A CHORUS LINE
complete lyrics - Edward Kleban
I HOPE I GET IT
ZACH
Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!
Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!
Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!
Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Right!
That connects with...
Turn, turn, out, in, jump, step,
Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch.
Got it?... Going on. And...
Turn, turn, touch, down, back, step,
Pivot, step, walk, walk, walk.
Right! Let's do the whole combination,
Facing away from the mirror.
From the top. A-Five, six, seven, eight!
ALL
God, I hope I get it.
I hope I get it.
How many people does he need?
BOYS
How many people does he need?
GIRLS
God, I hope I get it.
ALL
I hope I get it.
How many boys, how many girls?
GIRLS
How many boys, how many...?
ALL
Look at all the people!
At all the people.
How many people does he need?
How many boys, how many girls?
How many people does he...?
TRICIA
I really need this job.
Please God, I need this job.
I've got to get this job.
ALL
God, I really blew it!
I really blew it!
How could I do a thing like that?
BOYS
How could I do a thing like...
ALL
Now I'll never make it!
I'll never make it!
He doesn't like the way I look.
He doesn't like the way I dance.
He doesn't like the way I...
ALL
GOD, I think I've got it.
I think I've got it.
I knew he liked me all the time.
Still it isn't over.
MAGGIE
What's coming next?
ALL
It isn't over.
MIKE
What happens now?
ALL
I can't imagine what he wants.
GIRLS
I can't imagine what he...
ALL
God, I hope I get it!
I hope I get it.
I've come this far, but even so
It could be yes, it could be no,
How many people does he...?
I really need this job.
A FEW VOICES
My unemployment is gone.
ALL
Please, God, I need this job.
A FEW VOICES
I knew I had it from the start.
ALL
I've got to get this show.
PAUL
Who am I anyway?
Am I my resume?
That is a picture of a person I don't know.
What does he want from me?
What should I try to be?
So many faces all around, and here we go.
I need this job, oh God, I need this show.
I CAN DO THAT
MIKE
I'm watchin' Sis
Go pitterpat.
Said,
"I can do that,
I can do that."
Knew ev'ry step
Right off the bat.
Said,
"I can do that,
I can do that."
One morning Sis won't go to dance class
I grabbed her shoes and tights and all,
But my foot's too small,
So,
I stuff her shoes
With extra socks,
Run seven blocks
In nothin' flat.
Hell,
I can do that,
I can do that.
I got to class
And had it made,
And so I stayed
The rest of my life.
All thanks to Sis
(Now married and fat),
I can do this.
That I can do!
I can do that.
AT THE BALLET
SHEILA
Daddy always thought that he married beneath him.
That's what he said, that's what he said.
When he proposed he informed my mother
He was probably her very last chance.
And though she was twenty-two,
Though she was twenty-two,
Though she was twenty-two,
She married him.
Life with my dad wasn't ever a picnic
More like a "Come as you are."
When I was five I remember my mother
Dug earrings out of the car
I knew they weren't hers, But it wasn't
Something you'd want to discuss.
He wasn't warm.
Well, not to her.
Well, not to us
But
Everything was beautiful at the ballet.
Graceful men lift lovely girls in white.
Yes,
Everything was beautiful at ballet.
Hey!
I was happy... at the ballet.
That's why I started class...
Up a steep and very narrow stairway.
SHEILA AND BEBE
To the voice like a metronome.
Up a steep and very narrow stairway.
SHEILA
It wasn't paradise...
BEBE
It wasn't paradise...
SHEILA AND BEBE
It wasn't paradise...
SHEILA
But it was home.
BEBE
Mother always said I'd be very attractive
When I grew up, when I grew up.
"Diff'rent," she said, "With a special something
And a very, very personal flair."
And though I was eight or nine,
Though I was eight or nine,
Though I was eight or nine,
I hated her.
Now,
"Diff'rent" is nice, but it sure isn't pretty.
"Pretty" is what it's about.
I never met anyone who was "diff'rent"
Who couldn't figure that out.
So beautiful I'd never lived to see.
But it was clear,
If not to her,
Well, then... to me...
That ...
MAGGIE AND BEBE
Everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
Every prince has got to have his swan.
Yes,
Everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
MAGGIE
Hey!...
BEBE
I was pretty...
