"Chess" (16) Anatoly and Florence

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

[ANATOLY]
Knowing I want you
Knowing I love you
Cannot compare
With my despair
Knowing I've lost you. 

[FLORENCE]
I've been a fool to allow
Dreams to become
Great expectations. 

[ANATOLY]
How can I love you so much
Yet make no move? 

[BOTH]
There will be days and nights
When I'll want you more than I want to
More than I should
Oh, how I want you.
You and I
We've seen it all
Chasing our hearts' desire
But we go on pretending
Stories like ours
Have happy endings. 

[ANATOLY]
You could not give me
More than you gave me
I don't know why
I'm standing by
Watching this happen. 

[FLORENCE]
I won't look back anymore
And if I do -- just for a moment. 

[ANATOLY]
I can't imagine a time when I won't care. 

[BOTH]
But here we are today, and it's over
Hold me and tell me
We'll meet again
Why is it over?
You and I
We've seen it all
Chasing our hearts' desire
But we go on pretending
Stories like ours
Have happy endings.

Epilogue: You and I

Walter: [Spoken]
So in the end our hero won brilliantly. Surprised us all.
He's played as well as he's ever done. 

Florence: [Spoken]
No surprise. 

Walter: [Spoken]
Well this is--
He's just announced he's going back to the soviet union.
He seems unable to win without the added thrill of changing sides.
Don't you have a single word to say? 

Florence: [Spoken]
No... No.
[Sung]
No, you wouldn't listen anyhow,
And what I'm feeling now
Has no easy explanations.
Hasn't this been a great achievement?
Losing you man and nothing in return. 

Walter: [Spoken]
Well, not my man, it's your man. Anyway, Anatoly's
return to the soviet union is a very descent gesture.
It's vertualy assured us some very important collateral--
Including you father. He must have done it for you.
He wouldn't have done it for me. We'll get your father out--
if he's still alive.

Walter and Florence

Florence: [Spoken]
What did you say? 

Walter: [Spoken]
Well, we can't be sure he is alive. But, then, you couldn't
be sure he was dead. No change there, ah? [Laughs]
You'll be back next year. It's only a game. 

Florence: [Spoken]
No! I've spent my whole life playing games.
[Sung]
How to survive them?
Where do I start? 

Florence, Anatoly & Svetlana:
Let man's petty nations
Tear themselves apart.
Florence, Anatoly & Company:
My land's only borders
Lie around my heart.

Anthem (Reprise)

"Chess" (15) Svetlana's Endgame

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

THE RUSSIAN:
They all think they see a man
Who doesn't know
Which move to make
Which way to go
Whose private life
Caused his decline
Wrecked his grand design
Some are vicious, some are fools
And others blind
To see in me
One of their kind
Anyone can be
A husband, lover
Sooner them than me
When they discover
Their domestic bliss is
Shelter for their failing
Nothing could be worse
Than self-denial
Having to rehearse
The endless trial
Of a partner's rather sad
Demands prevailing 

SVETLANA:
As you watch yourself caring
About a minor sporting triumph, sharing
Your win with esoterics,
Paranoids, hysterics
Who don't pay any attention to
What goes on around them
They leave the ones they love the way they found them
A normal person must
Dismiss you with disgust
And weep for those who trusted you 

THE RUSSIAN:
Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation --
Finding out at last my one true obligation 

[a stretch with no lyrics]

THE RUSSIAN:
Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation --
Finding out at last my one true obligation

SVETLANA & CROWD:
Listen to them shout!
They saw you do it
In their minds no doubt
That you've been through it
Suffered for your art but
In the end a winner
Who could not be stirred?
Such dedication
We have never heard
Such an ovation
Skill and guts a model
For the young beginner
They're completely enchanted
But they don't take your qualities for granted
It isn't very often
That the critics soften
Nonetheless you've won their hearts
How can we begin to
Appreciate the work that you've put into
Your calling through the years
The blood, the sweat and tears, the
Late late nights, the early starts
There they go again!
Your deeds inflame them
Drive them wild, but then
Who wants to tame them?
If they want a part of you
Who'd really blame them? 

THE RUSSIAN:
And so you're letting me know 

SVETLANA:
For you're the only one who's never suffered anything at all 

THE RUSSIAN:
How you've hated my success 

SVETLANA:
Well I won't crawl
And you can slink back to your pawns and to your tarts 

THE RUSSIAN:
And every poisoned word shows that you never understood
Never! 

SVETLANA:
Liar! 

BOTH:
Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation 

SVETLANA:
Finding out that I'm my only obligation 

THE RUSSIAN:
Is there no-one in my life
Who does not claim
The right to steal
My work, my name
My success, my fame
And my freedom?

Endgame

[a stretch with no lyrics]

"Chess" (14) Chess Masters' Endgame

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

[a stretch with no lyrics]

CHOIR:
Morphy, Anderson, Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Euwe,
Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Fischer, Karpov 

MOLOKOV:
How straightforward the game
When one has trust in one's player
And how great the relief
Working for one who believes in
Loyalty, heritage, true to his kind come what may 

THE AMERICAN:
Though it gives me no joy
Adding to your satisfaction
You can safely assume
Your late unlamented employee
Knows if he wins then the only thing won is the chess 

MOLOKOV:
It's the weak who accept
Tawdry untruths about freedom
Prostituting themselves
Chasing a spurious starlight
Trinkets in airports sufficient to lead them astray 

FLORENCE:
Does the player exist
In any human endeavour
Who's been know to resist
Sirens of fame and possessions?
They will destroy you, not rivals, not age, not success

Endgame

"Chess" (13) I Know Him So Well

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

THE AMERICAN:

When I was nine I learned survival

Taught myself not to care

I was my single good companion

Taking my comfort there

Up in my room I planned my conquests

On my own -- never asked for a helping hand

No one would understand

I never asked the pair who fought below

Just in case they said no

Pity the child who has ambition

Knows what he wants to do

Knows that he'll never fit the system

Others expect him to

Pity the child who knew his parents

Saw their faults

Saw their love die before his eyes

Pity the child that wise

He never asked "Did I cause your distress?"

