Lyrics Addison's City - Stephen Sondheim

Addison's City

No?
Why not?
For one thing, I’ve already built one
Palm Beach?
This isn’t a city, it’s a country club
And for another, there are projects I’m considering that I actually care about
Like, for example-an artists' colony for Hollis…
That’s what I wanted: a city for artists
Versailles by the Florida sea
A kind of haven for hundreds of artists
Whose great patron saint would be me!
And then I meet Willie and he
Says to me:
«Look what Addie’s done
And he’s just begun!
Why be saint to hundreds?
Be saint to one!
Think what he can do!»
Thing what we can do
Willie, me and you!
«Willie»?
And you…
You’ll design a city, Addie
Like no city ever seen before
Think of it: a city, Addie
Every single window, every door-
You could build a Paris, Addie
But Paris made anew
A Paris for today
Paris, USA!
A Paris made by you-
Addison’s city!
Venice and jazz combined-
Addison’s city!
Every last stick and stone designed
By the same screwy brilliant mind-
Addison’s city!
Newport with fizz
Rio with shade
Capri as it is
But not so staid
Not so much a city-a parade!
Addison’s city!
The time is now
The place is now
Your chance to do what you
Were born to do
Is now
A chance like this will never come again
Believe me
Embrace it now
The moment’s now
The door is wide
An opportunity
That mustn’t be
Denied
Don’t muff it now
What do you think?
I think my brother would say anything to get what he wants
Forget about what I want, what do you want?
Look around, Willie.
Did it ever occur to you that I already have everything I
want right now?
And how about what you used to want?
You saw it all, remember?
«Office buildings, concert halls and railway stations!
It’s like there’s a whole
new way America should look, and it’s all up here, between these ears!
«You found your road, Addie, you were heading down it.
You just took a wrong
turn
(sung)
You should build a city, Addie
Not just fancy forts for rich old farts
Much more than a city, Addie
More like an amalgam of the arts
Something international but bold
Everything too much
European verve-
New York City nerve-
Only with the Mizner touch-
Addison’s city!
Don’t you see?
It really is a marvelous idea!
And it’s a perfect fit!
One investor… One promoter… And one artistic genius with a vision that
could change the world!
(sung)
You make it up-
(To Hollis.)
You make it real
Leave it to me to make the spiel
Everyone gets to spin the wheel!
And what else do you get?
A chance for now
To make amends
A chance to ditch the blues
And pay my dues
To friends
And if I chance to make a buck or two
Along the way, and so do you
Why not?
Why not?
Addie, a blank canvas.
Waiting for you to fill it up
Oh, come on, Addie
The three of us together, what fun!
Say yes!
You and me against the world, Brother
You and me against the world!
You and me together
But in very different weather
Now it’s pretty
Don’t you want to build a city?
All right, okay!
The time is now
The place is here
This is the chance to open up a new frontier
And if there ever was a time to pioneer-
(The Company joins them.)
The time is now!