Stephen Sondheim - Chromolume #7 / Putting It Together lyrics

[HARRIET] I mean, I don't understand completely [BILLY] I'm not surprised [HARRIET] But he combines all these different trends [BILLY] I'm not surprised [HARRIET] You can't divide art today Into categories neatly [BILLY] Oh [HARRIET] What matters is the means, not the ends [BILLY] I'm not surprised [BOTH] That is the state of the art, my dear That is the state of the art! [GREENBURG] It's not enough knowing good from rotten [REDMOND] You're telling me [GREENBURG] When something new pops up every day [REDMOND] You're telling me [GREENBURG] It's only new, though, for now- [REDMOND] Nouveau [GREENBURG] But yesterday's forgotten [REDMOND] And tomorrow is already pa**é [GREENBURG] There's no surprise [BOTH] That is the state of the art, my friend That is the state of the art! [BETTY] He's an original [ALEX] Was [NAOMI] I like the images [ALEX] Some [BETTY] Come on You had your moment Now it's George's turn- (Overlapping) [ALEX] It's George's turn? [BETTY] Don't you think he's original? [NAOMI] Well, yes... [ALEX] I wasn't talking turns I'm talking art [BETTY] You're talking crap [ALEX] But is it really new? [NAOMI] Well, no... [ALEX] His own collaborator! [BETTY] It's more than novelty [NAOMI] Well, yes... [ALEX] It's all promotion, but then- [BETTY] It's just impersonal, but- [ALEX & BETTY] That is the state of the art Isn't it? [NAOMI] Well... [BILLY] Art isn't easy [HARRIET] Even when you've ama**ed it [BETTY] Fighting for prizes [GREENBURG] No one can be an oracle [REDMOND] Art isn't easy [ALEX] Suddenly- (snap) You're past it [NAOMI] All compromises [HARRIET] And then when it's allegorical! [ALL] Art isn't easy Any way you look at it! [GREENBURG] (spoken) Here's George now! [GEORGE] All right, George As long as it's your night, George You know what's in the room, George Another Chromolume, George It's time to get to work! [MARIE] (spoken) George, look, all these lovely people in front of our painting [GREENBURG] (spoken) George! I'd like you to meet one of our board members. This is Harriet Pawling [HARRIET] (spoken) What a pleasure! And this is my friend, Billy Webster [BILLY] (spoken) How do you do [GREENBURG] (spoken) Well, I'll just leave you three to chat [BILLY] (spoken) Harriet was so impressed by your presentation [HARRIET] (spoken) This is the third piece of yours I've seen. They are getting so large! [BILLY] (spoken) What heading does your work fall under? [GEORGE] (spoken) Well, most people think of it as sculpture [BILLY] (spoken) Sculpture! [GEORGE] (spoken) Actually, I like to think of myself as an inventor as well as a sculptor [BILLY] (spoken) It's so unconventional for sculpture [GEORGE] Say cheese, George And put them at their ease, George You're up on the trapeze, George Machines don't grow on trees, George Start putting it together... [HARRIET] (spoken) I bet your great-grandfather would be very proud! [MARIE] (spoken) Oh yes, he would have loved this evening [BILLY] (spoken) How do you know? [MARIE] (spoken) I just know. I'm like that [HARRIET] (spoken) Hi, I'm Harriet Pawling [BILLY] (spoken) Billy Webster [MARIE] (spoken) How do you do. This is Elaine, George's former wife [ELAINE] (spoken) Hello [MARIE] (spoken) Elaine is such a darling. I will always think of her as my granddaughter. I'm so happy these children have remained close, though. Isn't that nice? [BILLY] (spoken) Yes. You know, Harriet has just gone through a rather messy divorce and the two- [HARRIET] (spoken) Bill! What a fascinating family you have [MARIE] (spoken) Many people say that. You know, we're going to France next month to visit the island where the painting was painted and George is going to bring the Lomochrome [GEORGE] (spoken) Chromolume. I've been invited to do a presentation of the machine on the island [MARIE] (spoken) George has never been to France [GEORGE] Art isn't easy Even when you're hot [BILLY] (spoken) Are these inventions of yours one of a kind? [GEORGE] Advancing art is easy- (spoken) Yes Financing it is not [MARIE] (spoken) They take a year to make! [GEORGE] A vision's just a vision If it's only in your head [MARIE] (spoken) The minute he finishes one, he starts raising money for the next [GEORGE] If no one gets to see it It's as good as dead [MARIE} (spoken) Work, work, work [GEORGE] If has to come to light! (spoken) I put the names of my contributors on the side of each machine [ELAINE] (spoken) Some very impressive people! [HARRIET] (spoken) Well, we