note the spelling Willson ... www.last.fm/music/Meredith+Willson
Born Robert Meredith Reiniger in Mason City, Iowa, Willson attended Damrosch Institute (later The Juilliard School) in New York City. A flute and piccolo player, Willson was a member of John Philip Sousa's band (1921 - 1923) and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini (1924 - 1929). Willson then moved to San Francisco, California as the concert director for KFRC, and then as a musical director for the NBC radio network in Hollywood.
His work for films included the music for Charlie Chaplin's 1940 film The Great Dictator, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. During World War II, he worked for the United States' Armed Forces Radio Service. His work with the AFRS teamed him with George Burns, Gracie Allen and Bill Goodwin. (He would work with all three as the bandleader, and a regular character, on the Burns and Allen radio program.) Returning to network radio after WWII, he created the Talking People, a choral group which spoke in unison while delivering radio commercials.
Willson's most famous work, The Music Man, premiered on Broadway in 1957 and was adapted twice for film (in 1962 and 2003). He referred to the play as "an Iowan's attempt to pay tribute to his home state." It took Willson some eight years and thirty revisions to complete the musical, for which he wrote more than forty songs. The cast recording of The Music Man won the very first Grammy award ever issued.
His second musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, ran on Broadway for 532 performances from 1960 to 1962 and was made into a 1964 motion picture starring Debbie Reynolds.
His third (and apparently last) musical was an adaptation of the film Miracle On 34th Street, called Here's Love! (1963).
His Symphony No. 1 In F Minor, A Symphony Of San Francisco, and Symphony No. 2 In E Minor, Missions Of California, were recorded in 1999 by William T. Stromberg conducting the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra.
Willson penned a number of very well-known songs, such as "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Gary Indiana," "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," and even "Till There Was You," which was a hit for the Beatles in 1963. He also wrote the University of Iowa's fight song.
In general, it was recognized that Willson wrote surprisingly well-crafted, complex, and subtle music that classical music fans could appreciate, with intricate and sometimes startling counterpoint, well-crafted melody, and subtle orchestration, all while still appealing to mass audiences.
Willson and his wife lived for years in the Mandeville Canyon section of Brentwood, California. In the 1960s, Willson was fondly remembered by friends and neighbors as a warm and gregarious host who loved nothing more than to play the piano and sing at numerous parties. Willson often gave out autographed copies of his record album, Meredith Willson Sings Songs from The Music Man.
Ya Got Trouble
Meredith Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
right here, i say trouble right here in river city
why, sure, i'm a billiard player, certainly, mighty proud to say
i'm always mighty proud to say it
i consider that the hours i spend with a cue in my hand are golden
help ya cultivate horse sense, and a cool head, and a keen eye
ya ever try and take and give yourself an iron-clad leave to yourself from a three rail billiard shot
i say that any boob can take and shove a ball in a pocket
and i call that sloth, the first big step on the road to the depths of degreda- i say first
Medicinal wine from a teaspoon, then beer from a bottle
then the next thing ya know your son is playin' for money in a pinched-back suit
listenin' to some big outta town jasper, hearin him tell about horse race gamblin'
not a wholesome trottin' race, no, but a race where they set down, right on a horse
like to see some stuck-up jockey boy settin' on dan patch, make him look-boy, well i should say
now, friends lemme tell ya what i mean
ya got one, two, three, four, five, six pockets on a table
pockets that mark the difference between a gentleman and a bum
with a capital B and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool
and all week long your river city youth will be fritterin' away
i say, your young men'll be fritterin'
fritterin' away their noontime, choretime, suppertime too
get the ball in the pocket, nevermind gettin' dandelions pulled, or the screen door patched, or the beefsteak pounded
nevermind pumpin' any water till your parents are caught with the sistern empty on a saturday night
and that's trouble, oh yes, you got lots and lots of trouble, i'm thinkin' of the kids in the knickerbockers, shirttailed young ones
peekin' in the pool hall window after school
ya got trouble, folks right here in river city
trouble with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool
now, i know all you folks are the right kind of parents, i'm gonna be perfectly frank: wouldja like to know what kind of conversation goes on
while they're loafin' around that hall
they'll be tryin out Bevo, tryin' out Q-Bebs, tryin out Taylor Maids like cigarette feinds, and braggin' all about how they're gonna cover up a telltale breath with sensen
one fine night, they leave the pool, headin' for the dance at the armory, river teen men, and scarlet women, and ragtime, shameless music that'll grab your son, your daughter
with the arms of a jungle animal instinct, massteria
friends, the idle brain is the devil's playground
trouble! (oh, we got trouble)
right here in river city (right here in river city)
with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool! (that stands for pool)
we've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
right here in river city (right here)
gotta figure out a way to keep the young ones moral after school (our children's children gonna have trouble)
*in background, Trouble is chanted*
mothers of river city, heed the warning before it's too late
watch for the telltale signs of corruption!