Just in case they said yes

When I was twelve my father moved out

Left with a whimper -- not with a shout

I didn't miss him -- he made it perfectly clear

I was a fool and probably queer

Fool that I was I thought this would bring

Those he had left closer together

She made her move the moment he crawled away

I was the last the woman told

She never let her bed get cold

Someone moved in -- I shut my door

Someone to treat her just the same way as before

I took the road of least resistance

I had my game to play

I had the skill, and more -- the hunger

Easy to get away

Pity the child with no such weapons

No defense, no escape from the ties that bind

Always a step behind

I never called to tell her all I'd done

I was only her son!

Pity the child but not forever

Not if he stays that way

He can get all he ever wanted

If he's prepared to pay

Pity instead the careless mother

What she missed

What she lost when she let me go

And I wonder does she know

I wouldn't call -- a crazy thing to do

Just in case she said who?

Pity the Child

[FLORENCE]

Nothing is so good it lasts eternally

Perfect situations must go wrong

But this has never yet prevented me

Wanting far too much for far too long.

Looking back I could have played it differently

Won a few more moments who can tell

But it took time to understand the man

Now at least I know I know him well 

[FLORENCE]

Wasn't it good?

Wasn't he fine?

Isn't it madness

He can't be mine? 

[SVETLANA]

Oh so good

Oh so fine

He can't be mine? 

[FLORENCE]

But in the end he needs

A little bit more than me --

More security 

[SVETLANA]

He needs his fantasy

And freedom 

[FLORENCE]

I know him so well. 

[SVETLANA]

No one in your life is with you constantly

No one is completely on your side

And though I move my world to be with him

Still the gap between us is too wide. 

[FLORENCE]

Looking back I could

Have played things

Some other way 

[SVETLANA]

Looking back I could

Have played it

Differently

Learned about the man

Before I fell 

[FLORENCE]

I was just a little

Careless maybe 

[SVETLANA]

But I was

Ever so much

Younger then

Now at least 

[FLORENCE]

Now at least

I know him well 

[BOTH]

I know I know him well 

[SVETLANA]

Wasn't it good?

Wasn't he fine?

Isn't it madness 

[FLORENCE]

Oh so good

Oh so fine 

[BOTH]

He won't be mine?

Didn't I know

How it would go?

If I knew from the start

Why am I falling apart? 

[SVETLANA]

Wasn't it good?

Wasn't he fine? 

[FLORENCE]

Isn't it madness

He won't be mine? 

[SVETLANA]

He won't be mine? 

[FLORENCE]

But in the end he needs a

Little bit more than me --

More security 

[SVETLANA]

He needs his

Fantasy and freedom 

[FLORENCE]

I know him so well 

[SVETLANA]

It took time to understand him 

[BOTH]

I know him so well

I Know Him So Well

"Chess" (12) The No-Deal

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

[a stretch with no lyrics]

THE AMERICAN:
Communist, democrat
An intriguing collusion
Fair exchange -- tit for tat
Comradeship in profusion
And the appeal, partner
Of this deal, partner
Is we all stand to win
You and me, the lady also
Don't break her heart partner
Just be smart partner
Let her think that her past
Is as pure as snow in Moscow
Thank god we're so civilised
And our word can be our bond
We can turn this into friendship for life
And beyond

THE RUSSIAN:
Refugee, total shit
Is how I've always seen us
Not a help you'll admit
To agreement between us
There's no deal, partner
Who's your real partner?
Could there be just a chance
That you've got some heavy clients?

THE AMERICAN (& voice of MOLOKOV):
That's not true, partner
How could you, partner
Think I'd want to pursue
Any deal but our alliance?
How can you only think
Of your selfish ambition?
And not of her position?
Or you'd rather perhaps
See her world collapse?
For a tinpot competition!

THE RUSSIAN:
There's no deal!

THE AMERICAN:
Silly boy, woman who
He should not have let walk out
There's no hitch that we two
Can't untangle or talk out
And the appeal, partner
Of this deal, partner
Is we both stand to win
We'll bring back the golden era
Stick with me, honey
Leave him be, honey
In return I know who'll
Tell you all they know in Moscow

[a stretch with no lyrics]

FLORENCE:
Are you sick? Are you mad?
You still don't understand why I loathe you, why I left you?

FLORENCE & THE RUSSIAN:
Who'd ever think it?
Such a squalid little ending
Watch him descending
Just as far as he can go
I'm learning things I didn't want to know
Who'd ever guess it?
This would be the situation
One more complication
Should be neither here nor there
I wish I had it in me not to care
Let him spill out his hate
Till he knows he's deserted
There's no point wasting time
Preaching to the perverted

The Deal, No Deal

[a stretch with no lyrics]

"Chess" (11) The Interview

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:
From Moscow to
The Bering Strait,
Citizens will hail
Our victory. 

All:
In arctic circles,
Frozen states
Will join with
Warmer climes in reverie. 

Molokov:
And I can say of this affair
I was there,
Did my share,
Played my part. 

All:
And comrades
All will be aware
I was there
From the start
Mmm mmm... 

Viigand:
Ah ah...

The Soviet Machine

Walter: [Spoken]
Tonight's final item is a Global scoop.
The former champion, our Freddie Trumper, talks to Anatoly Sergievsky,
the man who beat him a year ago,
and who is defending his title here right now in Bangkok, Thailand.
Let's get that Sergievsky family video lined up, okay?

Walter:
We all want times in our careers,
when we make a little history.
Receive the plaudits of our peers,
perhaps that time is here right now for me.
Ah Anatoly, if I may, let me say right away,
you will be thrilled, because the other seat is filled
by a long-standing friend of yours.
Action!

Frederick:
Well, here we are face to face once again. 

Anatoly:
By any standards, a bizarre reunion! 

Frederick:
Is being homeless affecting your game? 

Anatoly:
I wouldn't know, as I have a home in England. 

Frederick:
No, by a home I mean real home--the place where your family is. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
England is my real home. 

