Somebody Has to Take the Blame

Somebody Has to Take the Blame is the ninth song of the musical, Freaky Friday, which it is performed by Katherine (in Ellie's body), Ellie (in Katherine's body), Dr. Ehrin, Señor O'Brien and Mrs. Luckenbill.

Lyrics
Katherine: (in Ellie's body, spoken) I infantilize my daughter I'm controlling, I'm a pill I micro-micromanage I'm all up in her grill

Ellie: (in Katherine's body) It's called parenting

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) I demand that she be prefect All that pressure, all that fuss I'm a parenting disaster Don't you think so? Let's discuss

Ellie: (in Katherine's body) Forgive my darling mother and forget each thing she said Put the blame where it belongs now Squarely on my head I'm reckless and I'm feckless I go and get tattoos I think it's called a tramp stamp I can show you if you choose

Katherine: (in Ellie's body, spoken) ''No no no no! At least she doesn't smoke like me! I smoke!''

Ellie: (in Katherine's body) My faults are much too numerous to name

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) It's awful to admit, but that's the game

Ellie: (in Katherine's body) Somebody has got to take

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) Somebody has got to take

Both: Somebody has got to take the blame!

Dr. Ehrin: Aha! It's a single-parent family So you both are filled with rage

Señor O'Brien: Her development arrested at the pre-preverbal stage

Dr. Ehrin: Or it could be ADHD, ADD or STDs I suggest that you try Ritalin and yoga and soy cheese

Katherine: (in Ellie's body, spoken) Soy cheese?

Ellie: (in Katherine's body, spoken) This is asinine.

Señor O'Brien: She's functionally unpunctual, she's robbed us and she's rude

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) Excuse me, es mi hija, so perder la attitude

Ms. Perkins: She's intelligent

Katherine: (in Ellie's body, spoken) Ya hear that?

Dr. Ehrin: But unfocused, barely there

Señor O'Brien: I think she smokes the ganja

Katherine: (in Ellie's body, spoken) She does not!

Ellie: (in Katherine's body, spoken) I don't?

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) I swear!

Dr. Ehrin: She's wasting her potential just the same

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) It's not her fault if she's too bright to tame

All: But somebody has got to take Somebody has got to take Somebody has got to take the—

Mrs. Luckenbill: Enough with all the blaming and the shaming! No, you hush The armchair, analyzing and the psychobabble mush I'm a teacher, I should reach her So the failure here is mine She's bright and she's articulate Her heart and mind are fine In all this finger-pointing, this crusade No one thought to check her file To see she struggled for a while Since the seventh grade

Ellie: (in Katherine's body, spoken) The year Dad passed away.

Katherine: (in Ellie's body, spoken) ''Just say died He died''

Ellie: (in Katherine's body, spoken) Oh, Honey, I've been thoughtless and for years I never thought your anger stood for tears It's clear to me I have to take the—

Katherine: (in Ellie's body) Listen, do we have to do this now? I'd rather not discuss it, anyhow It's high school counselor BS all the same 'Cause nobody has got to take the blame

Ellie: (in Katherine's body, spoken) Let's wrap this up Dr. Aaron, I appreciate all the feedback From now on, I'm going to be very good

Señor O'Brien: But somebody has got to take the blame!

Mrs. Luckenbill: (spoken) Oh, can it, Kevin!