the moment your son leaves the house, does he rebuckle his knickerbockers below the knee?
is there a nicotine stain on his index finger?
a dime novel hidden in the corncrib?
is he memorizing jokes out of Captain Billy's Whizz-Bang?
are cetain words creeping into his conversation, words like, "swell", and "so's your old man"?
if so, my friends,
Ya got trouble (oh, we got trouble)
right here in river city (right here in river city)
with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool (that stands for pool!)
we've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
Right here in river city (right here)
remember the main plymouth rock and the golden rule (our children's children gonna have trouble)
oh, we got trouble
we're in terrible, terrible trouble
that game with the fifteen numbered balls is the devil's tool (devil's tool)
aaaaah, we got trouble, trouble, trouble (oh yes, we got trouble, here, we got big, big trouble)
with a T (with a capital T)
gotta rhyme it with P (that rhymes with P)
and that stands for pool (that stand for pool)
The song "Ya Got Trouble" is from the 1957 musical "The Music Man" by Meredith Wilson. In the song, the character Professor Harold Hill warns the residents of River City about the dangers of playing pool. He describes pool as a game that will lead their young men on a path to degredation and moral ruin. He argues that playing pool can lead to drinking, gambling, and other vices. He urges the parents of River City to be vigilant about their children's behavior and to prevent them from falling into this moral decay.
The song is a satire of the "morality" movement that was popular in the early 20th century. During that time, many people believed that certain forms of entertainment, like dancing, drinking, and gambling, were detrimental to society and the moral fiber of the youth. This song pokes fun at those beliefs and the fear mongering that often accompanied them. The character of Professor Hill is portrayed as a con man who is using fear to sell his services as a music teacher.
Line by Line Meaning
well, ya got trouble, my friends
There is a problem that needs to be addressed.
right here, i say trouble right here in river city
The problem is within this community.
why, sure, i'm a billiard player, certainly, mighty proud to say
I am a proud player of billiards.
i'm always mighty proud to say it
I love playing billiards and I am proud to admit it.
i consider that the hours i spend with a cue in my hand are golden
Playing billiards is a valuable use of my time.
help ya cultivate horse sense, and a cool head, and a keen eye
Playing billiards helps develop good judgement, calmness and sharp vision.
ya ever try and take and give yourself an iron-clad leave to yourself from a three rail billiard shot
Have you ever tried to confidently make a difficult billiards shot?
But just as i say it takes judgement, brains and maturity to score in a balkline game
It takes skill and maturity to play a complex game like balkline.
i say that any boob can take and shove a ball in a pocket
Anyone can hit a ball into a pocket, it takes no skill.
and i call that sloth, the first big step on the road to the depths of degreda- i say first
Being content with easy actions is the start of a bad path.
