Yo-Yo’s Ma

Yo-Yo’s Ma
by Michael Mark & Tom Chapin
© 2003 HCD Music & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)
B Minor Cello Concerto by Dvorak (in D Minor)

When Yo-Yo was a youngsta
An agent from afah
Came all the way from L.A. to talk to Yo-Yo’s Pa.
He said, “Your kid’s a genius,
I’ll make your boy a stah.”
“I don’t know, you’d better go talk to Yo-Yo’s Ma.”

The agent said,
“They’ll know Yo-Yo from Maine to Zanzibah.
I’ll get the kid a zillion bucks
And a great big fancy cah.
He’ll perform in ev’ry country
For King and Prince and Shah.”
“I don’t know, you’d better go talk to Yo-Yo’s Ma.”
Yo-Yo’s Ma. Yo-Yo’s Ma.
I don’t know you’d better go talk to Yo-Yo’s Ma.

In the garden sat a youngster in a chair
Making music that was floating on the air.
There was magic in his cello and his bow,
’Til the agent burst upon the scene,
“Hello! Hello! My name is Duncan Duncan
From the Acme Company.
Yo-Yo, we make yo-yo’s.
That’s why I’m here, you see.
We need a new spokesperson,
A bright young champion.
From the way you play the cello,
I believe that you’re the one!

You got the look, the touch, the feel,
The hand-eye coordination.
And with a name like Yo-Yo,
What a boffo combination!
Stick with me!” said Duncan,
And he waved his big cigah.
“I don’t know, you better go talk to my Mama.”
My Mama. Mrs. Ma? Mrs. Ma. Nice to meet ya!
I don’t know, you better go talk to my Mama.

So Mr. Ma and Mrs. Ma and Yo-Yo Ma and Duncan.
Drank a pot of Pekoe tea
And when the tea was drunken
Yo-Yo’s Ma said,
“Duncan, you’re a most persuasive fellow.
We like your schtick but I think we’ll stick
With Yo-Yo and his cello.”

So Yo-Yo never yo-yo’d, perhaps he never will.
He listened to his mother and he honed another skill.
I love a happy ending, he did become a stah,
The world’s most famous cellist,
Thanks to Yo-Yo’s Ma.
Yo-Yo’s Ma. Yo-Yo’s Ma.
Yo-Yo’s Ma. Hip Hip Hoorah!
The world’s most famous cellist,
Thanks to Yo-Yo’s Ma.

This song appears on Tom Chapin's Making Good Noise CD.

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