Children and Art Songtext
von Stephen Sondheim

You would have liked him
Mama, you would
Mama, he makes things
Mama, they′re good
Just as you said from the start
Children and art
Children and art

He should be happy
Mama, he's blue
What do I do?

You should have seen it
It was a sight
Mama, I mean it
All color and light

I don′t understand what it was
But, Mama, the things that he does
They twinkle and shimmer and buzz
You would have liked them
It, him


Henry! Henry!

Isn't she beautiful?
There she is, there she is
There she is, there she is
Mama is everywhere
He must have loved her so much

This is our family, this is the lot
After I go, this is all that you've got, honey
Wasn′t she beautiful though?

You would have liked her
Mama did things
No one had done

Mama was funny
Mama was fun
Mama spent money
When she had none
Mama said, "Honey, mustn′t be blue
It's not so much do what you like
As it is that you like what you do"


Mama said, "Darling, don′t make such a drama
A little less thinking, a little more feeling"
I'm just quoting Mama

The child is so sweet
And the girls are so rapturous
Isn′t it lovely how artists can capture us?

You would have liked her
Honey, I'm wrong
You would have loved her

Mama enjoyed things
Mama was smart
See how she shimmers?
I mean from the heart

I know, honey, you don′t agree
This is our family tree
Just wait 'til we're there, and you′ll see
Listen to me

Mama was smart
Listen to Mama
Children and art
Children and art

Goodbye, Mama