Medicinal wine from a teaspoon, then beer from a bottle
The consumption of alcohol starts small and gradually increases.
then the next thing ya know your son is playin' for money in a pinched-back suit
The lure of gambling can lead to financial troubles and desperation.
listenin' to some big outta town jasper, hearin him tell about horse race gamblin'
Outside influences can introduce dangerous gambling behaviors.
not a wholesome trottin' race, no, but a race where they set down, right on a horse
The type of gambling being discussed is not wholesome or safe.
like to see some stuck-up jockey boy settin' on dan patch, make him look-boy, well i should say
The singer would like to see a less experienced person on Dan Patch, to show them how difficult it is.
now, friends lemme tell ya what i mean
Let me explain more clearly.
ya got one, two, three, four, five, six pockets on a table
There are many pockets on a pool table.
pockets that mark the difference between a gentleman and a bum
The ability to play pool is indicative of one's status as a gentleman or a less respectable person.
with a capital B and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool
Pool is spelled with a P and the singer makes a sleek, rhyming joke about it.
and all week long your river city youth will be fritterin' away
The young people of River City are wasting their time.
i say, your young men'll be fritterin'
Specifically, young men are wasting their time.
fritterin' away their noontime, choretime, suppertime too
They are avoiding more productive activities during meal and chore times.
get the ball in the pocket, nevermind gettin' dandelions pulled, or the screen door patched, or the beefsteak pounded
Young men are prioritizing pool over necessary tasks and responsibilities.
nevermind pumpin' any water till your parents are caught with the sistern empty on a saturday night
The young men neglect their duty to help their parents with important household tasks.
and that's trouble, oh yes, you got lots and lots of trouble, i'm thinkin' of the kids in the knickerbockers, shirttailed young ones
These young men are causing problems that will have consequences, particularly for those who are less well off.
peekin' in the pool hall window after school
Young people are beginning to show an interest in the pool hall.
now, i know all you folks are the right kind of parents, i'm gonna be perfectly frank: wouldja like to know what kind of conversation goes on
The singer is addressing the parents and is going to be truthful with them.
while they're loafin' around that hall
Young people are wasting time in the pool hall instead of being productive.
they'll be tryin out Bevo, tryin' out Q-Bebs, tryin out Taylor Maids like cigarette feinds, and braggin' all about how they're gonna cover up a telltale breath with sensen
Young people are experimenting with drugs and alcohol and discussing ways to cover their tracks.
one fine night, they leave the pool, headin' for the dance at the armory, river teen men, and scarlet women, and ragtime, shameless music that'll grab your son, your daughter
After pool, the young people will go to a dance that features inappropriate music and potentially scandalous behavior.
with the arms of a jungle animal instinct, massteria
The young people will be overcome with animalistic and uninhibited desires.
friends, the idle brain is the devil's playground
This is a warning that a lack of activity or mental stimulation can lead to misbehavior and poor decision making.
trouble! (oh, we got trouble)
The situation is problematic.
right here in river city (right here in river city)
The problem is specific to this community.
with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool! (that stands for pool)
Once again, the singer uses clever wordplay to emphasize the problem with pool in this community.
we've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
There is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed.
gotta figure out a way to keep the young ones moral after school (our children's children gonna have trouble)
It is imperative to solve this problem for the future generations.
*in background, Trouble is chanted*
The word 'trouble' is continually repeated to draw attention to the issue.
mothers of river city, heed the warning before it's too late
The singer pleads with mothers to take this seriously before it's too late.
watch for the telltale signs of corruption!
Be diligent and alert to symptoms of a problem.
the moment your son leaves the house, does he rebuckle his knickerbockers below the knee?
It's important to observe and monitor your child's behavior and grooming.
is there a nicotine stain on his index finger?
Be aware of any signs of smoking.
a dime novel hidden in the corncrib?
Look out for signs of poor reading materials or potentially inappropriate sources.
is he memorizing jokes out of Captain Billy's Whizz-Bang?
Be aware of any potentially inappropriate jokes memorized.
are cetain words creeping into his conversation, words like, "swell", and "so's your old man"?