Frederick:
What are your latest political aims? 

Anatoly:
What are you saying? 

Frederick:
Your anti-Russian crusade, has it worked? 

Anatoly:
I am no crusader. 

Frederick:
What is your true motivation?
That is something we all want to know. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
You know damn well what my motivation is, okay? 

Frederick:
Here we see a man under great pressure--
Two fights to fight, yet he could not look fresher.
Chess and politics, I take my hat off.
To any champion, who can pull that off?
I hear your second controls everything. 

Anatoly:
Chess is her passion. 

Frederick:
But her obsession is East versus West. 

Anatoly:
Chess is her passion. 

Frederick:
I know a little about her,
and she has got her own ax to grind. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
That is not true. 

Frederick:
Aren't you concerned that why your wife is not here? 

Anatoly:
I don't discuss my private life in public. 

Frederick:
But don't you care that she is not by your side? 

Anatoly:
I think I've had enough of this discussion! 

Frederick:
Well, we've a little surprise.
We've got your wife on the video. 

Walter: [Spoken]
Run the video! 

Frederick:
Let her talk to you, give you her version--
How married life has changed, since your desertion.
Hey come back, my friend, we are only showing
home movies--nothing more, where are you going? 

Walter: [Spoken]
Great interview! 

Molokov: [Spoken]
Bravo, Mr, de Courcy--Walter! 

Walter: [Spoken]
Ah, Alexander! 

Molokov: [Spoken]
I am glad that old film did the trick.
We are going to be able to help each other. 

Walter: [Spoken]
Heartwarming international cooperation. 

Molokov: [Spoken]
I have good news about Anatoly's lady friend.
Florence Vassy's father is alive. 

Walter: [Spoken]
Really? Well, this is good news. Have you told her yet? 

Molokov: [Spoken]
No, I was going to leave that pleasure to you.
However, my friend, there is one thing- 

Walter: [Spoken]
Yes, of course there is. 

Molokov: [Spoken]
I think Mr. Sergievsky must lose the match and come home.
Do you not agree? 

Walter: [Spoken]
Sure, but there are others beside Vassy we wish to see come home. 

Molokov: [Spoken]
That should not be a problem. Do we have a deal? 

Walter: [Spoken]
We have a deal, and everybody wins. 

Molokov: [Spoken]
Except Anatoly. 

Walter: [Spoken]
But he gets the lovely Svetlana.

The Interview

Svetlana:
Long ago,
In someone else's lifetime--
Someone with my name
Who looked a lot like me,
Came to know a man,
And made a promise:
He only had to say
And that's where she would be.

Lately although her feelings
Run just as deep,
The promise she made
Has grown impossible to keep,
And yet I wish it wasn't so.
Will he miss me if I go?

In a way it's someone else's story
I don't see myself
As taking part at all.
Yesterday the girl
That I was fond of
Finally could see
The writing on the wall.

Sadly she realized
She'd left him behind,
And sadder than that
She knew he wouldn't even mind.
And though there's nothing left to say--
Would he listen if I stay?

It's all very well to say
You fool it's now or never--
I could be choosing
No choices whatsoever.

I could be in someone else's story
In someone else's life,
And he could be in mine.
I don't see a reason to be lonely.
I should take my chances
Further down the line.
And if that girl I knew
Should ask my advice,
Oh, I wouldn't hesitate--
She needn't ask me twice.
"Go now!"
I'd tell her that for free.
Trouble is the girl is me--
The story is the girl is me.

Someone Else's Story

"Chess" (10) Anatoly and Florence

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

Anatoly:
But why is he really here?
A whole year of silence,
And suddenly here he is. 

Florence: [Spoken]
He's working for Global. It's big money. 

Anatoly:
So that's all it is, then?
He has no desire to see you anymore? 

Florence:
Who cares what he's up to?
You're not playing him. 

Anatoly:
Oh, no?
I've a feeling I am. 

[Spoken]
Why is he here? 

Florence:
Don't talk yourself out of form
Viigand's the one
You have to beat. 

Anatoly:
And he's a fine player. 

Florence:
Predictable-- he's a machine. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Yes, a very fine machine. 

Florence:
So are you.
So are we.
But there is one other thing-- 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
What? 

Florence:
I gather Svetlana
Is planning to come out here. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
My wife? Come to Bangkok? No. 

Florence: [Spoken]
You must know about it.
[Sung]
It's been in the papers--
They may let her out. 

Anatoly:
This has to be Molokov,
Right up his street. 

Florence:
So now you've got
One more opponent to beat.
Surely you knew. 

Anatoly:
I did not. 

Florence:
Well, this is a problem
We knew we'd be facing soon. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
But not now. Not now.

One More Opponent

Florence:
This is an all too familiar scene.

Anatoly:
Life imperceptibly coming between.

Both:
Those whose love is as strong as it could or should be. 

Anatoly:
Nothing has altered -- 

Florence:
-- Yet everything's changed. 

Anatoly:
No one stands still -- 

Both:
Still I love you completely
And hope I always will.
Each day we get through
Means one less mistake
Left for the making. 

Anatoly:
And there's no return
As we slowly learn
Of the chances we're taking. 

Florence:
I'd give the world
To stay just as we are--
It's better by far
Not to be too wise 

Both:
Not to realize
Where there's truth
There will be lies. 

Florence:
You and I,
We've seen it all--
Been down this road before,
Yet we go on believing. 

Anatoly:
You-- 

Florence:
You-- 

Both:
And I,
We've seen it all--
Chasing our hearts' desire,
Yet I still think I'm certain
This time it will be
My happy ending. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Thank you. It's from Molokov-- You were right.
She's here, landed from Moscow this morning. Bastard.

You and I

Molokov: [Spoken]
Comrades, why are you looking so worried? We are not
dealing with the traitor Sogievsky now. Comrade Viigand
is a disciplined, Soviet, chess-playing machine. 

