Each Tuesday morning they all stand in line
The auction board open promptly at nine
The gavel came down on the auctioneer's block and the bidding began on a grandfather's clock

Next up for bids in the rear of the room, a piano worn down and a bit out of tune
"Who'll start the bidding" the auctioneer inquired
No voices rang out so just put it aside

Shouts filled the room and the auction went on and the cries of the crowd were stopped by a song
Everyone turned to the rear of the room to that worn down piano, a bit out of tune
Oh, the days long ago when the crowds came around to hear that piano ring with song
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony is through and the piano cries out, "Let me play once for you"

A man with a torn coat and a hole is one shoe sat playing the song that nobody knew
The music rang out and that song filled the room from that worn down piano, a bit out of tune

Then from the crowd a man shouted a bid
"One thousand dollars for that piano I'll give"
"Two thousand"
"Three thousand"
And the bidding went on as the man in the torn coat kept playing that song

The bidding grew tense, each bid more and more 'ti a five thousand figure rang out from the floor
But the man in the torn coat just sat there and stared, playing that song as if no-one were there
Oh, the days long ago when the crowds came around to hear that piano ring with song
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony is through and the piano cries out, "Let me play once for you"

The man in the torn coat played as of to say, "I true want you piano but I have nothing to pay
I'd give all I own if you could be mine but all I can bid is this bottle of wine

The sound of the gavel rang out through the air
The auctioneer cried, "Top that bid if you dare
Just give him the piano (Maestro played on) but where has the man in the torn coat gone?

It's a quarter past five and the bidding is done
Everything's sold and now leave one by one
The auction is over and left in that room is that worn down piano, still a bit out of tune
Oh, the days long ago when the crowds came around to hear that piano ring out with sound
But the crowds have all gone and the symphony's through and the piano cries out…

"Let me once play for you"