Pay attention to the vocabulary your child is using and any improper language.
if so, my friends,
If any of these signs are present,
Ya got trouble (oh, we got trouble)
There is a problem.
right here in river city (right here in river city)
The problem is within this community.
with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool (that stands for pool!)
The problem is specifically related to pool.
we've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
There is definitely a problem.
Right here in river city (right here)
This problem is present in this place.
remember the main plymouth rock and the golden rule (our children's children gonna have trouble)
This refers to the importance of values like hard work and kindness, and the potential struggles future generations may face.
oh, we got trouble
Once again, emphasizing the problem.
we're in terrible, terrible trouble
Reinforcing the severity of the issue.
that game with the fifteen numbered balls is the devil's tool (devil's tool)
The problem is specifically with the game of pool.
aaaaah, we got trouble, trouble, trouble (oh yes, we got trouble, here, we got big, big trouble)
Once again, emphasizing the severity of the problem.
with a T (with a capital T)
Reminding listeners of the wordplay and the specific problem with pool.
gotta rhyme it with P (that rhymes with P)
Making a joke and using wordplay to emphasize the problem.
and that stands for pool (that stand for pool)
Reiterating that the problem is with pool.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Meredith Willson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Quasimodo1957
And here’s the general meaning of the specific dialogue in "Trouble". The film takes place about 1912. This synopsis should help with understanding the lingo and the morals of that time. Billards was considered a gentleman's game. Pool was the game of gamblers and men of poor character. From this Professor Hill works to convince the crowd that allowing a pool hall in the town will lead the youth to lower standards. Now that you've taken the time to read this I do hope the song is much more enjoyable to you.
"Rubbering in".- Walking back and forth and looking inside.
Billiards — Also known as caroom (or carom) billiards, played with three balls (one cue ball and two object balls) on a pocketless table
Pool — Developed much later than billiards. Also known as pocket billiards, using a cue ball and 15 object balls on a table with six pockets
"Iron clad leave to yourself from a three-rail billiard shot" — leave is slang for a favorable position for a stroke in billiards (circa 1850). Three-rail billiard shot refers to the fact that in caroom (or carom) billiards, the cue ball must contact at least 3 cushions before it hits the second object ball in order to score any points. This sentence seems to imply that the player has, through excellent strategy and difficult maneuvers, put the balls in such a position as to give him an excellent shot at making points.
balkline — A line parallel to one end of a billiard table, from behind which opening shots with the cue ball are made.
pinch-back suit — A suit jacket having a close-fitting or pleated back. "City Slicker" clothes to the rural crowd.
Jasper — any male fellow or chum, usually a stranger
Trotting race — A horse that trots, especially one trained for harness racing. Very genteel pastime.
Horse race — With a jockey on the horses back, running much quicker than the trotting race.
Dan Patch — (1897-1916) Most famous trotting horse ever, from Indiana. Dan Patch was a pacer, under his second owner he lost only five heats in 56 starts. Dan Patch had his own private railway car to travel in, and at home he lived in a huge barn that was so grand it was called the “Taj Mahal.” There is still a trotting competition named for him, and an historical railroad line because “Dan Patch was a famous race horse a hundred years ago, and the railroad was named after him because its tracks between Minneapolis and Northfield passed very close to his owner’s farm.” There seem to be whole districts in Indiana still named after this horse, and there was a movie called The Great Dan Patch (1949)
Frittering away their time — To reduce or squander little by little; frittered his inheritance away. To waste.
cistern — A receptacle for holding water or other liquid, especially a tank for catching and storing rainwater.
knickerbockers — Full breeches gathered and banded just below the knee (which is why moving them above the knee is such a shocking thing to do)
shirt-tail young ones — Children about 7 to 15 years old.
Bevo — From Anheuser-Busch. A non-alcoholic drink that tasted like beer. “Anheuser-Busch introduced Bevo, its new nonalcoholic beverage, in 1916 and elsewhere the flood of cereal beverages (near beer) were introduced during the 1917-18 period.”
