"Sing A Study In Brown" lyrics - THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER

[Intro:]
Picture this: Rhythm n' happiness
Souls in bliss 'n havin' fun
(Oh no)
If you can't there's nothin' to it
(Oh no)
I'm thinkin' I have t' paint you one

I'm gonna paint a sepia panorama
So full of life the painting will come alive
Bathed in blues 'n full of drama
An' all the swing they needed so they'd survive
I'll add some tans an' yellow ocher
Such soul! So full of rhythm
An' then some orange t' tone up the black a bit
My goal is to be with 'em
Purple haze t' lull the smoker
What swing! What syncopation
An cherry red t' loosen the back a bit
That thing captured a nation

An' then a mere patina of subtle green
Get down with me - you'll dig my study in brown
To lighten up the purple n' tone it down
Get down with me - tell about it all over town
A dancing glow to highlight the subtle scene
Get down with me - Dig how I'm paintin' the town
An' there you'll have a study in brown
My study in brown

Well, git brown!
Oh yeah, brown is the pigment
Well, git down!
Oh yeah, that's what cha' really meant
Clown!
Oh yeah, that's some study

We're puttin' down "A Study In Brown"

(That's why we're callin' it, "A Study In Brown!")

Git brown!
Oh yeah, brown is the pigment
N' git down!
Oh yeah, that's what cha' really meant
Clown!
Oh yeah, that's some study

Dig what I mean! It's in the scene

[Guitar solo]

What cha' talkin' 'bout?
(Rhythm-A-Ning)
That's my scene rhythm n'dancin'
(Rhythm-A-Ning)
You can add real romancin'
(Yep!)
I'll come clean,
That's the way I like it
Y' start real thin, then put some color in
(Rhythm-A-Ning)
Fuschia hues blended with subtones
(Rhythm-A-Ning)
Spread them blues, blarin' trombones
(Yep!)
Paint that scene
Just the way I like it
A dab or two - that's how to do it.

[Piano Solo]
Y' talkin' loud, hope people hear y'

[Guitar Solo]
Hey dad! Mama's gonn git 'cha soon as you git home!

[Piano Solo]
That's the ticket
But where'd y'fin' th' wicket?
Repeat from Verse to Coda