“I wrote Symphony Cowgirl in 2001 for Nancy Bechtle, for a concert honoring her as she stepped down from her post as president of the San Francisco Symphony after a 13-year tenure, during which the orchestra had come into its own. I will forever be indebted to Nancy for bringing me to San Francisco. All of San Francisco recognized Nancy as a brilliant and devoted civic mainstay who worked tirelessly on behalf of the city she loved. She was also tremendous fun, loved Country and Western music, and brought joy to everyone who had the great fortune to be in her orbit.”
—Michael Tilson Thomas
Text
Symphony Cowgirl
(For Nancy)
Gosh it’s hard to be a cowgirl
When you’re the Prez’dent of the Symphony
All day you’re schmoozin’ on the telephone and
You never have an evenin’ free
Ya gotta charm, cajole, flatter and flirt
With everyone you see
Dang, it’s hard to be a cowgirl
When you’re the Prez’dent of the Symphony
Pacifyin’ all those maestros
There’s a job that’s dusk ’till dawn
They like to stay up all night a-braggin’ ’bout
Who’s got the biggest baton!
I’d like to go home to my buckaroo and
Frilly pink boudoir
Instead of jabberin’ ’bout our latest plan
Expandin’ standard repertoire
BRIDGE
Cause it’s the music
Beautiful music
That lets my spirit soar free
Yes it’s the music
Symphony music
That makes it all worthwhile for me
Them artists sure are temperamental and
You gotta make ’em feel at home
You gotta say “Bonjour!”
Or “Guten tag!” “Konichiwa!” or “Shalom!”
And if the critics trash ’em, then my dear
For sure you must apologize
And stage a shoppin’ spree for all
Their girlfriends, boyfriends, moms and wives
BRIDGE
Cause it’s the music
Beautiful music
That lets my spirit soar free
Yes it’s the music
Symphony music
That makes it all worthwhile for me
When Symph’ny Gala time comes rollin’
’round
Your every hour gets tense and tough
You gotta think up spankin’ new fun things
And pray that they’ll be enough
You gotta corral all them caterers
And decorate a fancy room
And then a-worry yourself half to death
’Bout who’s sittin’ next to whom
BRIDGE
’Cause it’s music
Beautiful music
By Bach, Mozart and Tchaikovsky
Yes it’s the music
Symphony music
That makes it all worthwhile for me
Now raisin’ all that money every year’s
A scary kinda task
You call on best friends, total strangers and
Ladies in your exercise class
Sometimes your tongue gets numb from
sashayin’ ’round
The things you know you gotta say
But they all know that if they don’t give big
You’re never gonna go away
BRIDGE X 2
’Cause it’s music
Beautiful music
That let’s my spirit soar free
Yes it’s the music
Symphony music
That makes it all worthwhile for me
’Cause it’s music
Beautiful music
That let’s my spirit soar free
Yes it’s music
Symphony music
And we thank you so much, dear Nancy
CODA:
’Cause it’s hard to be a cowgirl
When you’re Prez’dent of the Symphony!
Lyrics by Michael Tilson Thomas