Black and White

May the 7th, 1851 (1851)
Day of days for Bridgeport's favorite son (Bridgeport's favorite son)
Living whales he sent to Hades
Likewise Swedish singing ladies
And the local clockworks he will run (And the local clockworks he will run)
Gone those wooly schemes that filled his head (Schemes that filled his head)
Farewell, Kelly green and cherry red (Farewell, Kelly green and cherry red)
No more "Step right up and see him"
Barnum's closed his last museum
And he's gonna live his life instead

Black and white
The future's rosy living black and white
Keep both feet on the ground
Don't let those daydreams spin you round
See things the way they are
You're gonna tumble if you fly too far
Stay low and hold on tight
Living black and white

He could run the clockworks, Barnum found (Barnum found)
In two months he'd run it in the ground (In two months he'd run it in the ground)
Purchased then 500 shovels
Said "Men mustn't live in hovels
And a new utopia I will found"
Planned a very modern model town
Elevated roads to stroll around
Grew so high it made you groggy
Built on land a trifle soggy
So as it rose up it started down (Down down down)

Black and white
He built a city that was black and white
It took no end of spunk
And looked quite splendid as it sunk
Here comes another lurch
There goes the depot and the Baptist church
As they slipped out of sight
They were black and white
So long, ta-ta, goodnight
Bye bye, black and white
Oh ooh oh oh ooh oh oh ooh oh oh
Oh yeah

Heard about your city, what a shame
But the truth is, politic's your game
Kissing babies, making speeches
Posing with the local peaches
Fun, respectability and fame
You could be an alder man - no, wait (No, wait)
Congressman! I mean U.S, not state (Not state)
Mayor! No, that's easy pickin's
Senator! Oh, what the dickens
Why not head our presidential slate?

Black and white
He's playing politics in black and white
Cold truth and good hard facts
Give all that razzmatazz the axe
No bunting in the streets
You'll talk of budget cuts and ballot sheets
Statistics day and night
Running black and white

Black and white
I'm runnin' politics in black and white
Cold truth and good hard facts
Give all that razzmatazz the axe
No bunting in the streets
I talk of budget cuts and balance sheets
Statistics day and night

Charity, I'm losing 'em
You gotta let me bring a bit color into this campaign
Or they're gonna beat me
Very well, Taylor. Go ahead!

Black and white
He's had his fill of living black and white
So long, ta-ta, good night
Bye bye bye bye black and
White!