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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
karen k Lyr Req: Pied Piper (Malvina Reynolds) (6) Lyr Add: PIED PIPER (Malvina Reynolds) 25 Jan 99


Don and Gary,

Here are the words you're looking for. It's a good song. Thanks for reminding me about it. It's also on her one of her albums (I think "Little Boxes")

Enjoy, karen k

PIED PIPER - Malvina Reynolds, 1958 from her songbook, Little Boxes, Oak Pub. 1964

Rats, rats everywhere,(D,A7)
In the kitchen and down the stair (D)
Rocking babies in their cradles (Em,D)
Tasting soup in the cook's soup ladles (G,D)
Eating flour from every bin and raising the devil in (Em,D,G,A7)
Hamelin, Hamelin, Germany, Long time ago.(D,D7,G,D,A7,D)

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.....

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.....

Little stood at the Mayor's door
No one had ever seen him before
Dressed in clothes of a gayer mood
Then ever are seen in Hollywood
"If the Mayor will let me in,
I'll drive the rats from Hamelin,".....

They hugged him, kissed him, patted his head
"What is your name?" the Mayor said
I'm the Pied Piper, I blow this horn,
And there never was a rat that ever was born
Could resist my merry din
Not even the rats of Hamelin,".....

"Oh, blow your horn 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".....

A tweedledy-dee and a foodledy-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 of Hamelin.....

They followed the music bright and gay
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.....

The piper waited, hat in hand
To collect his fee for a couple of grand
Mayor and Council scratched their pates
"This is way abouve union rates!
For a tune on the flute or the violin
We only pay scale in Hamelin".....

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.....

The children came out into the street
Followed the Piper with dancing feet
Followed the music bright and gay
Over the hills and far away
The town got quiet like it never had been
Since the beginning of Hamelin.....

In some country far away
A bunch of hip-cats 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,
A long time ago.


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