Joe Papp Lyrics > Elegies: A Song Cycle

[MAN THREE]
Joe decreed that
Theatre was essential
To the welfare of our city
He made theatre feel not incidental
Something very elemental to our city
He was like a giant
Biblical, defiant

Joe wished he could give the world a slap
Joe Papp never took crap
Except, perhaps from writers
Joe Papp encourages writers
To fight for their frightening plays

Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
What's your plan?
Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
Dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba
Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
You da man
Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
Dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dib

I never understood
What Joe was saying to me
He'd quote Shakespeare
And I'd simply nod
Is this how the prophets
Felt in the presence
Is this how the prophets felt in the presence of God?

[ALL MEN]
Joe Papp never took crap
Even from Robert Moses
Joe saw a theater in Central Park
And Moses built what Joe proposed
Yes, Moses built an outdoor theater
Moses thinks it's pork
But it lights up New York
It lights up New York!

Joe Papp never took crap
Except, perhaps from writers
Joe Papp encourages writers
To fight for their frightening plays
Joe Papp never took crap
Except, perhaps from writers
Joe Papp encourages writers
To fight for their frightening plays

Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
You da man
Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
Dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba
Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe
You the man
Dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba
Joe Papp
Never took
Crap


Last Update: December, 16th 2020