THE MUSIC MAN ('62): 'Ya Got Trouble'

A con artist hawks musical instruments and band uniforms to small-town America.

[guppti-tamberooly-jooortel]

Words like “so’s your old man!” People have been making ur mom jokes for millions of years

[TheElectricMayhem]

My grandfather was killed by a Billiard Hall, so this hits home for me.

[SamPasserdoodlesandhappenings]

I can't imagine how hard it must be for someone who has this role to memorize the entire lyrics and then perform it without stuttering or skipping a beat or tripping on the words.

[broden]

Funny thing is that in Halo 3, there is a chance a Marine will shout "We got trouble, right here in River City!" whenever they spot a large group of enemies, which is a reference to this song.

[erinwalker]

“I started boys bands in Ogdenville, Brockway, and North Haverbrook and, by gum, it put them on the map!”

[daneb.mcfadhen]

'Does he rebuckle his knickerbockers BELOW the knee'? Ha. Inspired!

[greencello]

Meredith Wilson wanted Robert Preston in this movie adaptation of his musical. Preston had been playing the role of Professor Harold Hill on the stage in the 1950's. This movie was made in the 1960's. Many actors have done their best as the snake in the grass Professor Hill. Preston is the gold standard.

[HugoToledo]

I saw a high school production and was floored by the kid played this role. This is a movie with a great experienced actor at the helm and the benefit multiple takes affords one on film. Seeing this done straight through, live, by a high schooler was pretty darn impressive!

[inezspencerasmr]

Lyrics :

A pool table, don't you understand?
Friend, either you're closing your eyes
To a situation you do not wish to acknowledge
Or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated
By the presence of a pool table in your community
Well, ya got trouble my friend, right here
I say, trouble right in River City, why sure, I'm a billiard player
Certainly, mighty proud I say, I'm always mighty proud to say it
I consider that the hours I spend with a cue in my hand are golden
Help you cultivate horse sense and a cool head and a keen eye
Did you ever take and try to find and iron-clad leave for yourself
From a three-rail billiard shot?
But just as I say
It takes judgement, brains and maturity to score
In a balkline game, I say that any boob
Can take and shove a ball in a pocket
And I call that sloth the first big step on the road
To the depths of deg-ra-day
I say, first, medicinal wine from a teaspoon
Then beer from a bottle
And the next thing you know
Your son is playing for money in a pinch-back suit
And listenin' to some big outta town jasper
Hearin' him tell about horse race gamblin'
Not a wholesome trottin' race, no
But a race where they set down right on the horse
Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy
Settin' on Dan Patch? Make your blood boil
Well I should say
Now friends, let me tell you what I mean
You got one, two, three, four, five, six pockets in a table
Pockets that mark the difference between a gentleman and a bum
With a capital "B" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
And all week long your River City youth'll be fritterin' away
I say, your young men will be fritterin'
Fritterin' away their noontime, suppertime, choretime too
Get the ball in the pocket, never mind gettin' dandelions pulled
Or the screen door patched or the beef steak pounded
Never mind pumpin' any water
'Til your parents are caught with the cistern empty
On a Saturday night and that's trouble
Yes you got lots and lots of trouble
I'm thinkin' of the kids in the knickerbockers
Shirt-tail young ones, peekin' in the pool hall window after school
You got trouble, folks
Right here in River City, trouble with a capital "T"
And that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
Now I know all you folks are the right kind of parents
I'm gonna be perfectly frank
Would you like to know what kinda conversation goes on
While they're loafing around that hall?
They be tryin' out Bevo, tryin' out cubebs
Tryin' out Tailor Mades like cigarette fiends
And braggin' all about how they're gonna cover up
A tell-tale breath with Sen-Sen
One fine night, they leave the pool hall
Heading for the dance at the Arm'ry
Libertine men and scarlet women, and ragtime, shameless music
That'll grab your son, your daught with the arms of a jungle, animal instinct
Mass-staria
Friends, the idle brain is the devil's playground
Trouble (oh we got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here in River City)
With a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
(That stands for pool)
We've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here)
Gotta figure out a way to keep the young ones moral after school
(Our children's children gonna have trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble...)
Mothers of River City, heed that warning before it's too late
Watch for the the tell-tale signs of corruption
The minute your son leaves the house
Does he re-buckle his knickerbockers below the knee?
Is there a nicotine stain on his index finger?
A dime novel hidden in the corn crib?
Is he starting to memorise jokes from Cap'n Billy's Whiz Bang?
Are certain words creeping into his conversation
Words like, like "swell"? (Trouble, trouble, trouble)
And "so's your old man? (Trouble, trouble, trouble)
Well if so, my friends, you got trouble (oh we got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here in River City)
With a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool
(That stands for pool)
We've surely got trouble (we've surely got trouble)
Right here in River City (right here)
Remember the Maine, Plymouth Rock and the Golden Rule
(Our children's children gonna have trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble...)
Oh we got trouble, we're in terrible, terrible trouble
That game with the fifteen numbered balls is a devil's tool (devil's tool)
Oh yes we got trouble, trouble, trouble
(Oh yes we got trouble here, we got big, big trouble)
With a "T" (with a capital "T")
Gotta rhyme it with "P" (gotta rhyme with "P")
And that stands for pool (that stands for pool)

[minniekudzala]

we did this play in jr high. remember it like it was yesterday. We had so much fun, it was ridiculous. some kids mastered the craft and went on to become Stars.

[Senmetsu]

People fall for this exact con to this day, it's every moral panic there ever was.

[Codraroll]

"Our children's children gonna have trouble" indeed. The film is set in 1912, and said children appear to be in their early teens. Many of them would presumably have children of their own some ten years later. This would make the children's children around drafting age in 1941-45, when trouble was indeed afoot. Not sure how much of that had to do with pool, but this song makes it sound like it was one of the principal reasons.

[wharrington]

Thank you Mom for showing me all these beautiful musicals. RIP ill never forget, nor will your only grandchild.

[Bageera]

Where is Robert Preston's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star?

[moviesgalore]

Brilliant scene and the ending is genius with him posing just like the statue.

[matthewpordum]

I don't think people truly realize how difficult this song is to do. Mr. Preston did it better than anyone....ever. True Story.

[cynthiahawkins]

Played for fun this is a delight. Bob Preston nails it.

[musicaltheatrefank]

3:53 Remember my friends, listen to me, because I’ve passed this way but once!

[danhove]

Rapp. I just realized he's probably the first rapper. Lol, ) love this musical.

[Sarah-zrnj]

I once saw packets of Sen-Sen at a vintage candy store about fifteen years ago, and The Music Man was the first thing I thought of 😂