(B. Andersson / S. Anderson / B. Ulvaeus)

 

Narrator: "And now, if you please, we're about to begin. The scene is set for our star to come in. Magic is hanging like smoke in the air and all of a sudden you see her. She's there... the girl with the golden hair!"


THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC

I'm nothing special
in fact I'm a bit of a bore
If I tell a joke
you've probably heard it before
But I have a talent
a wonderful thing
'cause everyone listens
when I start to sing
I'm so grateful and proud
all I want is to sing it out loud

So I say
Thank you for the music
the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy
they're bringing
Who can live without it
I ask in all honesty
What would life be
without a song or a dance what are we
so I say thank you for the music
for giving it to me

Mother says I was a dancer
before I could walk
She says I began to sing
long before I could talk
And now I'm so grateful
to all of the guys
who bring the sweet memories
into our lives
I'm in love with them all
I mean Brian, Chuck, John and Paul

So I say...

I've been so lucky
I am the girl with golden hair
I wanna sing it out to everybody
What a joy, what a life, what a chance

Thank you for the music
The songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
I can't live without it
I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
It makes me happy

Thank you for the music...


Narrator: "By now, my dear listeners, you may think this girl is fully content in her own little world. But no, she's ambitious. She wants to appear on TV, on records - to launch a career. And yes, she's successful. Her dreams have come true. She's getting an offer, accepting it too. She's leaving her parents, her friends, her hometown. But now on departing, uncertainty is starting. She's feeling a little bit down."


I WONDER

This park and these houses
old streets I have walked
everything dear
will it be here
one day when I am returning?
My friends will get married
have children and homes
It sounds so nice
well-planned and wise
never expecting surprises

I wonder
it's frightening
leaving now
is that the right thing?
I wonder
it scares me
but who the hell am I
if I don't even try
I'm not a coward
Oh no, I'll be strong
one chance in a lifetime
Yes, I will take it
it can't go wrong

My friends and my family
this dull little town
buses I've missed
boys that I've kissed
everything old and familiar
I wonder
it's frightening
leaving now
is that the right thing?

I wonder...


Narrator: "Famous, successful, now she's a star"

Choir: "She is a star, shining, shining."

Narrator: "Fulfilling her contracts, whatever they are. The contracts her manager's signing. It happens more often, she wakes up at night..."

Choir: "Wakes up at night, screaming, screaming"

Narrator: "Riddled with nightmares, she turns on the light. Frightened by what she was dreaming. Disillusioned and lonely she feels like a clown."

Choir: "Feels like a clown, grinning, grinning"

Narrator: "From concert to concert, from town to town, as though her whole world was spinning. She got what she wanted, and yet, she feels like a marionette!"


I'M A MARIONETTE

You're so free
that's what everybody's telling me
Yet I feel I'm like an outward bound
pushed around, refugee

Something's wrong
got a feeling that I don't belong
as if I have come from out of space
out of place, like King-Kong

I'm a marionette
just a marionette
pull the string
I'm a marionette
everybody's pet
just as long as I sing
I'm a marionette
see my pirouette
'round and 'round
I'm a marionette
I'm a marionette
just a silly old clown
I'm a marionette!

And I'm like a doll
like a puppet with no will at all
and somebody taught me how to talk
how to walk, how to fall

Can't complain
I got no one but myself to blame
something's happening
I can't control
lost my hold, it's insane

Look this way
just a little smile
that's what they say
You'll look better on the photograph
if you laugh, that's OK!!

I'm a marionette...

I think something's wrong
Got a feeling that I don't belong
As if I had come from outer space
Out of place like King Kong!

I'm a marionette...


Narrator: "The journey from heaven to hell, get on the carousel!"


GET ON THE CAROUSEL

Get on the carousel
get on the carousel
get on
the roundabout is just beginning
get on
it's time to see the world is spinning
get on the carousel
get on the carousel
get on
your happiness is waiting for you
get on
be famous, let the world adore you
get on the carousel
get on the carousel

I feel so dizzy I wanna go
Listen!
No I don't think I can take much more
So can't you tell 'em to make 'em slow this down
I want the speed that I had before
I'm feeling sick and I wanna stop spinning
So won't you let me get off this thing?
I got a feeling I reached the top spinning
I only wanted to dance and sing

The roundabout is just beginning...

I feel so dizzy I wanna go...

(I'm A Marionette reprise)

I'm a marionette
just a marionette
pull the string
I'm a marionette
everybody's pet
just as long as I sing
I'm a marionette
see my pirouette
'round and 'round
I'm a marionette
I'm a marionette
just a silly old clown

The roundabout is just beginning...

(I Wonder reprise)

No, I'm not a coward
oh no, I'll be strong
one chance in a lifetime
yes, I will take it
yes, I will take it
it can't go wrong

I feel so dizzy I wanna go...