Meredith Willson - Rock Island Lyrics
1st SalesmanCash for the merchandise, cash for the button hooks3rd SalesmanCash for the cotton goods, cash for the hard goods1st SalesmanCash for the fancy goods2nd SalesmanCash for the noggins and the piggins and the frikins3rd SalesmanCash for the hogshead, cask and demijohn.Cash for the crackers and the pickles and the flypaper.4th SalesmanLook whatayatalk, whatayatalk, whatayatalk, whatayatalk, whatayatalk?5th SalesmanWheredayagitit?4th SalesmanWhatayatalk?1st SalesmanYa can talk, ya can talk, ya can bicker, ya can talk,ya can bicker, bicker, bicker, ya can talk, ya can talk,ya can talk, talk, talk, talk, bicker, bicker, bicker,ya can talk all ya want but is different than it was.CharlieNo it ain't, no it ain't, but you gotta know the territoryRail CarShh shh shh shh shh shh shh3rd SalesmanWhy it's the Model T Ford made the trouble,made the people wanna go, wanna get, wanna get,wanna get up and go seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve,fourteen, twenty-two, twenty-three miles to the county seat1st SalesmanYes sir, yes sir3rd SalesmanWho's gonna patronize a little bitty two by four kinda store anymore?4th SalesmanWhaddaya talk, whaddaya talk,5th SalesmanWhere do you get it?3rd SalesmanGone, goneGone with the hogshead cask and demijohn,gone with the sugar barrel pickle barrel, milk pan,gone with the tub and the pail and the tierce2nd SalesmanEver meet a fellow by the name of Hill?1st SalesmanHill?CharlieHill?3rd SalesmanHill?4th SalesmanHill?1st NewspaperHill?2nd NewspaperHill?5th SalesmanHill?2nd SalesmanHill!All But Charlie & 2nd SalesmanNO!CharlieJust a minute, just a minute, just a minute4th SalesmanNever heard of any salesman Hill2nd SalesmanNow he doesn't know the territory1st SalesmanDoesn't know the territory?!?3rd SalesmanWhat's the fellow's line?2nd SalesmanNever worries 'bout his line1st SalesmanNever worries 'bout his line?!?2nd SalesmanOr a doggone thing, He's just a bang beat, bell ringing,Big haul, great go, neck-or-nothing, rip roarin',every time a bull's eye salesman,That's Professor Harold Hill, Harold Hill3rd SalesmanWhat's the fellow's line?5th SalesmanWhat's his line?CharlieHe's a fake, and he doesn't know the territory!Look, whaddaya talk, whaddaya talk, whaddaya talk, whaddaya talk?2nd SalesmanHe's a music manHe's a what?3rd SalesmanHe's a what?2nd SalesmanHe's a music man and he sells clarinetsto the kids in the town with the big trombonesand the rat-a-tat drums, big brass bass, big brass bass,and the piccolo, the piccolo with uniforms, toowith a shiny gold braid on the coat and a big red stripe runnin'...1st SalesmanWell, I don't know much about bands but I do knowyou can't make a living selling big trombones, no sir.Mandolin picks, perhaps and here and there a Jew's harp...2nd SalesmanNo, the fellow sells bands, Boys' bands.I don't know how he does it but he lives like a kingand he dallies and he gathers and he plucks and he shines,and when the man dances certainly, boys, what else?The piper pays him! Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, yes sir,when the man dances, certainly, boys, what else?The piper pays him! Yessssir, YessssirCharlieBut he doesn't know the territory!
