Teresa Ellen Reeves:  

Teresa's Songbook: Songs, Poems, Stories & Music by Teresa Ellen Reeves 1 My TransAmerican Life 2 The Night The Stars Fell On Long Beach 3 The Miracle Of One More Time To Live 4 The Answer To The Mystery Of Life 5 Cardinal 6 Because The World Needs You Now Teresa's Songbook ✫121✫ My TransAmerican Life* (A parody of American Pie by Don McLean) [*I am a woman of transsexual history but it is history as "My TransAmerican Life" began with my transition on January 14, 1976  and ended after I had sex reassignment surgery in Trinidad, Colorado on April 21, 1977 and I returned home to Long Beach, California May 3, 1977 on my 23rd birthday.  I haven't "transed" since!] Long, long time ago, I can still remember How I struggled when I was just a child But I never really had a chance I couldn't just put on a dress To be a girl and be happy for a while But my brother he was mean When I dressed up for Halloween He laughed at me at the front door I could be a princess no more I still remember that I cried When my prayers weren't answered, I had to hide How I felt like a girl deep inside And someday I would decide!... So why, My TransAmerican Life? I was unable to know the label or To prove it was right Could a good little boy be of sugar and spice? Be a girl for the rest of my life? Be a girl to the day that I die?  Did you read the book by Christine? Jorgensen, I was only thirteen! But Denmark is where you have to go! And would you believe it was happening here? But Baltimore wasn't very near And what they're doing there wasn't very clear! I felt an impending sense of doom I could see the mirror in the locker room My anatomy was not my destiny! And a gay boy was not what I was meant to be! I was a lonely teenage intellectual, Masculinity ineffectual But could I be a transsexual? Someday, I would decide! So why, My TransAmerican Life? Knew the label, wasn't able To prove that it's right Could a young man outside be a woman inside? Be a woman for the rest of my life? Be a woman to the day that I die? I was twenty years old, I felt so alone And I couldn't tell anyone at home But that's not how it was meant to be Tom Snyder on the Tomorrow show He had a surgeon who could make it so And a woman who was a lot like me! Jan Morris ascended Mt. Everest Her 'Conundrum' was a tougher quest She went abroad on her sojourn She was a broad when she returned! Dr. Reuben was a real transsexual woman hater "They're all castrated, mutilated impersonators! And they'll die from breast cancer later! "But it was up to me to decide!... Transition or die!! My, My TransAmerican Life Knew the label, now I was able To prove I was right Could a woman inside be a woman outside? Be a woman for the rest of my life? Be a woman to the day that I die? To sex over gender CBS did surrender A sex change operation on Medical Center! Mr. Brady became a lady real fast! Robert Reed guested with Chad Everett's cast As a doctor with a wife and a son both aghast! Not much longer alone could my secret ever last! Now, it was high time to make my decision I committed myself to the great transition I could no longer try to hide I told my mother how I felt inside She said she loved me and then she cried For I was her daughter and I was her pride I was relieved when she believed me And she said she would stand by my side! My, My TransAmerican Life Knew the label, now I was able To begin my new life But still I faced going under the knife To be a woman for the rest of my life! To be a woman to the day that I die! January '76, I was a new face in a new place My old self vanished without a trace! It was my time to begin again! At 21, it was sudden, it was so quick I'd crossed the boundary, it was quite a trick And now I was who I was supposed to be! I was eight days in the new life for me I went to the support group and they asked me, When did I have the surgery? It didn't make any sense to me! I said, "I'm new here, I don't understand! What comes next? What is the plan? Or do I have to go to Afghanistan To reach the goal of My TransAmerican Life?" My, My TransAmerican Life Found a surgeon, Now it's urgent to get it done right The day has been set and my dream is in sight! To be a woman for the rest of my life! To be a woman to the day that I die!   I made my way to Colorado I was finally emerging from my shadow A thousand miles to my new birthday My plane took flight as my dreams took wing And deep in my soul my heart did sing And I could hardly wait just another day! In Trinidad, a miracle came through! Witnesses, there were only two! No one else could ever buy a clue! The day that my dream came true! April 21, 1977 in Trinidad Was the best Christmas present I ever had! Finally free to be me, I was forever glad The day I received the gift of my new life!! And I was singing, Bye bye, My TransAmerican Life Knew the label, now I'm able to live my life right! I can be the best woman I can be for my life! I am a woman for the rest of my life!!! I am a woman to the day that I die!!! © 2014 Teresa Ellen Reeves  I put up our Christmas tree on December 24, 1976. It was still up Monday, April 18, 1977 when my mother and I secretly embarked on the most incredible journey ever, to Trinidad, Colorado and my new birthday, Thursday, April 21, 1977!  