Chop Suey

Rodgers & HammersteinFlower Drum Song

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Chop Suey

Lyrics By Oscar Hammerstein II  Music By Richard Rodgers

Onstage at Club Chop Suey, Wang – in his stage persona of “Sammy Fong” – appears in a new act. Dressed as a chef, he performs an outlandish nightclub number featuring dancing chopsticks and chorus girls in take-out cartons. Ta, appalled by the display, feels his father has traded dignity for financial success.

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“Chop Suey” LYRICS

Wang:
Chop suey! Chop suey!
Good and bad, intelligent, mad and screwy.
Violins and trumpets and drums—
Take it all the way that it comes.
Sad and funny, sour and honeydewy—
Chop suey!

Chorus Boys:
Chop suey!

Wang: [spoken]
Welcome to Club Chop Suey, where East meets West seven swinging nights a week.
Tonight Sammy has prepared, for your pleasure, Ancient Chinese Delicacy!

Wang & Chorus Boys:
Chop suey!
Ba-doowow!

Chorus Boys:
Chop suey!
Chop suey!
Yah!

All:
Chop suey!

Wang: [spoken]
Here at Uncle Sammy’s we offer you one from column A.
Or… you could choose one from column B.
And don’t forget MSG. For “More – Stunning – Girls!”

Showgirls:
We deliver!

Chorus Boys:
Chop suey… suey… suey…

Wang: [spoken]
Feeling hungry yet?

Chorus Boys:
Aiii… Yah!

Wang: [spoken]
I know I am, and I just ate an hour ago!
Some of you may be wondering, “What are those long wooden things on my plate?”
These are called chopsticks…

Ensemble:
Chop-chop-chop-chew-wah!

Wang: [spoken]
And they’re so much fun to use.

Ensemble:
Chop-chop-chop-chew-wah!

Wang: [spoken]
Just grab a pair…

Ensemble:
Chop-chop.

Wang: [spoken]
Squeeze, lift to your mouth and…

Ensemble:
Chop-chop-chop and

All:
Ooo-eee!
Yah!
Chop suey!

Wang: [spoken]
Can you dig it?

Ensemble: [spoken]
All the way to China!

All:
Chop suey…
Chop chop chop!
Chop suey…
Chop chop chop!
Chop suey…
Chop chop chop!
Chop suey!
Chop chop chop chew-ah!