Cubebs — the dried unripe berry of a tropical shrub (Piper cubeba) of the pepper family that is crushed and smoked in cigarettes for as a medicine for catarrh, an inflammation of the nose and throat with increased production of mucus. There were several cubeb cigarettes made–Marshall’s Prepared Cubeb
Cigarettes are perhaps the best known.
Tailor Mades — A tailor-made cigarette referred to any cigarette made in a factory on a cigarette making machine. A roll-your-own cigarette was made by the smoker from a sack of Bull Durham or the like. James Jones in From Here to Eternity mentioned tailor-mades being smoked by soldiers when they had money. Until 1883 cigarettes were handmade. In 1880 a 21 year old Virginian named James Bonsack invented a cigarette making machine that dramatically increased production. A skilled cigarette roller made 4 cigarettes a minute, whereas Mr. Bonsack’s machine turned out 200 a minute. These were called “tailor mades” to distinguish them from handmade cigarettes.
NOTE: This section talking about the boys down at the pool hall means they are trying to mimic adults, and look as if they are drinking beer and smoking tobacco, although they are drinking fake beer and smoking fake cigarettes.
Sen Sen — When a country swain went courting his rural sweetheart, he often carried in his pocket an unobtrusive little envelope of Sen-Sen. When his younger brother indulged in smoking behind the barn, he too, had use for the exotic little pellets. For Sen-Sen was to the 19th century what breath mints are to our time. Any country store worth its salt, prominently displayed a box of the handy little packets within easy reach of its customers.
Rag-time — A style of jazz characterized by elaborately syncopated rhythm in the melody and a steadily accented accompaniment.
corn crib — A structure for storing and drying ears of corn.
Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang — Started in 1919 (too late for Music Man, but I guess Wilson wasn’t worried about that!). From the book Humor Magazines and Comic Periodicals, “Few periodicals reflect the post-World War I cultural change in American life as well as Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang. To some people [it] represented the decline of morality and the flaunting of sexual immodesty; to others it signified an increase in openness. For much of the 1920’s, Captain Billy’s was the most prominent comic magazine in America with its mix of racy poetry and naughty jokes and puns, aimed at a small-town audience with pretensions of ‘sophistication’” This publication was to the male adolescent culture of the 1920s what Playboy was in the 1960s. Quit publishing sometime from 1932-36. This magazine created the foundation for Fawcett Publications, the publishing company that later created True Confessions and Mechanix Illustrated.
swell — (slang) excellent, wonderful, delightful (mid 19th century)
so’s your old man — catch phrase from 1900. An exclamation, used as a retort to an insult or slur.
The Maine — U.S. battleship sunk (Feb. 15, 1898) in Havana harbor, killing 260, in an incident that helped precipitate the Spanish-American War. The cause of the explosion was never satisfactorily explained, and separate American and Spanish inquiries produced different results. But the American jingoistic press blamed the Spanish government, and Remember the Maine became the rallying cry of the war.
Plymouth Rock — Plymouth, Massachusetts, is the oldest settlement in New England, founded in 1620. Plymouth Rock is on the beach where the Mayflower landed.
The Golden Rule — saying of Jesus, from the Bible — As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Evolved into modern saying — Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
@javi3002_._
A pool table, don't you understand?
Friend, either you're closing your eyes
To a situation you do not wish to acknowledge
Or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated
By the presence of a pool table in your community
Well, ya got trouble my friend, right here
I say, trouble right in River City, why sure, I'm a billiard player
Certainly, mighty proud I say, I'm always mighty proud to say it
I consider that the hours I spend with a cue in my hand are golden
Help you cultivate horse sense and a cool head and a keen eye
Did you ever take and try to find and iron-clad leave for yourself
From a three-rail billiard shot?
