Arthur Versus the Piano/The Big Blow-Up Arthur

# Every day you walk down the street Everybody that you meet

# Has an original point of view

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart Listen to the beat

# Listen to the rhythm of the street

# Get together and make things better By working together

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

-What a wonderful kind of day

# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day - hey! What a wonderful kind of day - HEY! #

Hey! DW!

-Hey!

-Woh-oh!

I think I could do almost any job when I grow up.

'I could be a teacher like Mr Ratburn.

'Well, not exactly like Mr Ratburn.'

-No homework again tonight, class.

-HURRAY-AY!

'I could be an accountant like Mom.'

-Mr Crosswire? I got you a big tax refund.

-Arthur, you're a genius.

'Or a caterer, like Dad.'

Incoming!

He's done it!

Arthur has successfully completed history's biggest pepperoni pizza!

Yeah, I can imagine being just about anything...

except a piano player.

THEY PLAY A JOLLY TUNE

Very good, everyone!

# Da-da-da-da-da...da-da! #

Is everybody ready for their first solo performance?

Tomorrow you perform your pieces for the students.

Next Friday, the recital for parents. Practise! Practise! Practise!

BELL RINGS But have fun! Remember music is art.

It's like ear painting.

If I get paint on my ears, my mom gets mad.

I didn't mean... It's like ear painting with no paint.

- Just think of it as music. - Right. Good one.

HE LAUGHS

-Want to go skating?

-No, I need to practise.

Plus, I have to make sure my spit valve is clean. Remember last time?

Sorry, sir.

Shouldn't you practise, too? It's your first-ever solo.

I know my part inside out.

I wish I did, then I wouldn't have to lug this home.

-Want to skate?

-No, I have to tape up my drumsticks so they can't break.

Sorry, sir.

-I want to get it right. Everyone will be watching.

-Binky!

I have to do my tongue exercises. Last time, I got tongue-tied.

-Wasn't there something else?

-Oh, yeah.

Sorry, sir.

-You'd better practise, Arthur.

-But I know it!

DW HICCUPS

Could you do that somewhere else, please? I'm trying to read.

Hic!

Hic! I can't... Hic! ..stop! What if I never stop?

My head might get loose and pop off!

-How long have you had them?

-I don't know. Hic!

Getting scared can cure the hiccups.

Nothing scares me! Hic!

Did I tell you Mom threw away your Crazy Bus CD?

But that's my favourite! How could she?!

Hey, it's stopped!

You're welcome!

-Have a good sleep, so you're ready for your recital tomorrow.

-No sweat.

I know it all.

HE PLAYS "Fur Elise"

HE PLAYS A WRONG NOTE AUDIENCE JEERS

Boo-oo-oo-oo!

Hey, you stink!

'Extra! Extra! Local boy plays wrong note!'

-DW!

-Arthur! No-one's seen you since they kicked you out of school...

Hic! ..for wrecking the recital last year.

I've been looking for a job, but I can't get one.

Everyone knows I played the wrong note. Are those the same hiccups?

-I can help you get rid of them.

-Get rid of them?!

No way! These hiccups made me... Hic! ..a star!

-This is the premiere of my newest... Hic! ..movie!

-The Hiccup Kid?

I'm a... Hic! ..millionaire!

-I have to go inside now. Call me sometime.

-But I don't have a phone!

Gee, thanks, Mister!

I know you! You're that kid who played D flat instead of D sharp.

Oh-h...!

It was just a dream. That could never happen...

as long as I don't make a mistake.

TUBA SOLO PLAYS

APPLAUSE

-HE IS OUT OF BREATH

-That song has too many notes!

Our next performer - Arthur Reid!

APPLAUSE

'You're that kid who played D flat!'

'Hey, you stink!'

-Is anything wrong?

-I feel sick. I don't think I should play.

No problem, dear. ..Sue Ellen, you're on.

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

-You should have practised.

-I didn't need to!

-Maybe you should before next week's recital for the parents.

-Oh, no!

I have to do it again.

Binky, you're next. Me and my tongue are ready.

Hic! This isn't... Hic! ..working! Hic!

Your head's gonna pop off! Don't worry. I'll catch it.

-Arthur, they came back!

-Hold your breath and count backwards from 100.

100...99...

What comes before 99?

Hmm...

One...two...five...nine...

Hic!

HE PLAYS "Fur Elise"

-You're right. You don't need practice.