[Sung]
Just in case you feel a trace
Of doubt or even nervous tension,
Let me draw the latest score
To your attention.
Not the score,
The witless core of commentators are debating.
Come, admit,
Who gives a shit for Elo rating.
No, I prefer
And I'm sure you concur,
To see who is ahead
Psychologically, for example,
We have on tap,
An inscrutable chap
Whose thoughts never stray
From the state of the play.

All:
Viigand!! 

Molokov: [Spoken]
Whereas... 

[Sung]
It's so difficult to concentrate if
You have left your native
Country for a woman
Who has plans of her own.
It's not easy for a chap to excel,
Feeling guilty as hell,
Having left his wife
To face the music alone.
But, even worse,
Imagine if his ladies met,
Well then I'll bet,
The atmosphere 'round here
Would be a little strained,
As she explained. 

[Claps]
How could he do
What he's done to those two,
Most wonderful girls.
Yes, I love you both. 

Soloists:
Most amusing! 

Molokov:
Starting them scratch
They'll torpedo his match,
His horsepower dead
On the board and in bed. 

All:
Bit by bit the pieces fit,
The Soviet machine advances.
Not one move that
Won't improve our nation's chances.
We predict a stunning victory
On the board and off it.
This will show that traitor
No one rats with profit.
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."
We have never
Reckoned on coming second. 

Molokov:
There's no use in {Soloists:}
Losing. {We can feel the flame
Of triumph burning,}
Bit by bit the pieces fit, Our people's pride returning.
The soviet machine
Advances. 

All:
Not one move that won't
Improve our nation's chances.
Hoi! 

Molokov:
No, I prefer and
I'm sure you concur,
To see who is ahead
Psychologically, for example,
We have on tap,
An inscrutable chap
Whose thoughts never stray
From the state of the play. 

All:
La la la la, la la lay la lay la
La la la la la la la la la la la
Bit by bit the pieces fit,
The soviet machine advances.
Not one move that won't
Improve our nation's chances.
Hey!
We predict a stunning victory
On the board and off it.
This will show that traitor
No one rats with profit.
Ah ah, la la la la! 

The Soviet Machine

"Chess" (9) One Night In Bangkok

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

Anatoly:
No man, no madness--
Though their sad
Power may prevail--
Can possess, conquer,
My country's heart.
They rise to fail.
She is eternal--
Long before
Nations' lines were drawn.
When no flags flew,
When no armies stood--
My land was born. 

And you ask me
Why I love her
Through wars,
Death and despair--
She is the constant,
We who don't care.
And you wonder
Will I leave her--
But how?
I cross over borders,
But I'm still there now. 

How could I leave her?
Where would I start?
Let man's petty nations
Tear themselves apart.
My land's only borders
Lie around my heart.

Anthem

Bangkok, Oriental city
And the city don't know that the city is getting
The creme de la creme of the chess world in a
Show with everything but Yul Brynner

Time flies, doesn't seem a minute
Since the Tiralinan spa had the chess bars in it
All change, don't you know that when you
play at this level there's no ordinary venue

Like Iceland -- or the Philippines -- or
Hastings -- or -- or this place!

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you're lucky then the god's a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me

One town's very like another
When your head's down over your pieces, brother

It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity
To be looking at the board, not looking at the city.

Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded,
polluted, stinking town, ya seen 'em all.

Tea, girls, warm and sweet
Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite

Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist
Whose every move's among the purest.

I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine

One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

Siam's gonna be the witness
To the ultimate test of cerebral fitness
This grips me more than would a
Muddy old river or reclining Buddha.

Thank God I'm only watching the game,
Controlling it.

I don't see you guys rating
The kind of mate I'm contemplating
I'd let you watch, I would invite you
But the queens we use would not excite you.

So you better go back to your bars, your
temples, your massage parlours...

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me.

One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

One Night in Bangkok

"Chess" (8) Florence Quits

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

Frederick: [Spoken]
Five games to one. It's all over. 

[Sung]
So you got
What you want.
What a nasty ambition.
Set me up,
Pull me down,
Then exploit my condition.

I should have guessed, woman,
That if pressed, woman,
You're on nobody's side
But your own.
And you're behaving
Like a mere woman,
It's so clear, woman,
It's your sex!
Once they start
Getting old,
And getting worried,
They let fly,
Take it out
On the one
Who supports them--
That's you
I'm talking about.

Florence:
Who'd ever guess it?
Such a squalid little ending--
Watching you descending
Just as far as you can go.
I'm learning
Things I didn't want to know.

Frederick & Florence:
Who'd ever think it?
This would be the situation.

Frederick:
One more observation--

Frederick & Florence:
How'd we ever get this far
Before you showed me
What you really are? 

Florence:
You'll be lost without me
To abuse like you're used to. 

Frederick:
Go away!
Just get out!
Be someone else's
Parasite!

Florence Quits

Frederick:
I'm not the kind
To be vindictive--
Holding some childish grudge.
How could I be?
I'm in the spotlight--
Half of the world my judge. 

All I demand
Is those I work for,
Those I give all my skills
All my time, and pain,
Those that I entertain.
Give me the same
Compassion in return

But the fools never learn.

Pity the Child 1

[a stretch of no lyrics]

Embassy Officials:
Oh, my dear how boring,
He's defecting
Just like all the others,
He's expecting
Us to be impressed
With what he's done here,
But he hasn't stopped
To think about the paperwork
His gesture causes--
We've an embassy to run here.

If these people can't strike
Blows for freedom
With a valid visa,
We don't need 'em.
If we seem offhand
Then please remember
This is nothing very special--
He's the fourth we've had
Since last November.
Who do these foreign
Chappies think they are?

Official #1:
And when he's safely in the West
He'll be the hero to discuss.
The media will lionize him,
Fame and fortune plus,

Officials:
No-one will recall it's
Thanks to us. 

Official #1: [Spoken]
You have a wife? 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Yes. 

Official #3: [Spoken]
You have two children? 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Yes. 

Official #2: [Spoken]
And they're not coming with you? 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
No, not for the moment. 

Official #4: [Spoken]
You play chess. You are good at it? 

[Official #3 whispers in #4's ear]
Oh. I hear you're world champion. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Since yesterday. 