must speak further. My family has a foundation and we are always looking for new projects [GEORGE] Bit by bit Putting it together [MARIE] (spoken) Family, you know, it's all you really have [GEORGE] Piece by piece Only way to make a work of art Every moment makes a contribution Every little detail plays a part Having just a vision's no solution Everything depends on execution Putting it together That's what counts! [HARRIET] (spoken) Actually, the Board of the Foundation is meeting next week... [GEORGE] Ounce by ounce Putting it together [HARRIET] (spoken) You'll come to lunch [GEORGE] Small amounts Adding up to make a work of art First of all you need a good foundation Otherwise it's risky from the start Takes a little co*ktail conversation But without the proper preparation Having just a vision's no solution Everything depends on execution The art of making art Is putting it together Bit by bit... [REDMOND] (spoken) Well, we've been hearing about you for quite some time. We haven't met. Charles Redmond, County Museum of Texas [GEORGE] (spoken) How do you do [REDMOND] (spoken) It's a pleasure to meet you, George. Your work is just tremendous [GEORGE] (spoken) Thank you [REDMOND] (spoken) I hate to bring up business during a social occasion, but I wanted you to know we're in the process of giving out some very sizable commissions- [GREENBURG] (spoken) You're not going to steal him away, are you? [GEORGE] Link by link Making the connections Drink by drink Fixing and perfecting the design Adding just a dab of politician Always knowing where to draw the line Lining up the funds but in addition Lining up a prominent commission Otherwise your perfect composition Isn't going to get much exhibition Art isn't easy Every minor detail Is a major decision Have to keep things in scale Have to hold to your vision Every time I start to feel defensive I remember lasers are expensive What's a little co*ktail conversation If it's going to get you your foundation Leading to a prominent commission And an exhibition in addition [ALL] Art isn't easy [ALEX & BETTY] Trying to make connections [ALL] Who understands it? [HARRIET & BILLY] Difficult to evaluate [ALL] Art isn't easy [GREENBURG & REDMOND] Trying to form collections [ALL] Always in transit [NAOMI] And then when you have to collaborate! [ALL] Art isn't easy Any way you look at it! [MARIE] (spoken) George, you have to meet Mr. Randolph [RANDOLPH] (spoken) Hello. Lee Randolph, I'm in charge of public relations here at the museum [GEORGE] (spoken) How do you do [NAOMI] (spoken) There you are, George! Hi, Marie. Naomi Eisen [RANDOLPH] (spoken) Delighted. You know, you two made quite a stir around here tonight! [NAOMI] (spoken) There, you see, George, that technical screw-up didn't hurt our reception after all [RANDOLPH] (spoken) Now, there's a lot of opportunity for some great press here [GEORGE] Dot by dot Building up the image Shot by shot Keeping at a distance doesn't pay Still, if you remember your objective Not give all your privacy away A little bit of hype can be effective Long as you can keep it in perspective After all, without some recognition No one's going to give you a commission Which will cause a crack in your foundation You'll have wasted all of that conversation! [DENNIS] (spoken) I really am sorry, George. I spoke to Naomi in great detail about how much electricity her synthesizer would use- I calculated the voltage exactly- [GEORGE] (spoken) Dennis. It's okay [DENNIS] (spoken) The laser was beautiful, George [GEORGE] (spoken) It was, wasn't it? Now, go get yourself a drink, Dennis. Mingle [DENNIS] (spoken) George, there's one more thing I wanted to talk to you about. I was going to wait- No, I'll wait [GEORGE] (spoken) What? [DENNIS] (spoken) I'm quitting [GEORGE] (spoken) Quitting? [DENNIS] (spoken) I'm going back to NASA. There's just too much pressure in this line of work [GEORGE] (spoken) Dennis, don't do anything rash. Just take it easy, sleep on it, and we'll talk about it tomorrow [DENNIS] (spoken) Okay, George [GEORGE] Art isn't easy [BETTY] (spoken) Hey, it's the brains! [GEORGE] Even if you're smart [ALEX] (spoken) Little technical screw-up tonight, Dennis? [GEORGE] You think it's all together And something falls apart [BETTY] (spoken) I loved the new machine, George [GEORGE] (spoken) Thanks. That means a lot to me [ALEX] (spoken) We saw you talking to Redmond from Texas [GEORGE] (spoken) Yeah [BETTY] (spoken) Did you get one of the commissions? [GEORGE] (spoken) We