The original, of course, begins, with a gentle spoken introduction:
"In Napoli, where love is free, when boy meets girl,
here's what they say..."   Too bad.


In GCC, where nothing's free, when Ruth comes 'round,
 here's what they say...

When the moon hits your eye on a Thursday, you'll cry
"That's a t-shirt!"
When the world seems to say, "Pay a dollar today!"
that's a t-shirt!
Coins will ring, ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella"
Purples play tippy tippy tay, tippy tippy tay;
Their performance is stellar.

When the scholarship dough gets much bigger, you'll know
that's the t-shirts!
When you dance down to Dawn don't be sad and forlorn,
but be glad.
When you're wearing your t,  you're cool as can be -
What an extrovert!
Scusi me, but you see every monthly Fridee,
it's the t-shirts! (It's the t-shirts)
It's the t-shirts!
 

Ooh, I’ll bet you’re wonderin’ how I knew
‘bout your plans to look so cool
in the shirt that writes all wrongs.
Just among we English folk
who wear t’s that inspire songs.
It took me by surprise I must say,
when I found out Friday’s the day.
Don’t you know that…
 

Chorus:
I heard it through the grapevine;
this coming Friday is t-shirt time.
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine,
and I’m thinkin’ that it suits me fine.
Honey, honey, yeah.
 

I know a teacher ain’t supposed to cry,
but these tears I can’t hold inside.
When I see that grape trajectory
‘cause it means that much to me,
We gotta tell the world ourselves,
We’re spending a dollar here to help.
Because …

I heard it through the grapevine;
this coming Friday is t-shirt time.
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine,
and I’m thinkin’ that it suits me fine.
Honey, honey, yeah.
 

It’s not all about grades and red ink,
it’s not even about drop/add,
We’ve gotta’ stand up so people can see;
it’s scholarship that makes us glad.
So do you plan to wear your t
and keep learning at GC free ?
Don’t you know…

I heard it through the grapevine;
this coming Friday is t-shirt time.
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine,
and I’m thinkin’ that it suits me fine.
Honey, honey, yeah.

The Purple Gang rocks!