Officials: [Spoken]
That's still good. 

[Sung]
Have you an appointment
With the consul?
If you don't
We know what his
Response'll be,
He will not see you--
With respect it buggers up
His very taxing schedule,
Pushing peace and understanding.
Let us hope this won't affect it.

Far too many joker
Cross the border,
Not a single
Document in order.
Russia must be empty
Though we're all for
Basic human rights,
It makes you wonder,
What they built the Berlin wall for--
Who do these foreign
Chappies think they are?

And when you've
Filled in all the forms,
And been passed
Clear of all disease,
Debriefed, debugged,
Dedrugged, disarmed,
And disinfected, please
Don't forget the guys
Who cut your keys.

Embassy Lament

[FLORENCE]
If it were love I would give that love every second I had
And I do
Did I know where he'd lead me to?
Did I plan
Doing all of this for the love of a man?
Well I let it happen anyhow
And what I'm feeling now
Has no easy explanation
Reason plays no part
Heaven help my heart
I love him too much
What if he saw my whole existence
Turning around a word, a smile, a touch? 

One of these days, and it won't be long,
he'll know more about me
Than he should
All my dreams will be understood
No surprise
Nothing more to learn from the look in my eyes
Don't you know that time is not my friend
I'll fight it to the end
Hoping to keep that best of moments
When the passions start
Heaven help my heart
The day that I find
Suddenly I've fun out of secrets
Suddenly I'm not always on his mind 

Maybe it's best to love a stranger
Well that's what I've done -- heaven help my heart
Heaven help my heart

Heaven Help My Heart

Reporter #3: [Spoken]
Excuse me, Mr. Sergievsky, why are you leaving
Russia? What about your wife and family? 

Reporters:
How long was this planned?
What made you defect?
Did anyone help you?
And do you expect
To be joined in your exile
By loved ones, e.g. your wife?
Or are you starting again
In all aspects of life? 

Reporter #7: [Spoken]
Will you be defending your title next year in Bangkok? 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Walter, you bastard, you never told me you and
Global would fix all this! 

Walter: [Spoken]
Welcome to the West, Anatoly. 

Reporter #6: [Spoken]
Why did you leave Russia? 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
I don't leave anything!

Anatoly and The Press

"Chess" (7) Mountain Duet

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

[FLORENCE]
This is the one situation I wanted most to avoid
Nothing I say will convince him this isn't a trick. 

[THE RUSSIAN]
A drink on a clear moonlit night -- I relax, she smiles
There's something peculiar going on. 

[FLORENCE]
So with immaculate timing, I'm left to carry the can
Embarrassed, outnumbered, marooned -- 

[THE RUSSIAN]
Now she can't be working for them -- I mean us --
She seems so very straightforward -- but where is he? 

[FLORENCE]
He has to come back -- he wanted this meeting, well didn't he? 

[THE RUSSIAN]
Maybe he's scared -- just as scared as he was in the game. 

[FLORENCE]
Oh, I just couldn't care less
He can go right ahead, go and wreck his career, I know I've done my best 

[THE RUSSIAN]
Well at least she's a good-looking spy. 

[FLORENCE]
What if my Russian friend thinks that my plans
Are more of an intimate kind?
If I don't say something else soon
He'll go -- Nobody's on nobody's side! 

[THE RUSSIAN]
Listen, I hate to break up the mood
Get to the point, begin the beguine
Haven't you noticed we're a protagonist short
In this idyllic, well-produced scene? 

[FLORENCE]
All I can say is moments ago
He was right here ready and waiting 

[THE RUSSIA]
Never mind him -- I haven't missed him so far. 

[BOTH]
Maybe it won't do any harm
To struggle on without his charm
Funny how all at once I feel that he can go jump off the mountain
I won't care 

[FLORENCE]
This is the one situation I wanted most to avoid 

[THE RUSSIAN]
My dear opponent -- I really can't imagine why 

[FLORENCE]
So I am not dangerous then? -- what a shame! 

[THE RUSSIAN]
Oh, you're not dangerous -- who could think that of you? 

[BOTH]
You -- you are so strange -- why can't you be what you ought to be?
You should be scheming, intriguing, too clever by half -- 

[THE RUSSIAN]
I have to hand it to you
For you've managed to make me forget why I ever agreed to this farce. 

[BOTH]
I don't know why I can't think of anything
I would rather do
Than be wasting my time
On mountains with you.

Mountain Duet

[a stretch with no lyrics, chess match taking a dramatic turn]

The Arbiter: [Spoken]
At the end of today's session, the challenger,
Sergievsky leads five wins to one.

Chess Game 2

"Chess" (6) Florence and Molokov

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[a stretch with no lyrics]

Florence:
You wanna lose your only friend, well keep it up you're doing fine!
This humiliation, why treat me like a fool?
I've taken shit for seven years and I won' t take it anymore! 

Freddie:
I'm only teasing soviets
with gentle bon ami
And you've got better reason
to be anti them than me. 

Florence:
There's a time and there's a place! 

Freddie:
Well how 'bout here and now?
Are you for me or are you for them? 

Florence:
There's a time and there's a place!

Florence and Freddie

Chorus:
1956 - Budapest is rising.

Freddie:
I'd have thought you'd support {Chorus:}
Any attack on these people. {1956 - Budapest is rising.}
On the people who ran
Mindlessly over your childhood.
Don't let them fool you
For 30 years on,
They're the same.

Chorus:
1956 - Budapest is fighting.
1956 - Budapest is falling.

Freddie:
They see chess as a war {Chorus:}
Playing with pawns just like Poland. {1956 - Budapest is dying.}
If you walk out on me
You're really betraying you father.
Were he alive now he'd surely
Be dying of shame.

Florence:
You know that there's nothing I've done
That he'd be ashamed of
In my whole life!
Why'd you have to do this to me?

1956 - Budapest is Rising

Florence:
What's going on around me
Is barely making sense,
I need some explanations fast!

I see my present partner
In the imperfect tense,
And I don't see how we can last.

