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 that 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 the 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
"Different," 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 live 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!"

Doo-doo-doo-doo
But it was clear
Doo-doo-doo
When he proposed
Doo-doo-doo
That I was born to help their marriage and when
Doo-doo-doo-doo
That's what he said
Doo-doo-doo
That's what she said
Doo-doo-doo
I used to dance around the living room
Doo-doo-doo-doo
He wasn't warm
Doo-doo-doo
Not to her

It was an Indian chief and he said
"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