On my last night in New York, I wander down to the water's edge

I find myself clinging to my father's advice: to reserve judgement

I think about the way New York slapped me with a wild promise I mistook for meaning

And the whole summer washes over me

The quiet brutality of Daisy and Tom, Jordan and the mess we made

Wolfsheim, the Wilsons, all of us holding on to the foul dust of our dreams so tightly

We couldn't see straight

And as I turn to look at the shoreline

Here is what I'll never forget

I still can see Gatsby

Standing in silhouette

He's staring down the darkness

His arm stretched to the sky

With infinite hope

That made him fool enough to try

That light across the water

Is always out of reach

So why do we

Why do we

Why do we

Keep reaching?

Gatsby believed in the green light

The orgastic future that year by year recedes before us

It eluded us then, but that's no matter (where's the party)

Tomorrow we will run faster (and can you take me there?)

Stretch out our arms farther (and when the party's over, can you find)

And one fine morning (another party somewhere?)

So we beat on, boats against the current (we live for today, we pay off the cops)

Borne back ceaselessly into the past (and today is)

Never over and the party never stops

Where's the party and can you take me there?

And when the party's over can you find another party somewhere?

We live for today, we pay off the cops

And when you think the party stops

The party's roaring on

The party's roaring on

Oh, we beat on and on and on and on

And on

And on, and on

And on