Pick-A-Little Talk-A-Little
Original Broadway Cast Lyrics
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Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Alma and Ethel:
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little,
Talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
All the ladies:
Talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Professor, her kind of woman doesn′t belong on any committee.
Of course, I shouldn't tell you this but she advocates dirty books.
Dirty books!
Chaucer
Rabelais
Balzac!
And the worst thing
Of course, I shouldn′t tell you this but-
I'll tell.
The man lived on my street, let me tell.
Stop! I'll tell.
She made brazen overtures to a man who never
Had a friend in this town till she came here.
Oh, yes
That woman made brazen overtures
With a gilt-edged guarantee
She had a golden glint in her eye
And a silver voice with a counterfeit ring
Just melt her down and you′ll reveal
A lump of lead as cold as steel
Here, where a woman′s heart should be!
Eulalie, Ethel, Maud, Alma, Mrs Squires:
He left River City the Library building
But he left all the books to her
Chaucer
Rabelais
Bal-zac!
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,
Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep
Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep
Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep
Pick a little, talk a little, cheep!
The song "Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little" from the Original Broadway Cast of "The Music Man" shows a group of gossipy ladies in their natural habitat of discussing local scandal and intrigue. The repetition of "pick a little, talk a little" creates a catchy and upbeat tone that masks the spiteful nature of their conversation. The lyrics show how quickly a group can turn on individuals, with the slightest rumor or gossip being passed around and amplified. The lyrics also reveal the hypocrisy of the group, as they claim not to want any women who advocate for "dirty books" on any committees, yet they themselves are engaging in what could be deemed salacious behavior.
Further, the lyrics suggest that the women hold themselves and each other to absurd standards of morality and decency but then partake in less-than-decent activities against one another's better judgement. The mention of specific authors Chaucer, Rabelais, and Balzac alludes to the idea that these women not only participate in gossip but also read literature that some could deem as indecent, making them hypocritical in their values. Finally, the lyrics hint at the fact that the women themselves are not necessarily the perfect model of morality they like to project - "Just melt her down and you'll reveal a lump of lead as cold as steel, here where a woman's heart should be".
Line by Line Meaning
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little,
Gossip and spread rumors with light conversation
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Talk excessively and find more tidbits to gossip about
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little,
Continue conversing about others, finding more to spread
Talk a little, cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
Keep talking and sharing information, even if it's not entirely accurate
Professor, her kind of woman doesn′t belong on any committee.
The professor believes that women who are associated with dirty books should not be involved in committees
Of course, I shouldn't tell you this but she advocates dirty books.
The woman in question supports reading explicit material
Dirty books!
The professor and ladies are scandalized by the idea of explicit literature
Chaucer
Rabelais
Balzac!
Examples of authors whose works may be considered inappropriate
And the worst thing
The gossipers are about to share the most scandalous detail
I'll tell.
One of the ladies is eager to reveal the secret
The man lived on my street, let me tell.
The story is based on a local rumor
Stop! I'll tell.
Another lady interrupts to share the details herself
She made brazen overtures to a man who never
Had a friend in this town till she came here.
The woman in question made inappropriate advances towards a man who was new to town
Oh, yes
That woman made brazen overtures
With a gilt-edged guarantee
She had a golden glint in her eye
And a silver voice with a counterfeit ring
The woman used enticing language and gestures to make her advances seem more attractive
Just melt her down and you'll reveal
A lump of lead as cold as steel
Here, where a woman's heart should be!
The gossipers believe that the woman has no heart and is morally corrupt
He left River City the Library building
But he left all the books to her
A man left a building containing explicit literature to the woman in question
Cheep cheep cheep, cheep!
The conversation ends with a final, disapproving chirp
Writer(s): Willson Meredith
Contributed by Maria L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.