It′s nine o′clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There′s an old man sitting next to me
Makin′ love to his tonic and gin
He says, "Son, can you play me a melody?
I′m not really sure how it goes but it′s sad and it′s sweet
And I knew it complete when I wore a younger man′s clothes"
*
Sing us a song, you′re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we′re all in the mood for a melody
And you′ve got us feelin′ alright
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he′s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there′s someplace that he′d rather be

He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."
As the smile ran away from his face
"Well I′m sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place"
Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he′s talkin′ with Davy who′s still in the navy
And probably will be for life
And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes, they′re sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it′s better than drinkin′ alone
*repeat
It′s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
′Cause he knows that it′s me they′ve been comin′ to see
To forget about life for a while

And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you doin′ here?"