But just as I say
It takes judgement, brains and maturity to score
In a balkline game, I say that any boob
Can take and shove a ball in a pocket
And I call that sloth the first big step on the road
To the depths of deg-ra-day
I say, first, medicinal wine from a teaspoon
Then beer from a bottle
And the next thing you know
Your son is playing for money in a pinch-back suit
And listenin' to some big outta town jasper
Hearin' him tell about horse race gamblin'
Not a wholesome trottin' race, no
But a race where they set down right on the horse
Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy
Settin' on Dan Patch? Make your blood boil
Well I should say
Now friends, let me tell you what I mean
You got one, two, three, four, five, six pockets in a table
Pockets that mark the difference between a gentleman and a bum
With a capital "B" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
And all week long your River City youth'll be fritterin' away
I say, your young men will be fritterin'
Fritterin' away their noontime, suppertime, choretime too
Get the ball in the pocket, never mind gettin' dandelions pulled
Or the screen door patched or the beef steak pounded
Never mind pumpin' any water
'Til your parents are caught with the cistern empty
On a Saturday night and that's trouble
Yes you got lots and lots of trouble
I'm thinkin' of the kids in the knickerbockers
Shirt-tail young ones, peekin' in the pool hall window after school
You got trouble, folks
Right here in River City, trouble with a capital "T"
And that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
Now I know all you folks are the right kind of parents
I'm gonna be perfectly frank
Would you like to know what kinda conversation goes on
While they're loafing around that hall?
They be tryin' out Bevo, tryin' out cubebs
Tryin' out Tailor Mades like cigarette fiends
And braggin' all about how they're gonna cover up
A tell-tale breath with Sen-Sen
One fine night, they leave the pool hall
Heading for the dance at the Arm'ry
Libertine men and scarlet women, and ragtime, shameless music
That'll grab your son, your daught with the arms of a jungle, animal instinct
Mass-staria
Friends, the idle brain is the devil's playground
Trouble (oh we got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here in River City)
With a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
(That stands for pool)
We've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here)
Gotta figure out a way to keep the young ones moral after school
(Our children's children gonna have trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble...)
Mothers of River City, heed that warning before it's too late
Watch for the the tell-tale signs of corruption
The minute your son leaves the house
Does he re-buckle his knickerbockers below the knee?
Is there a nicotine stain on his index finger?
A dime novel hidden in the corn crib?
Is he starting to memorise jokes from Cap'n Billy's Whiz Bang?
Are certain words creeping into his conversation
Words like, like "swell"? (Trouble, trouble, trouble)
And "so's your old man? (Trouble, trouble, trouble)
Well if so, my friends, you got trouble (oh we got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here in River City)
With a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
(That stands for pool)
We've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here)
Remember the Maine, Plymouth Rock and the Golden Rule
(Our children's children gonna have trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble...)
Oh we got trouble, we're in terrible, terrible trouble
That game with the fifteen numbered balls is a devil's tool (devil's tool)
Oh yes we got trouble, trouble, trouble
(Oh yes we got trouble here, we got big, big trouble)
With a "T" (with a capital "T")
Gotta rhyme it with "P" (gotta rhyme with "P")
And that stands for pool (that stands for pool)
@familyfunpack
i LOVE this musical. loved it before i performed the musical and love it even more now that i did it on stage. thanks for posting this
@hlubideetz7614
heya. I didn't know that you watched this as well.
@alastor7970
Did you by any chance film it?
@irishcowgirl21
I also was in my high school production of the musical. I unfortunately got sick right before the night performances and couldn't sing
@Finsirith
It's absolutely perfect the way he lowers his voice confidentially when he says "Now I know all you folks are the RIGHT kind of parents." That's when he's got the hook firmly set.
@linengray
Here is a little tidbit for you. Robert Preston sang the song at full volume while filming instead of just lip syncing like most actors. They recorded the sound track separately but he sang the song during the filming and missed nothing.
@marygracehughes7455
Only one Robert Preston!!
@TubenIt83
Judy Garland would do the same thing in A Star is Born
@scottjeffrey5786
Original Gangster
@azvascos7542
He also didn't have formal voice training like so many of them. Pure natural talent!