"Chess" (4) Difficult and Dangerous Times

Chess involves a romantic triangle between two players in a World Chess Championship, and the woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.

Reference:  Chess in Concert.

Script

Molokov & Diplomats:
No one can deny that
These are difficult times.
No one can deny that
These are difficult times.

Molokov: [Spoken]
Miss Vassy. 

Florence: [Spoken]
Mr. Molokov. 

Diplomats:
It's the U.S. versus U.S.S.R.
Yet we more or less are.

No one can deny that
These are difficult times.

To our credit putting all that aside
We have swallowed our pride.

These are very dangerous,
And difficult times.

Florence:
It really doesn't matter
Who comes on top. 

Molokov:
Who gets the chop. 

Molokov & Diplomats:
No one's way of life
Is threatened
By a flop.
But we're going to
Smash that bastard.
Make him wanna
Change his name.
Take him to the cleaners
And devastate him,
Wipe him out,
Humiliate him.
We don't want
The whole world saying
"They can't even win a game." 

Walter:
We have never reckoned
On coming second. 

Molokov:
There's no use in
Losing.
It's the red flag up against
Stars and stripes,
But we're peace-loving types. 

Diplomats:
No one can deny that
These are difficult times. 

Florence:
It's a sweet
Hail-fellow-well-met
Affair. 

Walter:
For both eagle and bear. 

Diplomats:
These are very dangerous
And difficult times. 

Molokov:
For those who say that
This is not a friendly clash--
Don't be so rash.
I assure you, comrades,
That is balderdash. 

Molokov & Diplomats:
What a load of
Whingeing peasants!
Thinking they can win--
They can't!
What an exhibition
Of self-delusion.
This one's a forgone
Conclusion.
But enough of all this beating
Round the bushes of detente.
We intend to collar
The Yankee dollar.
We shall thrash them! 

All:
Trash them! 

Molokov:
How good to feel that
As this great event begins
it underpins
Our quest for peace--
The bonds of common interest
Of East and West. 

All:
As long as our man wins.
As long as our man wins.

Difficult and Dangerous Times

The Arbiter:
I've a duty as a referee
At the start of a match--
On behalf of all our sponsors
I must welcome you
Which I do-- there's a catch:
I don't care if you're a champion,
No one messes with me.
I am ruthless in upholding
What I know is right,
Black or white, as you'll see. {Soloists:}
I'm on the case, {I'm on the case,}
Can't be fooled. {Can't be fooled.}
Any objection {Any objection}
Is overruled. {Is overruled.}
Yes, I'm the Arbiter
And I know best.

Soloists:
He's impartial,
Don't push him,
He's unimpressed.

The Arbiter: {Soloists:}
You got your tricks, {You got your tricks,}
Good for you, {Good for you,}
But there's no gambit {But there's no gambit}
I don't see through. {I don't see through.}
Oh, I'm the Arbiter,
I know the score.

The Arbiter & Soloists:
From square one
I'll be watching all 64.

The Arbiter:
If you're thinking
Of the kind of thing
That we've seen in the past
Chanting gurus, walkie-talkies,
Walkouts, hypnotists,
Tempers, fists,
Not so fast.

This is not the start
Of World War Three--
No political ploys.
I think both your
Constitutions are terrific,
So know you know,
Be good boys. {Soloists:}
I'm on the case, {I'm on the case,}
Can't be fooled. {Can't be fooled.}
Any objection {Any objection}
Is overruled. {Is overruled.}
Yes, I'm the Arbiter
And I know best.

Soloists:
He's impartial,
Don't push him,
He's unimpressed.

The Arbiter: {Soloists:}
You got your tricks, {You got your tricks,}
Good for you, {Good for you,}
But there's no gambit {But there's no gambit}
I don't see through. {I don't see through.}
Oh, I'm the Arbiter,
I know the score.

The Arbiter & Soloists:
From square one
I'll be watching all 64.

The Arbiter:
Oh, I'm the Arbiter,
I know the score. 

The Arbiter & Soloists:
From square one
I'll be watching all 64.

The Arbiter

The Arbiter: [Spoken]
And now let us dedicate ourselves to the spirit
of chess. 

Chorus:
We are one united family,
Black and white.
The game--
Our one true guiding light,
Sweeping through
The darkest corners
To express
Countries, classes,
Creeds as one,
In love of chess.

Hymn to Chess

The Soloists:
Whether you are pro or anti,
Or could not care less,
We are here to tell you
We are here to sell you chess.
Not a chance of you escaping
From our wiles,
We've locked the doors,
We've blocked the aisles,
We've a franchise worth exploiting
And we will, yes we will!
When it comes to merchandising
We could kill.

Female Soloists:
When you get up--

Male Soloists:
When you get up in the morning-- 

Soloists:
Till your bedtime book,
You will have to live your life
With bishop, knight, and rook. 

Male Soloists:
Clean your teeth with
Checkered toothpaste,
Wear our vests. 

Female Soloists:
Our kings, and queens
On bouncing breasts.

Soloists:
You could even buy a set,
And learn to play.
We don't mind,
We'll sell you something
Anyway.

We've done all
Our market research,
And our finding show
That this game of chess
Will be around a month or so.
Maybe it's a bit confusing
For a game,
But Rubik's cubes
Were much the same.

In the end
The whole world bought one--
All were gone,
By which time
We merchandisers
Had moved on!

By which time
We merchandisers
Had moved on!

The Merchandisers