-That's what I said!

-Why didn't you play it like that at school?

-What if I made a mistake?

You don't need practice. You need confidence.

Walk up to that piano and say...

"I'm gonna play you and you're gonna sound great!"

Show it who's boss. ..One wrong note, and you're toothpicks!

And you've got to look like a musician, like this.

-Ow! That hurts my face.

-Maybe you need a casual attitude.

-Start with a joke.

-I don't know any musical jokes.

-What about this?

-# Da-da-da-da-da... #

-Hic! Hic!

Great! What key did you hit?

-I didn't.

-Hic! Hic!

Hic!

-If you could practise playing in front of an audience...

-That's it!

One spoonful of peanut butter. Chew it slowly. Always cures the hiccups.

It worked! Grandma, you're smart. Now my head won't pop off.

HE PLAYS "Fur Elise"

-Arthur, you played it beautifully!

-Because it was for you, Grandma.

-You WANT to hear me play.

-Remember when I took you to the circus?

Remember how excited you were before anything even happened?

Yeah!

Your audience will be just as excited and ready to have fun.

-They're not against you.

-Really?

-Yes. And if you get nervous,

remember I'm out there and I love hearing you play.

TUBA SOLO I hope you practised this time.

-Are you feeling better today?

-So far.

-PUFFING AND PANTING

-That's it!

Next time, I play...Jingle Bells.

Show that piano who's boss.

One bad note, and you're toothpicks!

-Do it. Do it!

-He's not moving. Sue Ellen, better get ready to go on.

Francine, give him a chance.

HE GULPS

HE PLAYS WELL

I'm doing it. I'm almost done. I'm gonna make it!

-HE PLAYS A WRONG NOTE

-I wrecked it!

-APPLAUSE

-I wrecked it! I'm a recital wrecker!

Encore!

Take a bow!

-That was great!

-But I wrecked the end.

-What are you talking about?

-Didn't you guys hear that big mistake?

-I didn't hear any mistakes.

-Hey, that D flat you played at the end...

-I knew it was obvious.

-..very much as Thelonious Monk would have done.

You have some mean jazz chops, my man.

Nobody even noticed my big mistake.

It was only big to you. The audience doesn't hear mistakes.

-They just hear music.

-I wanted to see Arthur mess up.

Grandma will have to wait to see YOU mess up your pre-school play!

Hic!

-Oh, no!

-I know what to do!

Stand on your head and count backwards from a zillion and one.

Look in the mirror and scare yourself, then...

Brain and Francine are great friends but don't talk to them about sports.

Hockey players are the best athletes. They have to skate AND play at once.

-Could a hockey player play golf?

-Yes.

While driving an Indy Car at 207mph?

'This is not an easy putt. Everything's quiet.

'He needs to concentrate.'

'He's in the lake. That's a one-stroke penalty.'

Want to hear their best argument?

-Hey, guys, who's the best athlete in school?

-That's easy. It's me.

-Pardon my insistence upon accuracy, but it is

-I.

-It's ME!

-It is

-I!

-Me!

-I!

-Get comfortable. This could go on a while.

Argh!

SPECTATORS SHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT

HURRAY-AY! >

We haven't lost a game. We'll win the championship. Indubitably.

Nobody can beat us as long as we've got Francine and The Brain.

This is for the bulletin board.

If we win one more game, we're in the play-offs. Let's practise.

Arthur!

-Out of bounds! Out of bounds!

-I am not. Look at my foot.

-Your foot was on the line. You just moved it.

-No way. You're cheating.

I don't need to cheat. You're cheating.

347,825...

-347,826...

-I wish I'd brought a book.

-ARTHUR YAWNS I didn't!

-You did!

-Did not!

-Let's finish the game, guys.

-Yeah, my skull's getting sore.

For Pete's sake, just ask somebody.

You saw what happened, Arthur. You make the call.

-At first, it looked like your foot...

-He wears glasses!

-Are you gonna trust what HE sees?

-Arthur is honest and trustworthy.

There's no better kid in the school. Tell them she was out of bounds.

You decide, even if you just agree with him because boys stick together.

-But then her foot...

-Sticking up for your friend?

Let him speak! ..Go ahead, Arthur.

< Binky!

-I gotta go home for dinner!

-Well, there goes the ball. Game's over.

So I guess it doesn't matter who's right any more.

I'd better go home, too.

