Piano Man
Ari Koivunen Lyrics

Its nine o'clock on a Saturday
It is on a Saturday evening at 9 PM.

The regular crowd shuffles in
The usual people arrive at the place.

There's an old man sitting next to me, Makin' love to his tonic and gin
There is an elderly person sitting next to the singer involved in drinking.

He says, son, can you play me a memory?
The elderly person requests the musician to play him a song that recalls memories.

I'm not really sure how it goes, But its sad and its sweet and I knew it complete, When I wore a younger mans clothes
The musician is unsure of how the song goes, but the older person knew it thoroughly when he was younger.

Sing us a song, you're the piano man, Sing us a song tonight, Well, were all in the mood for a melody, And you've got us feelin' alright
The crowd requests the singer to perform a song to entertain them and he obliges.

Now john at the bar is a friend of mine, He gets me my drinks for free
The musician has a friend named John at the bar who treats him well.

And hes quick with a joke or to light up your smoke, But there's someplace that he'd rather be
John is an entertaining and fun-loving guy but he is not content with his current situation.

He says, bill, I believe this is killing me. As the smile ran away from his face
John is unhappy with his life and is becoming more overwhelmed by it.

Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star, If I could get out of this place
John believes that he could be famous if he could escape his current situation.

Now Paul is a real estate novelist, Who never had time for a wife
Another person, Paul, is introduced as a novelist who deals with real estate and was never married.

And hes talkin' with davy who's still in the navy, And probably will be for life
Paul talks to a navy person named Davy who has been serving for a long time and will continue to do so.

And the waitress is practicing politics, As the businessmen slowly get stoned
The waitress engages in discussion about politics as the customers become gradually inebriated.

Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness, But its better than drinkin' alone
The people are together, drinking a beverage they call 'loneliness,' because it's better than being alone.

Its a pretty good crowd for a Saturday, And the manager gives me a smile
The crowd is adequate for a Saturday evening and the manager acknowledges the singer.

'Cause he knows that its me they've been comin' to see, To forget about life for a while
The manager understands that people come to hear the musician to take a break from their daily lives.

And the piano, it sounds like a carnival, And the microphone smells like a beer
The piano is played with enthusiasm and fun is in the air, and the microphone has a beer-like scent.

And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar, And say, man, what are you doin' here?
The people at the bar give the musician money and inquire why he is performing there instead of a larger venue.