作曲 : Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick
Ritter:You belong to a lonely hearts club?!
Amalia:I have never done that sort of thing before.
I’d seen the advertisements in the papers.
Ritter:Well,who hasn’t?
“Young man wants young lady,young lady wants young man.”
Amalia:But I’ll never taken them seriously.
Until one day,
I saw his advertisement.
Even then,
I tired not to answer it,really.
But it kept calling out to me.
Ritter:He could be seventy-five!
Amalia:No.The advertisement says,“young man.”
Ritter:You never even asked for a photograph!
Amalia:
I don’t know his name or what he looks like,
but I have a much more certain guide.
I can tell exactly what he looks like,
Inside.
When I undertook this correspondence,
little did I know I’d grow so fond.
Little did I know our views would so correspond.
He writes me what his feelings are,
on Shaw,Flaubert,Chopin,Renoir.
The more I read,the more I find,
we’re one in mind and heart.
I know the kind of home we’d share,
the books,the prints,the music there.
A home,a life,that’s warm and full,
and rich in love,
and art.
I ’don’t need to see his handsome profile,
I’ don’t need to see his manly frame.
All I need to know is in each letter,
each long,revealing letter,
I couldn’t know him better,
If I knew his name.
Amalia:Oh,I know him so well,Ilona.
I know that he’s a very successful person,
and terribly well-educated,
and he’s gentle and kind,and soft spoken.
Ooh!I know all this about him,and so much more.
I’ve just never met him,that’s all.
Ritter:
If he isn’t too handsome,
true it doesn’t much matter.
Amalia:He writes his deepest thoughts to me.
Ritter:
But his personal habits are more important than his looks.
Amalia:On Swift,Vermeer,and Debussy.
Ritter:
Supposing he snores like a locomotive.
Supposing he grinds his teeth.
Supposing he’s a knuckle cracker,Amalia.
Amalia:On Maugham,Remarque,Dumas,
Ducas,Dufy,Dufay,Defoe.
Ritter:
Good luck with your books!
And another small detail.
That you haven’t yet mentioned.
Amalia:He thinks as I,he feels as I.
Ritter:
I am speaking of ***,dear,
when you and he are all alone.
Amalia:He shares the same ideas as I.
Ritter:
Come to think of it,
maybe you’re right.
Maybe it doesn’t matter at that.
Maybe I’d do much better myself with a library card.
Amalia:I’ll never find a man who’s so simpatico.
Ritter:And a gramophone.
Amalia:I know.
Amalia:I ’don’t need to see his handsome profile.
Ritter:I was taken in by someone’s profile.
Amalia:I’ don’t need to see his manly frame.
Ritter:I was taken in by someone’s frame.
Amalia:All I need to know is in each letter,
Ritter:How I could have used one,
Ritter & Amalia:each long,revealing letter,
Amalia:I couldn’t know him better,
Ritter:I hope you do much better,
Amalia:If I knew his name.
Ritter:I knew his name.
Ritter & Amalia:What’s in a name?
【END】