Each Tuesday morning, they'd all stand in line;
The auction would open promptly at nine
The gavel came down on the auctioneer's block
And the bidding began on a grandfather's clock.

Next up for bids in the rear of the room
A piano worn down and a bit out of tune
Who'll start the bidding?, the auctioneer cried
No voices rang out, so just put it aside.

Shouts filled the room and the auction went on
When the cries of the crowd were stopped by a song
Everyone turned to the rear of the room,
To that worn down piano, a bit out of tune.

Oh the days long ago when the crowds came around
To hear that piano ring out with sound
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony's through
And the piano cries out: 'let me play once for you'.

A man with a torn coat and a hole in one shoe
Sat playing the song that nobody knew
The music rang out and that song filled the room
From that worn down piano, a bit out of tune.

Then from the crowd a man shouted a bid
One thousand dollars for that piano I'll give
Two thousand, Three thousand, and the bidding went on
As the man in the torn coat kept playing that song.

The bidding grew tense each bid more and more
I till the five thousand figure rang out from the floor
The man in the torn coat just sat there and stared
Playing that song as if no-one were there.

Oh the days long ago when the crowds came around
To hear that piano ring out with sound
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony's through
And the piano cries out: let me play once for you.

(Solo).

The man in the torn coat played as if to say
I too want you, piano but I've nothing to pay
I'd give all I own if you could be mine
But all I can bid is this bottle of wine.

The sound of the gavel rang out through the air
The auctioneer cried: Top that bid if you dare
Just give him the piano, maestro play on
But where has the man, in the torn coat gone?

It's a quarter past five and the bidding is done
Everything's sold and now leave one by one
The auction is over and left in that room
Is that worn down piano, still a bit out of tune.

Oh, the days long ago when the crowds came around
To hear that piano ring out with sound
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony's through
And the piano cries out: let me once play for you.