At the Ballet

Daddy always thought that he married beneath him

That's what he said, that's what he said

When he proposed he informed my mother

He was probably her very last chance

And though she was twenty-two

Though she was twenty-two

Though she was twenty-two

She married him

Life with my dad wasn't ever a picnic

More like a "come as you are"

When I was five I remember my mother

Dug earrings out of the car

I knew they weren't hers, but it wasn't

Something you'd want to discuss

He wasn't warm

Well, not to her

Well, not to us

But everything was beautiful at the ballet

Graceful men lift lovely girls in white

Yes,everything was beautiful at ballet

Hey! I was happy

At the ballet

That's when I started class

Up a steep and very narrow stairway

To the voice like a metronome

Up a steep and very narrow stairway

It wasn't paradise

It wasn't paradise

It wasn't paradise

But it was home

Mother always said I'd be very attractive

When I grew up, when I grew up

"Diff'rent," she said, "With a special something

And a very, very personal flair."

And though I was eight or nine

Though I was eight or nine

Though I was eight or nine

I hated her

Now, "different" is nice, but it sure isn't pretty

"Pretty" is what it's about

I never met anyone who was "different"

Who couldn't figure that out

So beautiful I'd never lived to see

But it was clear

If not to her

Well, then, to me

That everyone is beautiful at the ballet

Every prince has got to have his swan

Yes, everyone is beautiful at the ballet

Hey

I was pretty

At the ballet

Up a steep and very narrow stairway

To the voice like a metronome

Up a steep and very narrow stairway

It wasn't paradise

It wasn't paradise

It wasn't paradise

But it was home

I don't know what they were for or against, really, except each other

I mean, I was born to save their marriage

But when my father came to pick my mother up at the hospital. he said

"Well, I thought this was going to help, but I guess it's not"

Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life

I used to dance around the living room with my arms up like this

My fantasy was that it was an Indian Chief

And he'd say to me, "Maggie, do you wanna dance?"

And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to dance"

But it was clear

When he proposed

That I was born to help their marriage and when

That's what he said

That's what she said

I used to dance around the living room

He wasn't warm

Not to her

It was an Indian chief and he'd say

"Maggie, do you wanna dance?"

And I said, "Daddy, I would love to"

Everything was beautiful at the ballet

Raise your arms and someone's always there

Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet

At the ballet

At the ballet

Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet

Hey

I was pretty

I was happy

"I would love to"

At the ballet