William Finn Marvin At The Psychiatrist Lyrics

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 sort of smart

MENDEL
Hm
Is he special?

MARVIN
He's delightful

MENDEL
And romantic?

MARVIN
Yes, and spiteful
But yet it seems that so am I

MENDEL
Just enjoy what you can
Love the boy, not the man

MARVIN
Man
Sorta stylish

MENDEL
Kinda very

MARVIN
Mmm, very very sorta

MENDEL
And kind of hard to describe...?

MARVIN
Yes, yes, I think that's very true

MENDEL
When he's naked-

MARVIN
Yes?

MENDEL
Does he thrill you?

MARVIN
Yes!

MENDEL
Is he vicious?

MARVIN
Yes!

MENDEL
Would he kill you?

MARVIN
(thinks) 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
Explore, Mr. Marvin
Your core, Mr. Marvin
Note how your wife, your ex-wife's subtle glories
Coupled with her tragic stories
Move me in unreported ways

At her very first session
She made quite an impression
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 explored

MARVIN
Good

MENDEL
Good
You said she was withholding—

MARVIN
Right

MENDEL
Well that's not quite true

MARVIN
No?

MENDEL
Perhaps she held back love from you

MARVIN
Did she really?

MENDEL
I just know what I'm told 'Cause when I met your wife, she was anything but cold
It wasn't quite precise to say that she was ice
When I met your wife, she was very nice
Very, very, very
Was she faithful? Be objective

MARVIN
Yes

MENDEL
She was faithful

MARVIN
Yes

MENDEL
And you wanted to…
Impress her

MARVIN
Yes sir, yes sir
But impress her I did not

MENDEL
Did she sweat a lot?

MARVIN
What?

MENDEL
Was she ruthless?

MARVIN
Huh?

MENDEL
Narcissistic?

MARVIN
Who-?

MENDEL
Let me vary the mood

MARVIN
Yes, please

MENDEL
Does she sleep in the nude?

MARVIN
Nope

MENDEL
No, does not sleep nude
Okay, going on
I have questions
That should probably go unanswered
But there're questions
Like, does she wear a negligé
Could you blow and it would blow away?

Since the session's nearly through
Tell me, what is going on with you?

MARVIN
So, now you're interested in me?

MENDEL
Of course

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
Yeah, and our team lost

MARVIN
Is that my fault, though?
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

WHIZZER
Marvin at the Psychiatrist, a three-part mini opera

MENDEL
The End