SHEILA
At the ballet
MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE
Up a steep and very narrow stairway
To the voice like a metronome.
Up a steep and very narrow stairway
MAGGIE
It wasn't paradise...
BEBE
It wasn't paradise...
SHEILA
It wasn't paradise...
MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE
But it was home.
MAGGIE(Spoken)
I don't know what they were for or against, really,
except each other. I mean I was born to save their marriage
but when my father came to pick my mother up at the hospital
he said, "Well, I thought this was going to help. but I guess it's not..." Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life.
I used to dance around the living room with my arms up like this
My fantasy was that I was an Indian Chief...And he'd say to me,
"Maggie, do you wanna dance?" And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to dance!"
SHEILA AND MAGGIE
Doo-doo-doo-doo
BEBE
But it was clear...
BEBE AND MAGGIE
Doo-doo-doo
SHEILA
When he proposed...
SHEILA AND BEBE
Doo-doo-doo
MAGGIE
That I was born to help their marriage and when
MAGGIE AND BEBE
Doo-doo-doo-doo
SHEILA
That's what he said...
SHEILA AND MAGGIE
Doo-doo-doo
BEBE
That's what she said...
BEBE AND SHEILA
Doo-doo-doo
MAGGIE
I used to dance around the living room...
BEBE AND SHEILA
Doo-doo-doo-doo
SHEILA
He wasn't warm...
SHEILA AND MAGGIE
Doo-doo-doo
BEBE
Not to her...
MAGGIE
It was an Indian chief and he'd say:
"Maggie, do you wanna dance?"
And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to..."
Everything was beautiful at the ballet,
Raise your arms and someone's always there.
Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet,
At the ballet,
At the ballet!!!
MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE
Yes everything was beautiful at the ballet.
MAGGIE
HEY!...
BEBE
I was pretty...
SHEILA
I was happy...
MAGGIE
"I would love to..."
MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE
At...the...ballet.
SING
KRISTINE
See I really couldn't sing
I could never really sing
AL
What I couldn't do was... ...Sing!
I have trouble with a... ...Note.
It goes all around my... ...Throat.
It's a terrifying... ...Thing.
See, I reall couldn't hear
Which not was lower or was... ...Higher
If someone says, "Let's start a... ...Choir.
Hey, when I begin to... ...Shreik.
It's a cross between a... ...Squeak.
And a quiver or a... ...Moan.
It's a little like a... ...Croak.
Or the record player... ...Broke.
What its doesn't have is... ...Tone.
Oh I know you're thinking
What a crazy... ...Dingaling.
But I really couldn't... ...Sing.
I could never really... ...Sing.
What I couldn't do was... ...Sing!
AL
Three blind mice.
KRISTINE(Off-Key)
Three blind mice.
(Spoken)
It isn't intentional...
AL(Spoken)
She's doing her best,
Jingle bells, jingle bells...
KRISTINE
Jingle bells, jingle bells...
(Spoken)
It really blows my mind
AL(Spoken)
She gets depressed
KRISTINE
But what I lack in pitch I sure AL Make up in... ...Power. And all my friends say I am
Perfect for the
Shower.
Still,
I'm terrific at a... ...Dance.
Guys are comin' in their... ...Pants.
I'm a birdie on the... ...Wing.
But when I begin to... ...Chirp.
They say, "who's the little... ...Twerp
...Goin' 'pong' instead of... ...Ping.
And when Christmas comes ans
All my friends go...
ALL
Caroling,
KRISTINE
It is so dishearten... ...-Ning.
It is so disquiet... ...-Ting.
It is so discourag... ...-Ging.
Darling, please stop answer... ...-Ring!
See, I really couldn't... ...Sing.
I could never really... ...Sing.
What I couldn't do was...
ALL(In parts with Al conducting)
Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do
Do, ti, la, sol, fa, mi, re, do
La
KRISTINE(Off Key)
La...
ALL
La
KRISTINE
La...
GIRLS
Sing, sing
Sing a sing a sing sing BOYS
Sing, sing Never sing a note.
Please never,
Sing, Sing Never sing a note,
Don't ever...
KRISTINE(Off key)
...Sing.
ALL
Sing!
MONTAGE
VAL
Hello twelve,
RICHIE
Hello thirteen,
MAGGIE
Hello Love.
