You Gotta Get a Gimmick

Lyrics

[TESSIE, spoken] Take it from me To be a stripper all you need to have is no talent [MAZEPPA, spoken] You pardon me But to have no talent is not enough What you need to have is an idea that makes your strip special [MAZEPPA] You can pull all the stops out Till they call the cops out Grind your behind till you're banned But you gotta get a gimmick If you wanna get ahead You can sacrifice your sacro Workin' in the back row Bump in a dump till you're dead Kid, you've gotta get a gimmick If you want to get ahead You can uh, you can uh You can uh, uh, uh That's how burlesque was born So I uh, and I uh And I uh, uh, uh But I do it with a horn [Trumpet strip: MAZEPPA blows a bugle as she bumps and grinds] Once I was a schlepper Now I'm Miss Mazeppa With my revolution in dance You gotta have a gimmick If you wanna have a chance [ELECTRA] Shе can uh, she can uh She can uh, uh, uh They'll nеver make her rich Me, I uh, and I uh And I uh, uh, uh But I do it with a switch [Bulb strip: ELECTRA has batteries on her costume which make strategic bulbs light up as she bumps and grinds] I'm electrifying And I'm not even trying I never had to sweat to get paid 'Cause if you got a gimmick Gypsy girl, you've got it made [TESSIE] All them uh and them uh And them uh, uh, uh Ain't gonna spell success Me, I uh, and I uh And I uh, uh, uh But I do it with finesse [Ballet strip: TESSIE does a pseudo-ballet, punctuating each classic step with a classic bump] Dressy Tessie Tura Is so much more demurer Than all them other ladies because You gotta get a gimmick If you wanna get applause [MAZEPPA, ELECTRA & TESSIE] Do something special Anything that's fresh'll (Do something special) Earn you a big fat cigar (Anything that's fresh'll) (Do something special) Earn you a big fat cigar (Anything that's fresh'll) Earn you a big fat cigar [MAZEPPA, ELECTRA & TESSIE] You're more than just a mimic When you got a gimmick Take a look how different we are [ELECTRA] If you wanna make it Twinkle while you shake it [TESSIE] If you wanna grind it Wait till you've refined it [MAZEPPA] If you wanna bump it Bump it with a trumpet [MAZEPPA, ELECTRA & TESSIE] Get yourself a gimmick And you, too Can be a star!