Fugue for El Ray

Sung to the tune of Fugue for Tinhorns, from Guys and Dolls
Lyrics by Paul Druzinsky

For LAWRENCE – LARRY – EL RAY – FATMAN — 1958-2011

Nicely-Nicely

1. His name is Larry Ray, he liked the steaks at Dre’s, and he’s a guy who wins with a pair of treys, El Ray, El Ray, we all loved our friend El Ray, he did it with class his way, El Ray, El Ray (Repeat) El Ray, El Ray, we all loved our friend El Ray, he did it with class his way, El Ray, El Ray.
2. For Larry Ray’s the one, he was an awesome son, and he’s the guy who made our lives so much fun, likes scotch, likes scotch, we all knew he liked his scotch, we all knew he liked his scotch, likes scotch, likes scotch.
3. I tell you do not cry, cuz he’s the greatest guy, to mama Kaye he was the apple of her eye, Key West, Key West, we all knew he loved Key West, We all knew he loved Key West, Key West, Key West.
4. Fatman Ray…. …we love our Lawrence Ray

Benny Southstreet

1. As Rick and Raine say, he was their baby Ray, and he’s the bro they prayed for everyday, El Ray, El Ray, they both loved their bro El Ray, they both loved their bro El Ray, El Ray, El Ray.
2. For Edward 1 and 2, their years too short and few, but for the Ray’s their legacy so real, so true, love wins, love wins, we all know that love wins true, we all know that loves wins true, wins true, wins true.
3. For Keith and Colin too, El Ray was tried and true, he was the loyalist friend they ever knew, played Gin, played Gin, the guy really played his gin, the guy really played his gin, his gin, his gin.
4. Larry Ray……..we love our Lawrence Ray

Rusty

1. I tell you Larry Ray, perhaps he wasn’t gay, in fact we heard from high he was the greatest lay, liked dolls, liked dolls, we all knew he liked his dolls, we all knew he liked his dolls, liked dolls liked dolls.
2. The fatman truly lived, despite his many sins, he was the man we loved to see him win, loved dice, loved dice, the man truly love his dice, the man truly loved his dice, his dice, his dice.
3. But just despite the noise, El Ray he loved his boys, to all his friends he was truly the real McCoy, loved friends, loved friends, El Ray truly loved his friends, El Ray truly loved his friends, his friends, his friends.
4. Lawrence Ray,….,…we love our Lawrence Ray

Below is the 1955 Guys and Dolls cast performing the original song. You can see Dru’s version by watching the video of the memorial celebration. Just scrub ahead to 1:08:00 – that’s an hour and eight minutes in.