AL
Changes, Oh!
BEBE
Down below.
DIANA
Up above.
VAL
Time to doubt,
MIKE
To break out'
RICHIE
It's a mess,
MAGGIE
It's a mess.
PAUL AND JUDY
Time to grow.
MAGGIE AND AL
Time to go
CONNIE, BOBBY AND RICHIE
Adolesce,
ALL
Adolesce.
Too young to take over,
Too old to ignore.
Al
Gee, I'm almost ready,
ALL
But...what...for?
There's a lot
I am not
Certain of.
Hellot twelve
Hello thirteen
Hello love.
ALL(except Connie)
Goodbye twelve
Goodbye thirteen
Hello love...
BEBE
Robert Goulet, Robert Goulet
My God, Robert Goulet!
All
...Oh!
Down below
Up above...
DON
Playing Doctor with Evelyn
ALL
La la la
RICHIE
I'll show you mine
ALL
La la
RICHIE
You show me yours
ALL
La la
KRISTINE
Seeing Daddy...naked!
ALL
Time to grow,
Time to go...
SHEILA
Surprise!
ALL
La la la
SHEILA
Mom and Dad were doing it.
BOBBY
I'm gonna be a movie star.
NOTHING
DIANA
I'm so excited because I'm gonna go to the High School of Performing Arts! I mean, I was dying to be a serious actress. Anyway, it's the first day acting class- and we're in the auditorium and the teacher, Mr. Karp... Oh, Mr. Karp... Anyway, he puts us up on the stage with our legs around each other, one in back of the other and he says: "Okay... we're going to do improvisations. Now, you're on a bobsled. It's snowing out. And it's cold...Okay...GO!"
Ev'ry day for a week we would try to
Feel the motion, feel the motion
Down the hill.
Ev'ry day for a week we would try to
Hear the wind rush, hear the wind rush,
Feel the chill.
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see what I had inside.
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried, I tried.
(Spoken)
And everybody's goin' "Whooooosh, whooooosh ...
I feel the snow... I feel the cold... I feel the air."
And Mr. Karp turns to me and he says, "Okay, Morales. What did you feel?"
(sings)
And I said..."Nothing,
I'm feeling nothing,"
And he says "Nothing
Could get a girl transferred."
They all felt something,
But I felt nothing
Except the feeling
That this bullshit was absurd!
(Spoken)
But I said to myself, "Hey, it's only the first week. Maybe it's genetic. They don't have bobsleds in San Juan!"
(sings)
Second week, more advanced, and we had to
Be a table, be a sportscar...
Ice-cream cone.
Mister Karp, he would say,"Very good,
except Morales. Try, Morales,
All alone."
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see how an ice cream felt.
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried to melt.
The kids yelled, "Nothing!"
They called me "Nothing"
And Karp allowed it,
Which really makes me burn.
The were so helpful.
They called me "Hopeless",
Until I really didn't know
Where else to turn.
(Spoken)
And Karp kept saying,
"Morales, I think you should transfer to Girl's High,
You'll never be an actress, Never!" Jesus Christ!
Went to church, praying, "Santa Maria,
Send me guidance, send me guidance,"
On my knees.
Went to church, praying, "Santa Maria,
Help me feel it, help me feel it.
Pretty please!"
And a voice from down at the bottom of my soul
Came up to the top of my head.
And the voice from down at the bottom of my soul,
Here is what it said:
"This man is nothing!
This course is nothing!
If you want something,
Go find another class.
And when you find one
You'll be an actress."
And I assure you that's what
Fin'lly came to pass.
Six months later I heard that Karp had died.
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul...
And cried.
'Cause I felt... nothing.
MONTAGE
ALL
Goodbye twelve,
Goodbye thirteen,
Hello love.
MAGGIE
Why do I pay for all those lessons?
Dance for Gran'ma! Dance for Gran'ma!
BEB
My God, that Steve McQueen's reall sexy,
Bob Goulet out,
Steve McQueen in!
CASSIE
You cannot go to the movies
Until you finish your homework.
AL
Wash the car,
MIKE
Stop pickin' your nose.
MAGGIE
Oh, darling, you're not old enough to wear a bra.
You've got nothing to hold it up.
MARK
Locked in the bathroom with Peyton Place.
