What's the use? Old Lady: Patti LuPone Prince Ragotski: Stanford Olsen Prefect: John Herrera Crook: Michael McElroy Westminister Symphonic Choir New York Philarmonic Conductor: Marin Alsop Music: Leonard Bernstein
OLD LADY I have always been wily and clever At deceiving and swindling and such, And I feel just as clever as ever, But I seem to be losing my touch. Yes, I'm clever, but where does it get me? My employer gets all of my take; All I get is my daily spaghetti, While he gorges on truffles and cake. What's the use? What's the use? There's no profit in cheating, It's all so defeating And wrong, oh, so wrong, That I just have to pass it along! RAGOTSKI That old hag is no use in this gyp joint, Not a sou have I made on her yet, And the one thing that pays in this clip joint Is my fraudulent game of roulette. But I have to pay so much protection To the chief of police and his men, That each day when he makes his collection I'm a poor man all over again. RAGOTSKI, OLD LADY What's the use? What's the use Of dishonest endeavor and being so clever? It's wrong, oh, so wrong, If you just have to pass it along! MAXIMILIAN It's a very fine thing to be prefect Shaking down all the gamblers in town. My position has only one defect: That there's someone who's shaking me down. For this fellow unhappily knows me; And he's on to the game that I play, And he threatens to shame and expose me If I do not incessantly pay. MAXIMILIAN, RAGOTSKI, OLD LADY What's the use? What's the use Of this sneaky conniving and slimy contriving? It's wrong, oh, so wrong, If you just have to pass it along! CROOK I could live very well by extortion, But I simply can't keep what I earn, For I haven't a sense of proportion, And roulette is my only concern. I've a system that's fiendishly clever, Which I learned from a croupier friend, And I should go on winning forever But I do seem to lose in the end. MAXIMILIAN, RAGOTSKI, CROOK What's the use? What's the use? OLD LADY What's the use? What's the use Of this cheating and plotting, You end up with notting. OLD LADY, MAXIMILIAN, RAGOTSKI, CROOK It's wrong, oh, so wrong If you just have to pass it along! CHORUS Pass it along, oh, pass it along. ALL Oh, what's the use? What's the use? There's no use in cheating, It's all so defeating And wrong, oh, so wrong, If you just have to pass it along!
I actually prefer it a whole lot more here. Actually I think this whole production is closer to what Bernstein was trying to achieve as the performers are all at least decent at comedy.
@@jenylogan1 Hi, Jenny! I'm curious to know whether you are agreeing with my previous comment, or with the rather different comment from Matthew Frota. Please clarify!
@@fourstrings48 I am agreeing with you, I do not like Lupone’s interpretation of this role, and her voice is too light. There is also, too much mugging which is superfluous and screams ‘this is comedy’ unnecessary, it is all there in the music and lyrics
Patti's voice has deteriorated so much. It just sticks out like crazy in the chorus. And, as always, I can't understand a word. She's still a great performer, though.
