Master Of The House

THENARDIER Welcome, M'sieur Sit yourself down And meet the best Innkeeper in town As for the rest, All of 'em crooks Rooking their guests And cooking the books. Seldom do you see Honest men like me A gent of good intent Who's content to be Master of the house Doling out the charm Ready with a handshake And an open palm Tells a saucy tale Makes a little stir Customers appreciate a bon-viveur Glad to do a friend a favor Doesn't cost me to be nice But nothing gets you nothing Everything has got a little price! Master of the house Keeper of the zoo Ready to relieve 'em Of a sou or two Watering the wine Making up the weight Pickin' up their knick-knacks When they can't see straight Everybody loves a landlord Everybody's bosom friend I do whatever pleases Jesus! Won't I bleed 'em in the end! THENARDIER & CHORUS Master of the house Quick to catch yer eye Never wants a passerby To pass him by Servant to the poor Butler to the great Comforter, philosopher, And lifelong mate! Everybody's boon companion Everybody's chaperone THENARDIER But lock up your valises Jesus! Won't I skin you to the bone! (To another new customer) THENARDIER Enter M'sieur Lay down your load Unlace your boots And rest from the road (Taking his bag) This weighs a ton Travel's a curse But here we strive To lighten your purse Here the goose is cooked Here the fat is fried And nothing's overlooked Till I'm satisfied... Food beyond compare Food beyond belief Mix it in a mincer And pretend it's beef Kidney of a horse Liver of a cat Filling up the sausages With this and that Residents are more than welcome Bridal suite is occupied Reasonable charges Plus some little extras on the side! Charge 'em for the lice Extra for the mice Two percent for looking in the mirror twice Here a little slice There a little cut Three percent for sleeping with the window shut When it comes to fixing prices There are a lot of tricks he knows How it all increases All those bits and pieces Jesus! It's amazing how it grows! THENARDIER AND CHORUS Master of the house Quick to catch yer eye Never wants a passerby To pass him by Servant to the poor Butler to the great Comforter, philosopher, And lifelong mate! Everybody's boon companion Gives 'em everything he's got THENARDIER Dirty bunch of geezers Jesus! What a sorry little lot! MME. THENARDIER I used to dream That I would meet a prince But God Almighty, Have you seen what's happened since? `Master of the house?' Isn't worth me spit! `Comforter, philosopher' and lifelong shit! Cunning little brain Regular Voltaire Thinks he's quite a lover But there's not much there What a cruel trick of nature Landed me with such a louse God knows how I've lasted Living with this bastard in the house! THENARDIER & CHORUS Master of the house. MME. THENARDIER Master and a half! THENARDIER & CHORUS Comforter, philosopher MME. THENARDIER Ah, don't make me laugh! THENARDIER & CHORUS Servant to the poor. Butler to the great. MME. THENARDIER Hypocrite and toady and inebriate! THENARDIER & CHORUS Everybody bless the landlord! Everybody bless his spouse! THENARDIER Everybody raise a glass MME. THENARDIER Raise it up the master's arse. ALL Everybody raise a glass to the master of the house!