Κυκλοφόρησε το 1998 (κι ας το πρωτοάκουσες πρόπερσι) στο album Something for Everybody, του Αυστραλού Baz Luhrmann. Ο προφορικός λόγος σε συνδυασμό με τη μουσική της Rozalla (perfomer από τη Ζάμπια), ανέδειξε το κομμάτι, το οποίο έγινε παγκόσμια επιτυχία, αγγίζοντας τη 45η θέση στο Billboard Hot 100 των ΗΠΑ και την 1η θέση στην Αγγλία.
Η ιστορία που το συνοδεύει είναι το ίδιο ενδιαφέρουσα με τους στίχους του. Ο Luhrmann και η ομάδα του θεώρησαν ότι επρόκειτο για τον εναρκτήριο λόγο του συγγραφέα Kurt Vonnegut, στην τάξη του ’97 στο MIT. Ωστόσο, ερχόμενοι σε επαφή μαζί του συνειδητοποίησαν ότι ο ίδιος ουδεμία σχέση είχε με αυτό το λόγο.
Το συγκεκριμένο κείμενο, ανήκε στη Mary Schmich, αρθρογράφο της Chicago Tribune, η οποία τον Ιούνιο του 1997 έγραψε ένα άρθρο που όπως είπε η ίδια, θα μπορούσε να είναι ο λόγος της στην τάξη του 1997, αν ποτέ την καλούσαν να μιλήσει. Το κείμενό της ξεκινούσε ακριβώς έτσι: “Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97: Wear sunscreen.”
"Φόρα αντιηλιακό από οτιδήποτε σου «καίει» το μυαλό" θα μπορούσε να είναι ο υπότιτλος. Πρόκειται για ένα τραγούδι- απενοχοποίηση στα κόμπλεξ που μας δημιουργεί η εποχή μας, τα media, τα κοινωνικά ταμπού.
Οι στίχοι του πρέπει να γίνουν γιγαντοαφίσα στους δρόμους, πίνακας στο σαλόνι σου, backround στο κινητό σου. Μήπως και καταλάβεις (το λέω για να τα ακούω κι εγώ) ότι είναι (κάτι παραπάνω από oκ) να μην πηγαίνεις με το ρεύμα . Να είσαι διαφορετικός, αρκεί να είσαι ο εαυτό σου.
Και να μην ξεχνάς να σου δίνεις και κανένα συγχωροχάρτι.
«Μην αισθάνεσαι ενοχές αν δεν ξέρεις τι θες να κάνεις με τη ζωή σου. Οι πιο ενδιαφέροντες άνθρωποι που γνωρίζω, δεν ήξεραν στα 22 τους τι ήθελαν να κάνουν με τη ζωή τους. Μερικοί δε από τους πιο ενδιαφέροντες 40ρηδες ακόμη δεν ξέρουν».
«Μη διαβάζεις γυναικεία περιοδικά. Θα σε κάνουν απλώς να νιώσεις άσχημη».
True Story.
Οι στίχοι σε απλά αγγλικά:
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99
Wear sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists
Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth
Until they've faded but trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back
At photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now
How much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked
You are not as fat as you imagine
Don't worry about the future
Or know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind
The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday
Do one thing every day that scares you
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours
Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind
The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself
Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults, if you succeed in doing this, tell me how
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't
Get plenty of calcium
Be kind to your knees
You'll miss them when they're gone
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the 'Funky Chicken'
On your 75th wedding anniversary
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much
Or berate yourself either
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can
Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room
Read the directions even if you don't follow them
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly
Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good
Be nice to your siblings, they're your best link to your past
And the people most likely to stick with you in the future
Understand that friends come and go
But a precious few, who should hold on
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle
For as the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young
Live in New York City once but leave before it makes you hard
Live in northern California once but leave before it makes you soft
Travel
Accept certain inalienable truths
Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you, too, will get old
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young
Prices were reasonable, politicians were noble
And children respected their elders
Respect your elders
Don't expect anyone else to support you
Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouseBut you never know when either one might run out
Don't mess too much with your hair
Or by the time you're 40 it will look 85
Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past
From the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts
And recycling it for more than it's worth
But trust me on the sunscreen