The Schöne Müllerin Goes to School: Lyrics by Joan Levin

These songs are set in a large high school.  If you would like to sing along there are many great performances on the internet.  And here is an interesting article:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_schöne_Müllerin

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Schubert Schöne Müllerin -- Der Neugierige  (The Inquirer) The Exam  
Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin

I cannot ask my neighbor, for teacher’s eyes are strong,

And anyway my neighbor, most likely has it wrong,

I wish that I had studied, the questions are so hard,

I wrote the answers down though, on a little card.

Oh crib, oh tiny crib sheet, with all my notes squeezed in,

I could have been engraving the Lord’s Prayer on a pin,

The Lord’s Prayer on a pin!

Oh shall I grasp my crib sheet? Or leave it in my desk?

If yes it will be cheating; if no I’ll fail the test!

If yes it will be cheating; If no I’ll fail the test!

But wait, now I remember, I know I’ve got it right!

I’ll finish up my paper, and – I won’t show you what I write!

No, you can’t see what I write!

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Schubert Schöne Müllerin -- Ungeduld (Impatience)   

Graffitti 
Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin 

I’d carve my name in every desk I use, 

With ball point pen fill in the gouges there, 

And leave my mark for others to peruse,

Emblazed in colored chalk on wall and stairs,

Yes you can read my graphic message everywhere!

        I’ll do my thing, I’ll do my thing, 

       And let some other guy clean up the mess!

With shaving cream and toilet tissue rolls, 

I’d let myself expressive nature rule,

Grease pencil leaves a vivid mark I’m told, 

In lunchroom, hallway and in swimming pools, 

Especially the tile walls of our swimming pool!

         I’ll do my thing, I’ll do my thing, 

         And let some other guy clean up the mess!

With magic marker in the bathroom stalls, 

I’d illustrate so all the world might see,

Who does what with whom and where and when to call, 

And poems to uplift the mind and soul,

And slogans to explain my high social goals, 

        I’ll do my thing, I’ll do my thing, 

        And let some other guy clean up the mess!

And when my Magic Marker starts to bore, 

Rip off a can of spray paint from the store, 

And let the world my real message see,

In every place that I might chance to be, 

The center of the Universe is ME!

See these scrawls, on these walls!  
You can't erase, they'll stay defaced, 
Forever and a day!

           

                                    

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Schubert, Schöne Müllerin  -- Die Bose Farbe (The Hateful Color – Green)

The Bad Teacher Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin

She greets her class with a scowl each day,

And plumps herself in her chair,

Her dress is the same drab brown or grey,

She hardly seems to care!

Her voice drones on in a monotone, 

Until the class is done!

I make little doodles or stare outside,

Or snap my bubble-gum, or rattle my desk for fun!

Oh teacher, boring teacher, 

What turns you on? Oh tell me now.  Not me.

It’s certainly not me! You don’t see me, not me!

I do my homework every night,

And busy work each day.

It’s not returned, and when I ask, 

You only say “OK” You just say:

“I guess it was OK!”

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But when the strike vote calls you out,

You march along the picket line,

While I sit home you yell and shout,

And hold aloft your sign!

For once you show some signs of life,

For something crisp and green!

That Green Green Cash!

Say Hey!  Say Hey!  And when we’re back,

Let’s see that pep again!

Say Hey!  Say Hey! And when we’re back,

Let’s see that pep again!   
Let’s see that pep again! 

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Schubert Schöne Müllerin -- Halt  

(Lunch!)   Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin 

I can smell the greasy cooking, and the pushing, sweaty throng,

It makes me feel like puking, and the line is ten miles long,

The line is ten miles long!

Someone’s yelling “food fight starting!”

There’s a plate whizzing by,

Teachers scurry to their lunchroom, 

They don’t stop to say “Hi.”

See our lunchroom, it’s dismal,

With its thousand gum smeared seats,

And it’s noisy and dirty, 

And the food’s not fit to eat!

And it’s noisy and dirty,

And the food’s not fit to eat!

Oh hall guard, turn your back now, 

Let me sneak to Micky D’s

To grab a quarter pounder for my lunch,

If you please!

Oh have pity please, Oh have pity please!

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Schubert Schöene Müllerin -- Wohin (Wieviel; How Much?)  Math Class

Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin  

The Lord said go and multiply, 
As Noah beached his ark,

And two by two they wandered off, 
From Elephant to Lark,

And in the Spring old Noah, 
Went for a walk to see,

If all the creatures of the Ark, 
Had raised a family,

If all the creatures of the Ark, 
Had raised a family.

(New Tune)

He saw each living creature, 
And young ones of its kind,

But in the path before him, 
Two lonely snakes did wind,

No small ones gliding in their rib tracks,

No baby snakes did Noah find. 

(New Tune)

“What!  Still alone?” cried Noah,  
“You were to multiply!”

With hissing sighs, the snakes cried:

“Oh Noah, we are Adders!  
 We cannot multiply!

 Yes we are snakes called Adders, 
  And cannot multiply!"

“Since Adders cannot multiply, 
  then lonely snakes we’ll be!"

 Said one “I fear our species ends 
 With my  slinky spouse and me!

 Yes our Adder race will lose its place,
  For we  have no progeny!”

The next year as Noah wandered, 

By some fallen trees he spied,

That self same pair of Adders, 

With their young ones slithering at their side!

Said he “I thought that Adders
Couldn’t multiply like cats or dogs!”

“But Noah, see that tree trunk!  

Adders multiply with logs!

Multiply with logs! Yes with logs!”

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Schubert Schöne Müllerin -- Morgengruss 

(Marking Day) Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin 

Good morning teacher, I’m afraid, 

This is the day we get our grade, 

That last decisive letter!

Did you think I would gripe and groan?

Or question you by mail or phone

To ask for something better? 

To ask for something better?  
Something better?

Of course I think I’ve earned an A, 

I turned my homework in each day 

(My girlfriend did it for me!)

I never raised my hand up high,

You know it’s only that I’m shy,

Besides, your questions bore me,

Besides your questions bore me, 
Your questions bore me!

And that term paper you assigned, 

For months I couldn’t seem to find,

A source from which to copy!

The night before the thing was due,

I thought a single page would do,

I’m sorry if it was sloppy!

I’m sorry if it was sloppy!  
If it was sloppy!

Oh yes, the last exam we took,

I really meant to read the book,

But somehow got distracted.

With basketball games near and far, 

And Battle Star Galactica,

But F?  You over-reacted! 

But F? You over reacted!  
Over reacted! 
Over reacted!
                  

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Schubert Schöne Müllerin -- Trockne Blumen  

(Graduation Day) Lyrics © 1979 Joan D. Levin 

The weeks have slowly slipped away,

And now it’s here, it’s Graduation Day, 

Bright days of fall, and winter’s shroud of grey,

Behind us now, on Graduation Day!

The yearbooks signed, the shouts of summer plans fill the hall,

The teachers say goodbye to us, they seem so small!

The classroom clock seems to quicken its pace,

We stare no more at its sun yellowed face,

And empty lockers ring hollow in the hall,

To wait for someone else’s things next fall.

The younger students watch us as we move to the stairs,

Goodbye to them, Good luck, and now, the school is theirs!

And now the steady march proceeds down the aisle,

A wave, a glance, a quiet smile, 

The prayers, the speeches, the songs, the band,

Our name is called and the scroll is in hand!

And now returning to the crowd at the door, 

We greet the smiles and the waves once more, 

Throw off the robes, it’s done, it’s done!

Our wings burst forth and we fly to the Sun!

Throw off the robes, it’s done, it’s done!
Our wings burst forth and we fly to the Sun!

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