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malvina reynolds - the pied piper lyrics

rats, rats, everywhere
in the kitchen and down the stair
rocking babies in their cradles
tasting soup in the cooks’ soup ladles
eating flour from ev’ry bin
and raising the devil in hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago

rats, rats, everywhere
wherever you looked, the rats were there
took a nap in papa’s shoes
sat in the living room and read the news
what a condition that town was in
little old town of hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago

mayor and council scratched their heads
tossed and turned in their ratty beds
passed a big appropriation
to count the rats in the population
solemnly resolved that it was a sin
for rats to live in hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago

little man stood at the mayor’s door
no one had ever seen him before
dressed in clothes of a g+yer mood
than ever are seen in hollywood
“if the mayor will let me in
i’ll drive the rats from hamelin,”
hamelin, germany, long time ago
they hugged him, kissed him, patted his head
“what is your name?” the mayor said
“i’m the pied piper, i blow this h+rn
and there never was a rat that ever was born
could resist my merry din
not even the rats of hamelin,”
hamelin, germany, long time ago

“oh, blow your h+rn both far and wide
and save our city!” the mayor cried
“whatever you ask we will gladly pay
if you’ll only drive these rats away
a couple of grand you will surely win
if you get the rats out of hamelin,”
hamelin, germany, long time ago

a tweedledy+dee and a foodley+doh
a little tune he started to blow
it sounded like bacon, it sounded like cheese
it sounded like kitcheny melodies
the rats came out with a snicker and a grin
from all the houses in hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago

they followed the music bright and g+y
over the hills and far away
the hamelinians loudly cheered
as the rat procession disappeared
and never a rat was seen again
in the little old town of hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago
the piper waited, hat in hand
to collect his fee for a couple of grand
mayor and council scratched their pates
“this is way above union rates!
for a tune on the flute or the violin
we only pay scale in hamelin,”
hamelin, germany, long time ago

pied piper said, “okay”
put on his hat and turned away
started playing a couple of tunes
sounded like candy and toy balloons
like merry+go+rounds in a jolly spin
calling the children of hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago

the children came out into the street
followed the piper with dancing feet
followed the music bright and g+y
over the hills and far away
the town got quiet like it never had been
since the beginning of hamelin
hamelin, germany, long time ago

in some country far away
some lads and lasses swing and sway
and a gaudy piper, old and gray
plays on his clarinet night and day
while way back home their sorrowing kin
mourn for the children of hamelin
hamelin, germany
my grandma told me so
a long, long time ago

- malvina reynolds lyrics

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