famous singer Muzzy van Hossemare. Millie tells Jimmy off for being a womanizer, and then believes he is dating Miss Dorothy when she sees him leaving Miss Dorothy's room. At first she is angry, but allows him to take her to dinner, where Millie debates whether she is throwing away a chance at true love in pursuit of Trevor. Muzzy convinces her to set her heart on Jimmy while Trevor falls in love with Dorothy. Trevor, Jimmy, Millie, and Muzzy realize that Miss Meers has been kidnapping her tenants to sell them and conspire to get her arrested. Millie accepts Jimmy's marriage proposal and learns that he is actually rich, Miss Dorothy's brother, and Muzzy's son, so Millie achieves her dream after all.

Character:
Millie Dillmount, a young modern woman in search of love and money; persistent against all odds; knows that she's very smart.

Song Context:
Millie has just gotten off the train in New York City and is excited beyond belief to be in the place she's always dreamed of.	

Fun Facts:
1. This musical was based on the 1967 musical film of the same name starring Julie Andrews. 
2. Sutton Foster originated the role of Millie on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and told Newsday in an interview that she identified with Millie's "tenacity to make a name for herself and create her own destiny." 
3. Jeanine Tesori, who composed the score of the musical, once called the musical "a coming-of-age story. So would you call it happy? You watch someone literally start their life: a young girl drops who she ever was and begins again, like so many people do in New York. It's hopeful. It's about beginnings."
    

"I studied all the pictures in magazines and books,
I memorized the subway map too.
It's one block north to Macy's and two to Brothers Brooks.
Manhattan, I prepared for you!

You certainly are diff'rent from what they have back home
Where nothing's over three stories high,
And no one's in a hurry or wants to roam,
But I do, though they wonder why.

They said I would soon be good and lonely,
They said I would sing the homesick blues,
So I always have this ticket in my pocket,
A ticket home in my pocket
To do with as I choose.

Burn the bridge, bet the store
Baby's coming home no more,
Not for the life of me!
Break the lock, post my bail,
Done my time, I'm out of jail.
Not for the life of me

A life that's gotta be more than a one-light town
Where the light is always red,
Gotta be more than an old ghost town
Where the ghost ain't even dead!

Clap-a-your hands, just-a-because
Don't you know that where I am ain't where I was
Not for the life of me.
Boh-doh-dee-oh,
Not for the life of
Not for the life of
Not for the life of me!"