Capo on 3
Intro: Am – Am7/G – F – E
Am Am7/G
Each Tuesday morning they’dd all stand in line
F E
The auction would open promptly at nine
Am Am7/G
The gavel came down on the auctioneer's block
F D
And the bidding began on a grandfather's clock
Am Am7/G
Next up for bids in the rear of the room
F E
A piano worn down and a bit out of tune
Am Am7/G
"Who'll start the bidding" the auctioneer cried
F E A
No voices rang out, so just put it aside
Am E/G#
Shouts filled the room and the auction went on
G D/F#
But the cries of the crowd were stopped by a song
Fm A/E
Everyone turned to the rear of the room
B7/D# Esus4 – E
To that worn down piano, a bit out of tune
Dm F/A E Am
Oh the days long ago when the crowds came around
Cm G# D Gm
To hear that piano ring out with sound
F D/F# Gm Db7
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony’s through
Gm Am D7 Gm
And the piano cries out "Let me play once for you"
Am Am7/G
A man with a torn coat and a hole is one shoe
F E
Sat playing the song that nobody knew
Am Am7/G
The music rang out and that song filled the room
F D
From that worn down piano, a bit out of tune
Am Am7/G
Then from the crowd a man shouted a bid
F E
"One thousand dollars for that piano I'll give"
Am Am7/G
"Two thousand" "Three thousand", and the bidding went on
F E A
As the man in the torn coat, kept playing that song
The bidding grew tense, each bid more and more
Till the five thousand figure rang out from the floor
The man in the torn coat just sat there and stared
Playing that song, as if no-one were there
Oh the days long ago when the crowds came around
To hear that piano ring out a sound
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony is through
And the piano cries out "Let me play once for you"
The man in the torn coat played as if to say
I too want you, piano but I've nothing to pay.
I'd give all I own if you could be mine,
but all I can bid is this bottle of wine.
The sound of the gavel rang out through the air,
the auctioneer cried: Top that bid if you dare.
Yes give him the piano, maestro play on.
but where has the man, in the torn coat gone?
It's a quarter past five and the bidding is done,
everything's sold and now leave one by one.
The auction is over and left in that room
is that worn down piano, still a bit out of tune.
Oh the days long ago when the crowds came around
to hear that piano ring out with sound,
but the crowds have all gone and the symphony's through
and the piano cries out: let me once play for you.