I feel I need a change of cast
Maybe I'm on nobody's side,
And when he gives me reasons
To justify each move,
They're getting harder to believe.

I know this can't continue,
I've still a lot to prove,
There must be more I could achieve.
But I don't have the nerve to leave!

Florence & Chorus:
Everybody's playing the game,
But nobody's rules are the same,
Nobody's on nobody's side.

Better learn to go it alone,
Recognize you're out on your own,
Nobody's on nobody's side.

Florence:
The one I should not think of
Keeps rolling through my mind,
And I don't want to let that go!

No lover's ever faithful,
No contract truly signed,
There's nothing certain left to know.
And how the cracks begin to show!

Florence & Chorus:
Never make a promise or plan,
Take a little love where you can,
Nobody's on nobody's side.

Never stay too long in your bed,
Never lose your heart, use your head!
Nobody's on nobody's side.

Florence:
Side!
Never take a stranger's advice,
Never let a friend fool you twice, {Chorus:
Nobody's on nobody's side. {Nobody's on nobody's side.}

Florence & Chorus:
Never be the first to believe,
Never be the last to deceive,
Nobody's on nobody's side.

Florence: {Chorus:}
Never leave a moment too soon, {Never leave a moment too soon,}
Never waste a hot afternoon, {Never waste a hot afternoon,} {Nobody's on nobody's side,}
Never stay too long! {Never stay a minute too long.}

Florence & Chorus:
Don't forget the best will go wrong,
Nobody's on nobody's side!

Nobody's on Nobody's Side!

"Chess" (5) Global Television

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

Global TV Fanfare [no lyrics, to date]

Chess Game 1 [no lyrics, to date]

The Arbiter:
I'm on the case,
Can't be fooled.
Any objection
Is overruled. 

Don't try to tempt me,
You've no hope.
I don't like women,
And I don't take dope.
I'm the Arbiter,
My word is law. 

The Arbiter & Soloists:
From square one--
From square one
I'll be watching you.

The Arbiter (Reprise)

[MOLOKOV]
We wish, no, must, make our disgust
With this abuse perfectly clear
We're here for chess --
Are the U.S.?
If so, why foul the atmosphere?

[FLORENCE]
I must protest -- our delegation
Has a host of valid points to raise.

[ARBITER]
It's not just black and white
If I may coin a phrase
As any neutral would attest.

[FLORENCE]
But we concede
The fact his masters bend the rules is not your fault
We’ll overlook your crude political assault
Then under protest he'll proceed.

[MOLOKOV]
If your man's so sweet
Then why his fighting talk?
If he says we cheat
Then why on earth did he go take a walk?

[FLORENCE]
I am not surprised he wanted fresher air
Once he realized there was no hope
Of your guys playing fair.

[FLORENCE & ANATOLY]
How sad
To see 

[MOLOKOV & ARBITER]
It's very sad to see
The ancient and distinguished game that used to be 

[ALL]
A model of decorum and tranquility
Become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies
To slug it out with glee.

[ANATOLY]
I would say with regard to
Him it is hard to
Rebut
Ever-growing suspicions
My opposition's
A nut.

[FLORENCE]
I would have said
You'd understand the strain and pressure getting where he's got
For then you'd simply call him highly strung and not
Imply that he was off his head.

[ANATOLY]
But how on earth can someone even
Half as civilized and nice as you
Be part of such a self-destructive
Point of view?
I hope he pays you
What you're worth.

[FLORENCE]
I'm not getting rich
My only interest
Is in something which
Gives me the chance
Of working with the best.

[ANATOLY]
I can only say
I hope your dream comes true
Till that far-off day
I hope you cope
With helping number two.

[FLORENCE & ANATOLY]
How sad
To see

[MOLOKOV & ARBITER]
It's very sad to see
The ancient and distinguished game that used to be

[ALL]
A model of decorum and tranquility
Become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies
To slug it out with glee.

Quartet (A Model of Decorum and Tranquility)

"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

"Chess" (3) Press Conference

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

Reporter #1:
Does your opponent
Deserve such abuse? 

Frederick: [Spoken]
All Soviets deserve abuse. 

Reporter #2:
But even you must
Concede he can play. 

Frederick: [Spoken]
Sure, he's the best Red on the circuit. I'll
give him that.

Reporter #3:
He hasn't lost
For a long time--
He could be a
Tough nut to crack.

Frederick: [Spoken]
Listen, if he gets one game off me, it's
because I want to keep press interest going. 

Reporters:
Why do you persist
With vicious attacks,
ungracious remarks re:
Opponents?
It smacks of a
Lack of conviction
Admit you're under duress
And that your only skill left
Is for money, not chess.

If Soviet life's as grim
As you claim,
Then how come their boys
Are so good at the game?
Though you swear
The American dream
Is clearly the best,
You're no advertisement
For life and times
In the West.

Reporter #4:
Why did you risk the whole match
Breaking down? 

Frederick: [Spoken]
I don't know what you're saying. What are
you implying? 

Reporter #5:
All your outrageous demands,
Your conceit. 

Frederick: [Spoken]
I don't see anything outrageous about demanding
what I'm worth. 

Reporter #6:
They pay all that you ask for,
And then you demand even more. 

Frederick: [Spoken]
I am the reason you're all here. Who had heard of Sergievsky?

Reporters:
It's hard to believe
What we're reporting.
Why so disparaging? {Frederick: [Spoken]}
Not very sporting. {Are the Communist sporting? My God!}
Tell all this to the
United Nations,
Are you an asset to
East-West relations?

Frederick: [Spoken]
What is this? What have the Russians ever done
for East-West relations? Have you people any serious
questions?

Reporter #7:
Will you be quitting for good
If you lose? 

Reporter #8:
How come your second's a girl,
Lover boy? 

Frederick: [Spoken]
What did you say? 

Reporter #8:
How come your second's a girl,
Lover boy? 

