It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There's an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin
He says
Son. Can you play me a memory
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet
And I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes
*Sing us a song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there's some place that he'd rather be
He says
Bill. I believe this is killing me
As a smile ran away from his face
Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star If I could get out of this place
Now Paul is a real estate novelist who never had time for a wife
And he's talking with Davey who's still in the navy
And probably will be for life
And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes. they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinking alone
It's pretty good crowd for a Saturday and the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me
They've been coming to see to forget about life for a while
And the piano it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say
Man. What a re you doing here