I don't know if she was in or out. They'll soon forget all about it.

-Remember you promised to help me write a letter to Santa?

-In May?

Do you know many letters he gets in December? I wanna beat the rush.

-DW, would you...?

-Ssh, I'm thinking!

OK, ready.

"Dear Santa, Is it tough being the world's most handsome man?"

It's always nice to start with something positive.

You're bored of nice remarks because you hear so many.

Oh, well, thank you.

"Santa, there were just a few little problems with last year's presents."

-Francine and The Brain are still mad at each other.

-Really?

Muffy, would you hand me my pencil?

Ask The Brain. He's right there.

I wouldn't touch it.

I might catch whatever makes her so Franciney.

-Hmm!

-Hmm!

This is a speed test. Pass the questions round. You have one minute.

'Begin.'

Here you go, Francine.

She only gave me one. Why don't you ask your friend, The Brain?

-Brain!

-No talking allowed during the test.

-Mr Ratburn, I didn't get a...

-Time's up.

-..test.

Francine and Brain better make up soon, or I'll never pass math.

Let go! I got it first.

I dibbed it before you got it. You don't even know how dibs work!

< Argh!

Oh...

I hope Francine and Brain aren't too mad to play together.

They wouldn't hurt our chances of winning.

-I'm open!

-Arthur!

Argh!

Oh!

Why didn't you pass it to me?

-Is that the wind blowing? I don't hear or see anyone.

-Oh!

Oh! I think I sprained my tail bone.

If these two stay mad at each other, we'll never win another game.

-We won't be in the play-offs.

-We'll remind them they used to be friends.

Maybe if they played something that was just fun.

Ping-pong is fun! Serve, Arthur.

Oh, yeah?

To you!

-Well, they're playing together.

-I'm not sure they're having fun.

-Take that!

-Ugh!

-Ugh!

-Ugh! Back over to you!

-Whose point?

-I don't know. The ball appears to have vaporised.

Miniature golf?

I think they're having fun.

That counts. Hole in one.

-Your forward is offside.

-He can't be. He's on a stick.

What's more fun than cards?!

-Do you have any sixes?

-Go fish.

-Go fish yourself!

Any other ideas?

Francine and Brain will never be friends again.

-They'll work it out themselves in time.

-The play-offs are next week!

Arthur! I need a new Santa letter, with prices for each present.

Can you help me figure out prices in other countries?

If he finds bargains on his travels, the savings can buy more presents.

If we don't win soon, we're out of the play-offs.

Out of the play-offs!

HE MAKES STRANGLING NOISES

I think that convinced them.

Brain, here!

Help! Help!

Come on, Francine!

Help!

Oh!

-I'm getting killed out there. I can't play another game.

-Ow!

We only have one game left. And we have to win!

But it's against Mighty Mountain.

BOTH: We're doomed!

-We need to work on my Santa letter again.

-DW, why not just call Santa?

A letter is better. I can organise my thoughts and say it just right.

-That's it!

-Hey! I'm still here!

The little girl whose heart may be broken at Christmas. Hey!

Write a letter to Francine?

I know you want to be friends again. Tell her how you really feel.

Remember how fun it is when you play together?

-Here's Francine's letter.

-And Brain's.

"I want to remain friends..."

"Everyone knows you are very, very smart... "

"..but adamantly refuse to apologise because you're wrong."

"..so what's your excuse for acting so dumb all the time?"

-These letters will make it worse.

-BOTH: Oh-h!

Not if we re-write them. I'll write Francine's and you write Brain's.

I accept his apology, but I can't believe Brain's misspelt soccer.

-I refuse to give in to her demands.

-What?

"I want blue footy pyjamas and a blonde Princess Mole Rat". No way!

That's my sister's Christmas list. Francine's letter is on the back.

Oh, much better!

CHEERING

SPECTATORS SHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT

Your letter was right. Disagreeing doesn't mean we can't be friends.

Yeah... What?! I didn't write that!

-Arthur!

-Buster! We know you wrote those letters.

Can't you wait to be mad at each other till after the play-offs?

It's you guys we're mad at.

That Arthur always thinks he knows what's best.

You spelled soccer with two Ks and a Q?

Oh, yeah. It's two Qs and a K, right?

# And I say, hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart

# Listen to the beat Listen to the rhythm of the street

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start

# I say, hey, what a wonderful kind of day

# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day HEY! #