[Freddie storms out pushing Reporter #8 out of his way]

Reporters:
Well, what did I say?
He's out of his tree
He's finally flipped,
And between you and me--
He's no hope of retaining
His crown in his frame of mind.
In fact,
He shouldn't have come here, {Florence:
He should have resigned {Smile, you got your first}

Well, what did I say? {Exclusive story.}
He's out of his tree
He's finally flipped,
And between you and me-- {Now you can bask in his}
He's no hope of retaining
His crown in his frame of mind.
In fact, {Reflected glory.}
He shouldn't have come here,
He should have resigned.

If he is in this frame of mind {"Naked and provoked}
He should be dumped,
He should be resigned.

If he is in this frame of mind {Yankee aggression!"}
He should be dumped,
He should be resigned.

If he is in this frame of mind {Oh, what a credit to}
He should be dumped,
He should be resigned. {Your great profession!} 

Well, what did I say?
He's out of his mind
He's finally flipped,
He should have resigned.

Press Conference

Molokov: [Spoken]
The man is utterly mad. Believe me, Anatoly, you're
playing a lunatic. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
That's the problem. He's a brilliant lunatic, and you can't
tell which way he'll jump. Like his game, he's impossible
to analyze. You can't predict him, dissect him, which of
course means he's not a lunatic at all. 

Molokov:
What we've just seen's
A pathetic display
From a man who's
Beginning to crack.
He's afraid--
He knows he isn't
The player he was,
And he won't get it back. 

Anatoly:
Nonsense!
Why do you people
Always want to believe
Third-rate propaganda? 

Molokov:
My friend, please relax,
We're all on your side.
You know how you need us. 

Anatoly:
I don't need my army
Of so-called advisors,
And helpers
To tell me the man
Who's revitalized chess
single-handed
Is more or less out of his brain,
When it's very clear
He's sane. 

Molokov:
Listen, we don't
Underestimate Trumper.
We won't get caught
In that trap.
After all, winning or losing
reflects on us all. 

Anatoly:
Oh, don't give me that crap.
I win, no one else does,
And I take the rap if I lose. 

Molokov:
It's not quite that simple--
The whole world's tuned in,
We're all on display.
We're not merely sportsmen. 

Anatoly:
Oh, please don't start
Spouting that old party line.
Yes, I know it's you job,
But just get out and get me
My chess-playing second.
In 36 hours we begin--
That is if you want to win! 

Molokov: [Spoken]
Wanting is not sufficient. We have to know. We have
to make sure. All men have a weakness. His is that
woman. Take her, and you win the game. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
So you think I can't win otherwise? 

Molokov: [Spoken]
I'm not saying that. I'm just making certain. And she
is attractive. Then there's her intriguing family history--
Hungary, 1956 and all that. 

Anatoly: [Spoken]
I'm a chess player, Mr. Molokov. You go and play
these other games.

Molokov and Anatoly

Anatoly:
Who needs a dream?
Who needs ambition?
Who'd be the fool
In my position?
Once I had dreams,
Now they're obsessions.
Hopes became needs--
Lovers possessions.

Then they move in
Oh so discreetly,
Slowly at first--
Smiling too sweetly.
I opened doors
They walked right through them.
Called me their friend--
I hardly knew them.

Now I'm
Where I want to be,
And who I want to be,
And doing what I
Always said I would,
And yet I feel
I haven't won at all.
Running for my life,
And never looking back
In case there's someone
Right behind to shoot me down
And say he always knew I'd fall.

When the crazy wheel
Slows down,
Where will I be?
Back where I started.

Don't get me wrong,
I'm not complaining.
Times have been good--
Fast, entertaining.
But what's the point
If I'm concealing
Not only love,
All other feeling?

Now I'm
Where I want to be,
And who I want to be,
And doing what I
Always said I would,
And yet I feel
I haven't won at all.
I'm running for my life,
And never looking back
In case there's someone
Right behind to shoot me down
And say he always knew I'd fall.

When the crazy wheel
Slows down,
Where will I be?
Back where I started.

Viigand: [Spoken]
Comrade, Molokov tells me you want to play chess.

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Go to hell.

Where I Want To Be

"Chess" (2) Merano, What a Scene!

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

Citizens of Merano:
Oh, light the heart
That lingers in Merano.
Merano! The spa no
Connoisseur of spas
Would miss. {So healthy,}
Highly recommended,
Is this sweet metropolis. {Mental and physical bliss.}

The gods have smiled,
And blessed is Merano.
Merano! There are no
Fitter burghers to be found. {Such vigor!}
Take the time to taste us--
We'll give you a welcome
That's typically Tyrol
For then we are sure
Of our ground.
Right now we're Italian--
We used to be German,
The border keeps {Mayor of Merano:}
Shifting around. {Speaking as one of the patriarchs,} {I don't mind taking your lira or marks.}
Oh, I get high when
I saunter by
The mountains of Merano.
Rosy-cheeked Merano
Flourishing to a fault.
The sparkling streams,
The bracing air,
The therapeutic salt.
I'd have to be carried away
To call a halt!

Oh, I feel great
In this bouncing state.
All hail to thee, Merano
Hearty hale Merano--

Girls:
[Spoken]
Any objections?

Guys:
[Spoken]
Nein!

Where breathing in
Will turn you on.
Where water tastes like wine.
Get up your get up and go
And get in line!
It's living your life in a show
By Roger and Hammerstein.

Oh, sad the soul
Who passes by Merano.
Merano! So far no
Soul has ever passed us by. {They love us.}
Why not stay forever?
Oh, so many reason why, {All those in favor say "Aye"}
Aye!

So sing a song.
Let's hear it for Merano.
Merano! Soprano,
Alto, tenor, bass
Agree! {We're wholesome.}
What a happy haven!
This is a place
Where your arteries soften--
Cholesterol hasn't a chance.
From mountain to valley
The natural goodness {Mayor of Merano:}
Is fighting pollution's advance. {So come to us and feel the force,} {All major credit cards taken of course.}

Oh, I get high when
I saunter by
The mountains of Merano.
Rosy-cheeked Merano
Flourishing to a fault.
The sparkling streams,
The bracing air,
The therapeutic salt.
I'd have to be carried away
To call a halt!