VAL
Tits! When am I gonna grow tits?
BOBBY
If Troy Donahue can ne a movie star,
Then I could be a movie star.
JUDY
But the thing that made my Daddy laugh so much
Was when I used to jump and dance around the living room...
MAGGIE
Please take this message
To Mother from me.
Carry it with you
Across the blue sea.
"Mother, oh, Mother,
Wherever I go
Your Maggie is missin' you so."
"Mother, oh, Mother,
Wherever I go
Your Maggie is missin' you so."
AL
Dad would take Mom to Roseland.
She'd come home with her shoes on her hand.
DIANA
Mama fat,
Always in the kitchen cooking all the time.
SHEILA
Darling, I can tell you now,
Your father went through life with an open fly.
VAL
Tits! Where are my tits?
CASSIE
Listen to your mother.
those stage and movie people got there
Because they're special.
GREG
You take after your father's side of the family,
The ugly side.
PAUL
Wait until your father gets home.
DON
Swear to God and hope to die.
CHORUS AL
Goodbye twelve Early to bed,
Goodbye thirteen Early to rise.
Hello La-a-a-ove. Your broad goes out
Other guys.
CASSIE
A diaphragm, a diaphragm.
I thought a diaphragm was up
Here,
Where you breathe.
DON
I bought a car.
I bought my first car.
MIKE(Spoken)
Padiddle.
CHORUS MARK
Changes, oh, Ev'ry girl I know has lockjaw of Down below. The legs.
Up a-...
CONNIE
You're not leaving this house
'Til you're
Twenty-one.
KRISTINE
The ugliest boy asked me to the
Prom,
I stayed home.
MAGGIE
Life is a ashtray.
VAL
Shit.
Made it through High School
Without
Growing tits.
CHORUS RICHIE
...Doubt, My trouble is wine, women, and
To break out Song.
It's a mess. I can't get any of 'em.
Time to grow, MIKE
Time to go, Your brother's going to
A-do... Medical School,
And you're dropping out to be a
Chorus boy.
Nothing!
BEBE
Steve McQueen out.
Nureyev in!
DIANA
You gotta know somebody to be
Somebody.
MAGGIE
Gra-du-a-tion!
SHEILA
All you run around with are
Bums.
AL
I got nancy's picture, Annabelle's
Locket,
Cynthia's ring and Lucy's pants.
Head-on collision!
Eddie got killed...
RICHIE
Let's dance, let's dance.
PAUL
What am I gonna say when he calls on me?
JUDY
My only adolescence, my only adolescence
My only adolescence.
JUDY AND KRISTINE
My only adolescence.
KRISTINE
My only adolescence...
DIANA AND BEBE
Where did it go? It was so...
Where did it go? It was so...
VAL, DIANA AND BEBE
Where did it go? It was so...
Where did it go? It was so...
GREG, BOBBY AND MIKE
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior,
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior.
SHEILA, MAGGIE AND DON
Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen,
Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen.
MARK, CONNIE, CASSIE, RICHIE, MAGGIE, JUDY, PAUL, LARRY AND AL
Suddenly I'm Seventeen and
ALL
Suddenly I'm Seventeen and...
Suddenly I'm Seventeen and...
Suddenly,
There's a lot
I am not
Certain of,
Goodbye twelve,
Goodbye thirteen,
Hello...
(Break into 4 groups and Scat counterpoint)
GIRLS
Doo,
Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo,
Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo,
Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo,
Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo, Dit dit doo,
GIRLS
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du dit,
Dee du dee du dee du, dee dee du.
BOYS
Wah, wah wah wah wah wah wah wah,
Wah, wah wah wah wah wah wah wah,
Wah, wah wah wah wah wah wah wah,
Wah, wah wah wah wah wah wah wah.
BOYS
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
Doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo ah,
RICHIE
Gimme the ball,
Gimme the ball,
Gimme the ball. Yeah!
Gimme the ball,
Gimme the ball,
Gimme the ball. Yeah!
I was always runnin' around shoutin',
"Gimme the ball,
Gimme the ball,
Gimme the ball. Yeah!"
I was so enthusiastic.
I was in to ev'rything.
The yearbook is filled wiht my pictures,
And I was lucky 'cause I got
A scholarship to college.
A scholarship to college!