talked about it. You guys? [ALEX] (spoken) Her. My stuff is a little too inaccessible [GEORGE] (spoken) I love your work, Alex. I'll put in a good word for you [ALEX] (spoken) He knows my work! [GEORGE] (spoken) It's all politics, Alex. Maybe if you just lightened up once in a while... [BETTY] (spoken) Texas would be fun! [GEORGE] Art isn't easy Overnight you're a trend You're the right combination Then the trend's at an end You're suddenly last year's sensation So you should support the competition Try to set aside your own ambition Even when you jockey for position If you feel a sense of coalition Then you never really stand alone If you want your work to reach fruition What you need's a link with your tradition And of course a prominent commission Plus a little formal recognition So that you can go on exhibit- So that your work can go on exhibition [BLAIR] (spoken) There's the man of the hour [GEORGE] (spoken) Blair! Hello. I read your piece on neo-expressionism- [BLAIR] (spoken) Just what the world needs, another piece on neo-expressionism [GEORGE] (spoken) Well, I enjoyed it [BLAIR] (spoken) Good for you. Now, I had no idea you might be related to nineteenth-century France [GEORGE] (spoken) It's a cloudy ancestral line, at best [BLAIR] (spoken) Well, I'm dying to meet your grandmother. It was fun seeing the two of you on stage with your invention. It added a certain humanity to the proceedings [GEORGE] (spoken) Humanity? [BLAIR] (spoken) George. Chromolume number 7? [GEORGE] Be nice, George [BLAIR] (spoken) I was hoping it would be a series of three- four at the most [GEORGE] You have to pay a price, George [BLAIR] (spoken) We have been there before, you know [GEORGE] (spoken) You never suffer from a shortage of opinions, do you, Blair? [BLAIR] (spoken) You never minded my opinions when they were in your favor! (Overlapping) [GEORGE] They like to give advice, George Don't think about it twice, George (spoken) I disagree [BLAIR] (spoken) I have touted your work from the beginning, you know that. You were really on to something with these light machines- once. Now they're just becoming more and more about less and less [BLAIR] (spoken) Now don't get me wrong. You're a talented guy, if you weren't I wouldn't waste our time with my opinions. But I think you are capable of far more. Not that you couldn't succeed by doing Chromolume after Chromolume - but there are new discoveries to be made, George [GEORGE] Be new, George They tell you till they're blue, George You're new or else you're through, George And even if it's true, George You do what you can do Bit by bit Putting it together Piece by piece Working out the vision night and day All it takes is time and perseverance With a little luck along the way Putting in a personal appearance Gathering supporters and adherents [HARRIET] But he combines all these different trends [GEORGE] Mapping out the right configuration Starting with a suitable foundation [BETTY] He's an original [ALEX] Was [GEORGE] Lining up a prominent commission And an exhibition in addition Here a little dab of politician (Overlapping) [GEORGE] There a little touch of publication Till you have a balanced composition Everything depends on preparation Even if you do have the suspicion That it's taking all your concentration [BETTY] I like those images [ALEX] Some [BETTY] They're just his personal response [ALEX] To what? [BETTY] The painting! [ALEX] Bullsh**. Anyway, the painting's overrated- [BETTY] Overrated? It's a masterpiece! [ALEX] A masterpiece? Historically important, maybe- [BETTY] Oh, now you're judging Seurat, are you? [ALEX] All it is is pleasant, just like George's work [BETTY] It's just your jealousy of George's work [ALEX] No nuance, no resonance, no relevance- [BETTY] There's nuance, and there's resonance, there's relevance- [ALEX & BETTY] There's not much point in arguing Besides,/You say it's all promotion, but then- [GREENBURG] It's only new, though. for now [REDMOND] Nouveau [GREENBURG & REDMOND] And yesterday's forgotten Today it's all a matter of promotion But then- [HARRIET] You can't divide art today [BILLY] I'm not surprised [HARRIET] Go with it [HARRIET & BILLY] What will they think of next? [OTHERS] Most art today Is a matter of promotion, but then- [ALL BUT GEORGE] That is the state of the art And art isn't easy... [GEORGE] The art of making art Is putting it together Bit by bit- Link by link- Drink by drink- Mink by mink- [ALL] And that Is the state Of the Art!