At the Ballet

Lyrics

[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 that 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 the ballet Hey! I was happy... at the ballet (spoken) That's when I started class... [SHEILA & BEBE] Up a steep and very narrow stairway To the voice like a metronome Up a steep and very narrow stairway [SHEILA] It wasn't paradise... [BEBE] It wasn't paradise... [SHEILA & 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 "Different," 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, "different" is nice, but it sure isn't pretty "Pretty" is what it's about I never met anyone who was "different" Who couldn't figure that out So beautiful I'd never live to see But it was clear If not to her Well, then to me That... [MAGGIE & 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 & 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 & 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 it 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 & MAGGIE] Doo-doo-doo-doo [BEBE] But it was clear... [BEBE & MAGGIE] Doo-doo-doo [SHEILA] When he proposed... [SHEILA & 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 & MAGGIE] Doo-doo-doo [BEBE] That's what she said... [BEBE & SHEILA] Doo-doo-doo [MAGGIE] I used to dance around the living room... [BEBE & SHEILA] Doo-doo-doo-doo [SHEILA] He wasn't warm... [SHEILA & MAGGIE] Doo-doo-doo [BEBE] Not to her... [MAGGIE] It was an Indian chief and he said: "Maggie, do you wanna dance?" And I said, "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 & 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 & BEBE] At the ballet