Marshall's Plan

I found this in-depth article on the lyricist Marshall Barer, a really well-done piece on his unique style as a songwriter; it also provides some excerpts from rare Barer songs, like this one:

The first thing you learn is the dream must be tall,
A dream that is small ain’t worth dreaming at all,
But reach for the stars and an apple may fall
From the sky.
If you’re lucky, an apple may fall from the star-spangled sky.

The next thing you learn is to get through each day
Without ever once letting hope slip away
For once you are hopeless you might as well lay
Down and die.
Yes, you might as well lay yourself down in the gutter and die.

The next thing you learn
Is the hardest to learn
But you’ll use it as long as you live.
It’s the oldest of rules
And the wisest of rules
And it’s simply “You get what you give.”

But the last thing you learn is the best thing, I guess,
When the dream has gone smash and you’re left with the mess
And you know in a flash you must settle for less
Than that castle in Spain or that certain caress,
What a blessing to learn you are willing to settle for less.