Music by
RICHARD RODGERS

Lyrics by
OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II

Original Book by
OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II
& JOSEPH FIELDS

New Book by
DAVID HENRY HWANG

Written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joseph Fields (and now, with a new book by David Henry Hwang) based from the novel by C.Y. Lee, this musical shows the strong contrast between East and West. A Chinese family faces many changes when they migrated in America. Suddenly, age old Asian traditions are replaced by... well, rock and roll culture. A picture-bride named Mei Li flew to San Francisco, USA to marry Sammy Fong. But Sammy already has a girl in Linda Low, a nightclub dancer, so Sammy gave the picture-bride contract to Wang Ta who is also Linda's boyfriend. That's the old book. In the new book, Mei-Li is a refugee who came to the USA by boat to his father's old friend Wang (who runs a Chinese Opera House) and instantly fell in love with his son Ta (who converts the opera house to a nightclub). Most of the songs were repositioned to respond to the new book. Great songs include I ENJOY BEING A GIRL by Linda Low, I AM GOING TO LIKE IT HERE by Mei Li and A HUNDRED MILLION MIRACLES.


I ENJOY BEING A GIRL

LINDA
I'm a girl and by me that's only great
I am proud that my silhouette is curvy
That I walk with sweet and girlish gait
With my hips kind of swively and swervy
I adore being dressed in something frilly
When my date comes to get me at my place
Out I go with my Joe or John or Billy
Like a filly who is ready for the race

When I have a brand new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl
I float as the clouds on air do -
I enjoy being a girl!

When men say I'm cute and funny
And my teeth aren't teeth but pearl
I just lap it up like honey -
I enjoy being a girl!

I flip when a fellow sends me flowers
I drool over dresses made of lace
I talk on the telephone for hours
With a pound and a half cream upon my face!

I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl like me

When men say I'm sweet as candy
As around in a dance we whirl
It goes to my head like brandy -
I enjoy being a girl!

When someone with eyes that smolder
Says he loves every silken curl
That falls on my ivory shoulder -
I enjoy being a girl!

When I hear the complimentary whistle
That greets my bikini by the sea
I turn and I glower and bristle -
But I'm happy to know the whistle's meant for me!

I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl like me

There is some part of every girl in me
Though I try to be different from the others
We have all got a tendency to be
Very much like our sisters and our mothers

We have problems to solve at different ages
We grow older and up they come again
They are always the same at different stages
And they have to do with how to handle men

From men we may take an awful beating
They're pains in our pretty little necks
But all girls are interested in eating
And we must have another sex to pay the checks!

I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy
Having a girl like me!


I AM GOING TO LIKE IT HERE

MEI LI
I am going to like it here
There is something about this place
An encouraging atmosphere
Like a smile on a friendly face

There is something about the place
So caressing and warm it is -
Like a smile on a friendly place
Like a port in a storm it is!

So caressing and warm it is -
All the people are so sincere
Like a port in a storm it is
I am going to like it here!

All the people are so sincere
There's especially one I like
I am going to like it here
It's the father's first son I like!

There's especially one I like
There is something about his face
It's the father's first son I like
He's the reason I love this place

There is something about his face
I would follow him anywhere...
If he goes to another place...
I am going to like it there!


A HUNDRED MILLION MIRACLES

MEI LI
My father says that children keep growing
Rivers keep flowing, too
My father says he doesn't know why
But somehow or other, they do

DR. LI
They do! Somehow or other, they do!

MEI LI
A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles
Are happening every day
And those who say they don't agree
Are those who do not hear or see
A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles
Are happening every day!

DR. LI
Miracle of changing... Weather!

MEI LI
When a dark blue curtain is pinned by the stars
Every flower and tree is a treat to see
The air is very clean and dry
Then a wind comes blowing the pins all way
Night is confused and upset!
The sky falls down like a clumsy clown -
The flowers and the trees get wet

ALL
Very wet!

MEI LI
A hundred million miracles

ALL
A hundred million miracles
Are happening every day

MEI LI
And when the wind shall turn his face
The pins are put right back in place!

ALL
A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles
Are happening every day!

MADAME LIANG
In every single minute so much is going on
Along the Yellow Kiang or the Tiber or the Don

ALL
A hundred million miracles

WANG CHI YANG
A swallow in Tasmania is sitting on her eggs
And suddenly the eggs have wings and eyes and beaks and legs!

ALL
A hundred million miracles

MADAME LIANG
A little girl in Chungking just thirty inches tall
Decides that she will try to walk and nearly doesn't fall

ALL
A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles

A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles
Are happening every day!

MEI LI
A hundred million miracles
A hundred million miracles
Are happening every day!

My father says the sun will keep rising
Over the eastern hill
My father says he doesn't know why
But somehow or other, it will

ALL
It will! Somehow or other, it will...


Songs From The Musicals