You Gotta Crush a Kid's Dreams

"You Gotta Crush a Kid's Dreams" is the opening song of *Shrugging Destiny*. After watching an awful play performance, parents harshly criticize their children to deter them from following any acting dreams.

## Lyrics

**Bradley's Father**

Sometimes

You gotta crush a kid's dreams to watch them fly

You gotta take their wings and rip 'em off

And when they ask you "why?"

You tell them: "You are not good at this

You gotta do something else"

So take that dream you have and put it on a fucking shelf

**Bradley (spoken)**

*Uh, hi dad! What'd you think!*

**Bradley's Father (spoken)**

*Bradley?*

**Bradley (spoken)**

*Yeah?*

**Bradley's Father (spoken)**

*Stop.*

**Bradley (spoken)**

*What? Talking?*

**Bradley's Father (spoken)**

*Yes.*

**Bradley (spoken)**

*So you can tell me how great it was?*

**Bradley's Father**

You were bad

**Bradley (spoken)**

*No, what?!*

**Bradley's Father**

Bad doesn't describe what you did

Because bad is a thing that is better than what you did, which was total shit

I don't want you to act anymore

In fact, go home right now

**Bradley (spoken)**

*You drove me...*

**Bradley's Father**

No, you're gonna have to find your own way back

**Bradley's Father (spoken)**

Hoo, guys, that was hard but I'm glad I did it. Oh, your kids are coming up.

**Unnamed Parent (spoken)**

Oh no.

**Unnamed Child (spoken)**

*Hey, mom!*

**Unnamed Parent (spoken)**

*Oh, hi sweetheart.*

**Unnamed Child (spoken)**

*Did you hear my solo?*

**Unnamed Parent (spoken)**

*I did.*

**Unnamed Parent**

And it hurt my ears

**Unnamed Child (spoken)**

*Wha..?*

**Unnamed Parent**

Made my ears feel bad

Watching you try and fail so totally bad

It made me really sad

So why don't you stop what you're doing

I wish we could take back this night

**Unnamed Child (spoken)**

*Oh my god.*

**Unnamed Parent**

If you think that that was okay, then you are definitely not right

**Unnamed Child (spoken)**

*Okay well, just drive me home, alright?*

**Unnamed Parent (spoken)**

*Nope, find your own way home.*

**Unnamed Child (spoken)**

*Wait, what?!*

**Unnamed Parent (spoken)**

*Oh, you're right, it's so freeing!*

**Bradley's Father (spoken)**

*It hurts, but you have to do it, you're going to feel so much better after.*

**Football Kids' Father (spoken)**

*I hope so, 'cause I couldn't feel worse right now.*

**Unnamed Parent (spoken)**

*Here come your football twins.*

**Football Kids' Father (spoken)**

*Oh no.*

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Hey dad.*

**Steve (spoken)**

*It's me, Steve!*

**Kevin (spoken)**

*And it's me, Kevin!*

**Steve (spoken)**

*I really felt like, I felt like I was emotionally connected to the world and I never have before. Kevin, you were great!*

**Kevin (spoken)**

*Steve, you were great. I really felt like we were blossoming out of our shells and realizing new parts of our-*

**Football Kids' Father (spoken)**

*Shut up, you two!*

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Whaaat?!*

**Football Kids' Father (spoken)**

*I got somethin' to tell ya. And I'm gonna tell you in one second.*

**Steve(spoken)**

*What? Oh my God, he's really gearing up! There's steam coming out of his ears!*

**Football Kids' Father**

Well, you should be ashamed

**Steve (spoken)**

*Huh?*

**Football Kids' Father**

'Cause I know I am

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Aw...*

**Football Kids' Father**

When I saw you prancing around that stage

I wanted to get swallowed by a giant clam

I am just sick

**Steve(spoken)**

*Huh?!*

**Football Kids' Father**

Sick to my guts

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Not to your guts!*

**Football Kids' Father**

You've gotta quit this nonsense and there's no ifs, ands, or buts

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Whoa!*

**Football Kids' Father**

I can't stand what I just saw

And that other people saw it too

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Uh...*

**Football Kids' Father**

You shouldn't be on stage

You should be in a goddamn zoo

**Steve (spoken)**

*Oh, uh, okay.*

**Kevin**

Dad

**Steve**

Dad

**Kevin**

You really hurt our pride

**Steve (spoken)**

*Yeah!*

**Kevin**

But will you please at least

**Steven and Kevin**

Give us a ride

No!

**Steve and Kevin (spoken)**

*Whoa!*

**Football Kids' Father**

You gotta find your own way home

There's no way I'm gonna put you in my car

And let you roam around in the neighborhood

**Bradley's Father**

Hoo, didn't that feel good?

**Unnamed Parent**

Yeah, it felt great!

And don't you feel free

Now that we've crushed their dreams?

**Bradley's Father**

And most importantly

No matter who we are

Going home, we're gonna have so much

**All Parents**

Room in the car

Yeah!