Piano Man
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Verse 1
It's 9 o'clock on a SaturdayThe regular crowd shuffles inThere's an old man sittin' next to meMakin' love to his tonic and ginHe says, "Son, can you play me a memory?I'm not really sure how it goesBut it's sad, and it's sweet, and I knew it completeWhen I wore a younger man's clothes"Refrain
La, la-la, di-dee-daLa-la, di-dee-da da-dumChorus
Sing us a song, you're the piano manSing us a song tonightWell, we're all in the mood for a melodyAnd you've got us feelin' alrightVerse 2
Now John at the bar is a friend of mineHe gets me my drinks for freeAnd he's quick with a joke, or to light up your smokeBut there's someplace that he'd rather beHe says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me"As the smile ran away from his face"Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie starIf I could get out of this place"Refrain
Oh, la, la-la, di-dee-daLa-la, di-dee-da da-dumVerse 3
Now Paul is a real estate novelistWho never had time for a wifeAnd he's talkin' with Davy, who's still in the navyAnd probably will be for lifeAnd the waitress is practicing politicsAs the businessmen slowly get stonedYes, they're sharing a drink they call lonelinessBut it's better than drinkin' aloneChorus
Sing us a song, you're the piano manSing us a song tonightWell, we're all in the mood for a melodyAnd you've got us feelin' alrightVerse 4
It's a pretty good crowd for a SaturdayAnd the manager gives me a smile'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to seeTo forget about life for a whileAnd the piano, it sounds like a carnivalAnd the microphone smells like a beerAnd they sit at the bar and put bread in my jarAnd say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"Refrain
Oh, la, la-la, di-dee-daLa-la, di-dee-da da-dumChorus
Sing us a song, you're the piano manSing us a song tonightWell, we're all in the mood for a melodyAnd you've got us feelin' alrightWhat the song means
A portrait of Saturday night in a piano bar where the narrator plays for various patrons seeking escape. An old man recalls his youth, a bartender dreams of Hollywood, a real estate agent never found time for love, and others gather to forget their troubles through music and companionship. The song celebrates how music brings people together.
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tonic and gin — a classic alcoholic drink (gin mixed with tonic water)
represents the old man's habitual escape and nostalgia
