Chess [musical] - Argument

[FLORENCE]

I would have thought in the average affair

That the first hint of trouble would be

Oh so small; barely perceptible, easy to miss

Why is ours on TV?

[THE RUSSIAN]

Listen -- you know as I do

Nothing's altered at all

I have no intention --

[FLORENCE]

Your personal life's

The lead on the news!

How do we ignore that?

[THE RUSSIAN]

I do and I must because otherwise I say

Goodbye to my hopes of retaining my title

If I should succumb to emotional blackmail I'm done --

[FLORENCE]

Looking after number one!

[THE RUSSIAN]

What do you mean?

[FLORENCE]

I mean it's always I this and I that

What happened to us?

[THE RUSSIAN]

All that I'm saying is I must make certain

That nothing distracts me from chess

When I've won

Then I'll attend to the secondary things --

[FLORENCE]

Things like me I suppose!

[THE RUSSIAN]

No, no -- you're reacting

Exactly the way that they want

[FLORENCE]

It's the way I have to

If I feel concerned I can't put it off

And come back to it later

[THE RUSSIAN]

Well if you're determined to jump when they tell you

Then maybe it's best that you do it alone

Watch TV, read the papers, have the miserable time of your life

You could even call my wife!

• Artist:Chess (musical)
• Album:ss