"It All Comes Out of the Piano" Frank Lazarus: Live at the Phoenix Theatre Arts Club 18 July 2016
IT ALL COMES OUT OF THE PIANO Dick Vosburgh and I wrote this song to introduce a medley of songs by the great Hollywood songwriter Richard Whiting, when our musical A Day in Hollywood/A Night In The Ukraine transferred from London to Broadway. Act One underwent some changes to give it the Broadway treatment. I was the show's composer, but also being an actor, I was the only member of the London cast given permission by American Equity to perform in the US - because during the show I was frequently in the unique position of playing my own music on the onstage piano. For that particular medley, I sang and played the song representing Richard Whiting at the piano, and other members of the cast played various musical instruments while performing his famous numbers, like "Too Marvellous For Words" and "On The Good Ship Lollipop" among others. IT ALL COMES OUT OF THE PIANO Words by Dick Vosburgh & Frank Lazarus, Music by Frank Lazarus From A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine Copyright 1980 by Frank Lazarus and Dick Vosburgh. This is so exciting! At my piano I compose Numbers for film and theatre shows. (My mother asked me, “How?”) When it comes to writing, I’m no professor, no sirree! Still, I’ve a methodology. Let’s make it work right now: Got my fingers on the keys, Wandering the way they please. It all comes out of the piano - Any old piano. Sitting at the eighty-eight Something starts to percolate. It all comes out of the piano - Any old piano. Hey! Here’s a little melody in A flat major. Say, this could be the middle of the song! I’m glad I playedjya! Put me at the wooden box. Soon a pretty tune unlocks. It all comes out of the piano - Any old piano any time. Every single note I need, Positively guaranteed. It all comes out of the piano - Any old piano. Never ever ask me out If a baby grand’s about, ‘Cause I’ll be there at the piano - Bangin’ your piano. Gee, other kids were melancholy at the keyboard. Me? I could go for hours at a stretch And never be bored. When a pair of wings I wear, Won’t be playing harp up there! It all comes out of the piano - Any old piano - Show me a piano! Any old piano any time. * * * * *