We joyously returned  home quietly in the early hours of my 23rd birthday, but were unable to share the great victory- Tuesday, May 3, 1977  in Long Beach!!  The tree came down that night! This song is about the glorious, miraculous, incredible, magical journey- a tribute to Dr. Stanley Biber, who gave me this wonderful gift and to my mother, my hero who went with me and stood by me all the way!  (*By the way, her nickname for me is Tree!) Teresa's Songbook ✫51✫ The Night The Stars Fell On Long Beach [Inspired by Bruce Springsteen] It was the Christmas Eve of 1976 I put up the tree, it was already fixed But Christmas wouldn't come this day or night It might not come at all The time would never be right I was waiting for my dream to come true And to have enough money to see it through I was ready to go and eager to know When will my life begin anew? Till then, what can I do? Before The Night!  When The Stars Will Fall On Long Beach! And my dreams are out of my reach But till the stars fall from the sky It's So Great To Be Alive!! Monday, April 18, I was on my way Traveling a thousand miles to my new birthday It was a great adventure! It was great to be alive! Going to Trinidad was such a Rocky Mountain high! We had to sneak out of Long Beach and it doesn't seem right We had to fly to Denver in the middle of the night! And a bus to Trinidad by the dawn's early light! My dream was coming soon Shining down by the light of the moon! Tuesday April 19, we were running on the ground We were on Trinidad arrival by the Greyhound! It was raining, it was pouring, and we didn't want to drown We made it to the motel on the other end of town! I had the chills and fever, stayed in bed that afternoon We ate Pizza Hut for dinner, we braved the monsoon! I didn't want to get sick,  I'd better get well soon I'm checking in the hospital tomorrow afternoon! It was The Day!  That it rained in Colorado! And despite all my bravado, I'm scared! I'm telling you! My dream is two days from coming true! It was Wednesday morning, it was April 20! Anxiety, well I had it plenty! The temperature it was 31 degrees As we made our way so slowly, slowly down the street As it was lightly snowing on my Christmas Eve Before tomorrow's gift, I'm about to receive Dr. Biber would examine me And to the hospital I will go! And no one in Long Beach will ever know! It was The Day!  That snow fell in Colorado! And I was emerging from my shadow But tomorrow by high noon I'll be leaving my cocoon! It was Thursday April 21!  It was Christmas morning! And they woke me up when the day was dawning! And the miracle it was underway! It was a transcendent moment on this Christmas Day! I will remember this moment!  I will remember this date! And the last thing I remembered, it was ten to eight! And by twelve noon I was finally free! It Was True! I Was Alive! I Was Finally Me!! And a Brand New Box was under the Tree!! It was The Day! The Stars Fell On Trinidad! The greatest Christmas present that I ever had! Living witnesses to the miracle There were just two!  I was brand new! No one else could buy a clue! Friday (April 22),  I was one day Alive! And I took comfort in having my mother at my side! She will always be my hero! I will always be her pride! And now I know something that is absolutely true No one will ever ask me again!--- "Are you sure that this is really what you want to do?" I was Eleven days Alive (May 2) And I was Rocky Mountain high! I was one hundred eighty miles from Denver And so very much Alive! But I always will remember! Sister Roberta made sure that we made the bus in time We were seven thousand feet high before the climb Denver was five hours away and a third of a mile down But the cab driver was O.K. Got us there on the ground He made sure that we weren't late And my mother wheeled me to the departure gate! Here I was, at the dawn of my resurrection But for safety's sake, I had to sit in the smoking section! Do they think that I'm on fire When I've attained my heart's desire? To Colorado I did roam but tonight I'm flying home! I looked out the window in the light of the blue And I could see The Dream of Long Beach at Elevation 32! The stars had all fallen from the sky! And their rainbow hues had crystallized! It was a sea of lights dazzling my eyes and Lighting my way home on the blue horizon! Shoreline Drive was a rainbow alive! I could hardly wait for the plane to arrive! The lights of Signal Hill were a welcoming thrill! As my hometown spread out below me It knocks me backwards still! From Ocean Boulevard to the Belmont Shore The stars reached up to the sky and embraced me once more...Expand for more