ALL(Chorus plus offstage voices)
So he went.
RICHIE
Yes, I went.
ALL
Yes, he went.
RICHIE
So I'm gonna be this kindergarten teacher...
(spoken)
Imagine me- this kindergarten teacher? And I thought...
(Sings)
Shit.
ALL
Shit, Richie.
RICHIE
Shit.
ALL
Shit, Richie.
RICHIE ALL
What are you gonna be? Shit, Richie,Shit, Richie. When you get shoved Shit, Richie,Shit, Richie.
Outta here,
Honey, ain't nobody Shit, Richie, Shit, Richie.
Gonna be standin' there
With no scholarship to life. Shit, Richie, Shit, Richie.
RICHIE
And I was scared.
ALL
Shit, Richie.
RICHIE
Scared.
ALL
Shit, Richie.
RICHIE
Scared!!
ALL
Shit, Richie.
GIRLS(Chorus & all offstage voices 'til end)
My braces gone
BOYS
My pimples gone.
ALL
My childhood gone,
Goodbye
Goodbye twelve.
Goodbye thirteen.
Goodbye fourteen.
Goodbye fifteen.
Goodbye sixteen.
Goodbye seventeen.
Hello love.
Go to it.
Go to it.
Go to it.
Go to it.
Go to it.
Go to it.
BOYS
And now life really begins.
GIRLS
Go to it.
BOYS
And now life really begins.
GIRLS
Go to it.
BOYS
And now life really beigins.
GIRLS
Go to it.
BOYS
And now life really begins.
GIRLS
Go to it.
BOYS
Go to it.
DANCE: TEN; LOOKS: THREE
VAL
Dance: ten; Looks; three.
And I' still on unemployment,
Dancing for my own enjoyment.
That ain't it, kid. That ain't it, kid.
"Dance: ten; Looks; three,"
I like to die!
Left the theatre and
Called the doctor for
My appointment to buy...
Tits and ass.
Bought myself a fancy pair.
Tightened up the derriere.
Did the nose with it.
All that goes with it.
Tits and ass!
Had the bingo-bongos done.
Suddenly I'm getting nash'nal tours!
Tits and ass won't get you jobs
Unless they're yours.
Didn't cost a fortune neither.
Didn't hurt my sex life either.
Flat and sassy,
I would get the strays and losers.
Beggars really can't be choosers.
That ain't it, kid. That ain't it, kid.
Fised the chassis.
"How do you do!"
Life turned into and
Endless medley of
"Gee it had to be you!"
Why?
Tits and ass!
Where the cupboard once was bare
Now you knock and someone's there.
You have got 'em, hey.
Top to bottom, hey.
It's a gas!
Just a dash of silicone.
Shake your new maracas and you fine!
Tits and ass can change your life.
They sure changed mine.
Have it all done.
Honey, take my word.
Grab a cab, c'mon.
See the wizard on
Park and Seventy-Third
For
Tits and ass.
Orchestra or balcony.
What they want is whatcha see.
Keep the best of you.
Do the rest of you.
Pits or class.
I have never seen it fail.
Debutante or chorus girl or wife.
Tits and ass,
Yes, tits and ass
Have changed...
My...
Life...!
THE MUSIC AND THE MIRROR
CASSIE
Give me somebody to dance for,
Give me somebody to show.
Let me wake up in the morning to find
I have somewhere exciting to go.
To have something that I can believe in.
To have something to be.
Use me... Choose me.
God, I'm a dancer,
A dancer dances!
Give me somebody to dance with.
Give me a place to fit in.
Help me return to the world of the living
By showing me how to begin.
Play the music.
Give me the chance to come through.
All I ever needed was the music, and the mirror,
And the chance to dance for you.
Give me a job and you instantly get me involved.
If you give me a job,
Then the rest of the crap will get solved.
Put me to work,
You would think that by now I'm allowed.
I'll do you proud.
Throw me a rope to grab on to.
Helpome to prove that I'm strong.
Give me the chance to look forward to sayin':
"Hey. listen, they're playing my song."
Play me the music.
Give me the chance to come through.
All I ever needed was the music, and the mirror,
And the chance to dance...
Play me the music,
Play me the music,
Play me the music.
Give me the chance to come through.
All I ever needed was the music, and the mirror,
And the chance to dance...