Chip Zien
(Original Lyrics) Marvin At The Psychiatrist
[JASON]
My father says that love
Is the most beautiful thing in the world
I think games are
I think chess is the most
Beautiful thing
Not love
[WHIZZER]
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini-opera
Part one
[MENDEL]
Do you love him?
[MARVIN]
Sorta kinda
[MENDEL]
Do you need him?
[MARVIN]
Sorta, kinda
He makes me smile a lot
Especially at mealtime
It makes me feel I'm sorta smart
[MENDEL]
Is he special?
[MARVIN]
He's delightful
[MENDEL]
And romantic?
[MARVIN]
Yes, but spiteful
And yet it seems that so am I
[MENDEL]
Just enjoy what you can
Love the boy
Not the man
[MARVIN]
Man
[MARVIN]
Sorta stylish
[MENDEL]
Kinda very
[MARVIN spoken]
Very, very sorta
[MENDEL]
And kind of hard to describe
[MARVIN spoken]
Yes, you know, I think that's true
[MENDEL]
When he's naked
[MARVIN sung]
Yes?
[MENDEL]
Does he thrill you?
[MARVIN elated]
Yes!
[MENDEL]
Is he vicious?
[MARVIN]
Yes!
[MENDEL]
Would he kill you?
[MARVIN]
(Thinking) Yes
I think he's sorta kinda mean
But I love him, and I need it
If he loved me I'd concede it
[MENDEL]
Don't despise what you feel
Love the friend, not the heel
[MARVIN]
Heel
[MENDEL]
He's sometimes worthless
[MARVIN]
Sometimes evil
[MENDEL]
Sometimes smarmy
[WHIZZER]
Part two
[MENDEL]
It's queer mister Marvin-
Sorry
[MARVIN]
Jesus
[MENDEL]
Strange mister Marvin
How your wife- your ex-wife's meager glories
Coupled with her tragic stories
Moves me in reported ways
[MARVIN]
She's a very good woman
She's a wonderful woman
[MENDEL]
Do you mind that?
She was here to speak of Jason
And I find that
I hope Jason acts out more
'Cause there's a few more things
We need explore
[MARVIN spoken]
Oh no, I understand
[MENDEL spoken]
Good, very good. Very, very, good!
I feel a lot better already
Going on...
[MENDEL sung]
Was she a vicious woman?
[MARVIN spoken]
No
[MENDEL]
Did she beat the child?
[MARVIN spoken]
No!
[MENDEL]
Did she ever drive you wild?
[MARVIN]
No
[MENDEL spoken]
Never?
[MARVIN]
No
[MENDEL]
Never?
[MARVIN]
No
[MENDEL]
Never never never never?
[MARVIN]
No
[MENDEL]
Never?
[MARVIN]
No
[MENDEL]
Never?
[MARVIN]
No no no!
[MENDEL sung]
Was she faithful?
Be objective
[MARVIN]
Well, yes
[MENDEL]
She was faithful?
[MARVIN]
Yes
[MENDEL]
And her last caress was-
[MARVIN sung]
Careless
[MENDEL]
You mean careful?
[MARVIN]
Careful, not to show she cared
[MENDEL]
So you weren't prepared
For the crying
And the screaming
[MARVIN]
And the beating of the breast!
(Spoken) I don't want to be rude
[MENDEL]
Does she sleep in the n***?
[MARVIN]
...No
[MENDEL]
No? Going on
[MENDEL]
Didya' like that?
Would she change it if she knew you didn't like that?
Did she wear a negligee
Could you blow and it would blow away?
I don't mean to interfere
I would like to make that very clear
[WHIZZER]
Part three
[MARVIN]
My son's distressing
[JASON]
My father's snide
[MARVIN]
I'm convalescing
[JASON]
He's morbid and dissatisfied
[MARVIN]
What should I do now?
[JASON]
He loves another
[MARVIN]
I agree
[JASON]
I love my mother
[MARVIN]
Why not me?
We go to ball games
[JASON]
The ball is tossed
[MARVIN]
The pitcher's handsome
[JASON]
And our team lost
[MARVIN]
Is that my problem
Should I be blamed for that?
[JASON]
Explore museums
[MARVIN]
Admire art
[JASON]
We stand together
[MARVIN]
But we stand there looking miles apart
How do I reach him
What words of wisdom
What should I do now?
[JASON]
My father says that love
Is the most beautiful thing in the world
I think games are
I think chess is the most
Beautiful thing
Not love
[MENDEL]
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini-opera
The end