Once in a while
All the gods will smile
On little old Merano.
Humble, shy Merano
Suddenly hits the press.
And I report with all the pride
And joy that I possess:
Half of the world and his wife
Has our address!
Our little town will be rife
With games of chess!

[Whistling]
Get up your get up and go
And get in line!
It's living your life in a show
By Rogers and Hammerstein!

Frederick:
What a scene,
What a joy,
What a lovely sight
When my game is
The big sensation!
Has the mob's sporting taste
Altered overnight?
Have they found
New sophistication?

Florence:
Not yet!
They just want to see
If the nice guy
Beats the bum.
If it's East-West,
And the money's sky high--

Florence & Frederick:
They all come.

Frederick:
You can raise all you want,
If you raise the roof
Scream and shout,
And the gate increases.
Break the rules,
Break the bank,
I'm the living proof
They don't care
How I move my pieces.
Well, I know I'm the best there is,
But all they want is a show.
Well, that's all right,
I'll be glad to oblige--

Florence & Frederick:
SRO
SRO!

Citizens of Merano:
Oh, I get high when
I saunter by
The mountains of Merano.
Rosy-cheeked Merano
Flourishing to a fault.
The sparkling streams,
The bracing air,
The therapeutic salt.
I'd have to be carried away
To call a halt!

Oh, I feel great
In this bouncing state.
All hail to thee, Merano
Hearty hale Merano--

Girls:
[Spoken]
Any objections?

Guys:
[Spoken]
Nein!

Where breathing in
Will turn you on.
Where water tastes like wine.
Get up your get up and go
And get in line!
It's living your life in a show
By Roger and Hammerstein!

Now for the sell:
We put the ice into paradise,
We are the salt of the Earth
Sound as a bell,
Check out the waters,
And check out the hygiene
At which we excel.
Check into a hotel
And schnell
Body and soul get well!

Merano, What a Scene, What a Joy!

Florence:
Well we can't complain
that you've been ignored by the press. 

Freddie:
What'd they say? What'd they say? 

Florence:
They're not too polite... 

Freddie:
They say I'm a shit? 

Florence:
Well, yes. They pulled you to pieces...
In five different languages,
The Times: "You thrive on unpleasantness." 

Florence: (In French)
"Le Monde: Freddie Trumper, La Honte des écheques." 

Freddie:
I can't believe that they don't see my game.
I'm like that tennis player, what's his name?
They love to hate me and for us,
That's dollars! 

Florence: (In German)

Freddie:
Hey look here's some piece that
Some idiot's written on you.
"Florence Vassey: petite, Hungarian-born personal assistant."
"His gentle companion..."
Ha! If they only knew. 

Florence:
What do you mean? I'm always gentle with you, Freddie! 

Freddie and Florence:
"She stands
By her champion." 

Freddie:
I like this! 

Freddie and Florence:
"Whose demands
Are so infantile." 

Freddie:
I don't like this. 

Florence:
If you don't like it then it's up to you.
They like the Russian they could like you too. 

Freddie:
Commie newspapers!
Of course the bastards all support
the Russian. 

Florence:
But Sergievsky seems a sweet opponent.
So why do you abuse him all the time?
Freddie, I love you very much but please,
just for once, don't go on about the Russians at the press conference, okay?

Commie Newspapers

"Chess" (1) The Story of Chess

Part one of Chess in Concert, featuring the talents of Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, and Kerry Ellis. Recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall. 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

The Arbiter:
Each game of chess
Means there's one less
Variation left to be played. 

Each day got through
Means one or two
Less mistakes remain to be made. 

Soloists 1 & 2:
Not much is known
Of early days of chess
Beyond a fairly vague report-- 

Soloist 3:
That fifteen hundred years ago
Two princes fought,
Tough brothers,
For a Hindu throne. 

Soloist 4:
The mother cried,
For no one really likes
Their offspring fighting
To the death.
She begged to stop
The slaughter
With her every breath. 

Soloist 5:
But sure enough
One brother died. 

Soloists 4 & 6:
Sad beyond belief,
She told her winning son, 

Soloist 6:
"You have caused such grief
I can't forgive
This evil thing you've done." 

Soloist 3 & 7:
He tried to explain
How things had really been. 

Soloist 7:
But he tried in vain,
No words of his
Could mollify the queen. 

Soloist 8:
And so he asked
The wisest men he knew
The way to lessen her distress. 

The Arbiter:
They told him he'd be
Pretty certain to impress
By using model soldiers
On a checkered board
To show it was his brother's fault-- 

All:
They thus invented chess 

Male Soloists:
Chess displayed no inertia,
Soon spread to Persia,
Then west. 

Female Soloists:
Next the Arabs refined it,
Thus redesigned, it
Progressed. 

Soloist 9:
Still further yet,
And when Constantinople
Fell in 1453,
One would have noticed
Every other refugee
Included in his bags a set. 

Soloist 10:
Once in the hands,
And in the minds
Of leading figures
Of the Renaissance-- 

Soloist 2:
The spirit and the speed
Of chess made swift advance
Through all of Europe's vital lands. 

Female Soloists: {Male Soloists:}
Where we must record {Each game of chess,}
The game was further changed-- {Means there's one less}
Right across the board {Variation left to be played.}
The western touch
Upon the pieces ranged. 

Soloists:
King, and queen, and rook,
And bishop, knight, and pawn
All took on the look
We know today--
The modern game was born. 

The Arbiter:
And in the end,
We see a game
That started by mistake
In Hindustan--
And boosted in the main
By what is now Iran--
Become the simplest,
And most complicated
Pleasure yet devised
For just the kind of mind
Who would appriciate this
Well-researched, and fascinating
Yarn. 

[Spoken]
The World Chess Federation, of which I have the honor
of being president, announces that the next world championship
will take place here in Merano, Italy. 

The current world champion Frederick Trumper of the United
States of America will defend his title again Anatoly Sergievsky
of the Soviet Union. 

The first player to achieve six victories will be declared
champion. The first game will begin on March 27, 1979. 

Welcome, world, to Merano!

The Story of Chess