[Lyric] This Must Be the Place (Original Broadway Cast of "Grind")

(Enter LEROY, the top black performer at Harry Earle's burlesque. He is dressed, as is everyone, in exaggerated costume.)

[LEROY]
This must be the place you heard about
The word about town is out
What's black and white with girls, girls, girls?
Ay?

(Enter HARRY EARLE.)

[HARRY]
It's my place here
It's Harry Earle's!

(GUS enters, the white top banana of the show, in his 60's.)

[GUS]
This must be the place they're talkin' up
They're walkin' up here in drovеs
They love this white thеn black then white
No mix, no match, no worries
Riiight?
[HARRY]
Riiight?

(SOLLY, the second banana, enters.)

[SOLLY]
Riiight?

[HARRY]
It ain't the best place
It ain't the worst place

[SOLLY]
But like the man said

[SOLLY AND HARRY]
In the first place

[ALL THREE]
This must be the place!

(They exit as the black CHORUS GIRLS enter.)

[GIRLS]
This place is proud to show its face
Because ev'ry face is in its place
Because ev'rybody
Knows their place!
[LEROY]
This must be the place that's makin' good
By takin' good care of you
How far these girls go, heaven knows!
Much farther than your quarter goes!

(SATIN, the lead black stripper, enters.)

[SATIN]
This must be the place, and what a place!
You got a place any time!

[LEROY]
When things start getting rough outside
This is the perfect place to hide

It's a smart place
It's a dumb place
But ev'rybody's got to be someplace!

(LEROY, SATIN, and the GIRLS exit as MAYBELLE, the black wardrobe lady, enters.)

[MAYBELLE]
Just outside, the world's a scary place
The very place you came from -
But once you're safe inside this door
That world won't bother you no more!
(She exits as the KNOCKABOUTS, a tumbling act, enter, tumbling, then sing.)

[KNOCKABOUTS]
More crash, more splash out on the floor
Just makes these girls give more, more, more!

(HARRY re-enters.)

[HARRY AND KNOCKABOUTS]
There ain't a bad seat
In the entire place

[HARRY]
Beats an ash can
For a fireplace

[KNOCKABOUTS]
This must be the place

(The KNOCKABOUTS exit as ROMAINE, who is HARRY's wife and the lead white stripper, enters. She's dressed in a decolleté cop costume, complete with nightstick.)

[ROMAINE]
I hate to mention it - but the white circuit is pretty unhappy with what you got here!

(HARRY takes a bill from his pocket, slaps it into her hand. She shoves it into her cleavage.)

I hate to mention it - but the colored circuit is pretty unhappy with what you got here!

(Another bill, the same.)

I hate to mention it - but this town is pretty touchy about mixin'-

(Another bill, the same.)

Thanks!

[HARRY]
Don't mention it!

(They exit as LEROY re-enters.)

[LEROY]
Here's the place -
There ain't another place -
No other place shows it all -

(SATIN, the GIRLS, and MAYBELLE re-enter.)

[LEROY AND GIRLS]
All us
All them
And all for you

(The WHITE PERFORMERS re-enter from the opposite wing, careful to stay on their side of the stage.)

[WHITES]
And that's the kinda grind...

[BLACKS]
And that's the kinda grind...

[COMPANY]
We do

(Variously)

This working place -
This playing place -
This crazy place -
This paying place -
This noisy place -
This dizzy place -
This gaudy place -
This busy place -

It's proud to show its face
Because ev'ry face is in its place
And it's just a case of keeping pace
With whose face it is to fill the space

Yes, this
Must
Be
The
Place
Yeah!