Piano Lesson (From "The Music Man")

Mama, a man with a suitcase has been following me all over town
Oh? Who?
I never saw him before
Did he say anything?
He tried
Did you say anything?
Mama, of course not
Now don't dawdle, Amaryllis, play your exercise

So, do, la, re, ti, mi, a little slower and please
Keep the fingers curved as nice and high as you possibly can
Don't get faster, dear

If you don't mind my saying so
It wouldn't have hurt you to have found out what the gentleman wanted
I know what the gentleman wanted
What, dear?
You'll find it in Balzac
Excuse me for living, but I never read it
Neither has anyone else in this town
There you go again with that same old comment
About the low mentality of River City people
And taking it all too much to heart

No, Mama, as long as the Madison Public Library was entrusted to me
For the purpose of improving River City's cultural level
I can't help my concern that the ladies of River City
Keep ignoring all my counsel and advice
But darling
When a woman has a husband and you've got none
Why should she take advice from you?
Even if you can quote Balzac and Shakespeare
And all them other highfalutin Greeks

Mama, if you don't mind my saying so
You have a bad habit of changing every subject
No, I haven't changed the subject
I was talking about that stranger
What stranger?
With a suitcase who may be your very last chance
Mama, do you think I'd allow a common masher?
Now really, Mama, I have my standards where men are concerned
And I have no intention

I know all about your standards
And if you don't mind my saying so
There's not a man alive who could hope to measure up
To that blend of Paul Bunyan, St. Pat, and Noah Webster
You've concocted for yourself out of your Irish imagination
Your Iowa stubbornness and your library full of books