Download the piano/vocal score.

THANK YOU, MISTER SUN

MARCUS
Alright. All these other planets, they revolve around the sun. They orbit the sun.

CHARLOTTE
(encouraging)
What do you mean?

MARCUS
What do I mean? Well...

(An awkward pause. MARCUS searches for words.)

MARCUS
(composing himself)
You know what? Forget this. Everybody up. Stand up. Make a circle. Go on. Make a circle with me. Watch the fruits. Come on. Madame Hubert, too. Join us.
(Everyone makes a circle with MARCUS. This feels more familiar. MARCUS claps a four-quarter-note rhythm and the others join him.)

MARCUS
}Now the sun is not only very big, it’s also very powerful. It holds all the other planets under it’s influence. It gives them energy. Do what I do.

(MARCUS jumps up and lands five times. The first time he lands with feet apart, then with right foot crossed in front of left, then with feet apart again, then left foot crossed in front of right, and finally with feet together. The CHILDREN do this with MARCUS once.)

MARCUS
Now, we do this jumping motion every time we sing. Like this:
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.
Repeat it one time with me.
CATHERINE AND CHILDREN
(while doing the jumping motions)
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.

MARCUS
Yes! Now, not only that, but the other planets love the sun so much that they revolve, or orbit, around it. Do what I’m doing.

(MARCUS claps the beat and walks the group in a circle counterclockwise.)

MARCUS
Maintain the circle. That’s it! Keep clapping. Watch me once then repeat.

(During the next three lines, MARCUS continues walking the group in a circle. On the third line he stops and does the jumping motions.)

MARCUS
AS THEY ORBIT ‘ROUND IT
THE PLANETS THAT SURROUND IT
SAY, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.”

CATHERINE AND CHILDREN
AS THEY ORBIT ‘ROUND IT
THE PLANETS THAT SURROUND IT
SAY, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.”

(Music vamps under the following.)

MARCUS
(jumping into the middle of the circle)
Great! And for the next part, I’m going to sing something. No matter what I sing, you stop walking and sing the “Mister Sun” part while doing the jumping motion. Right? So here we go:
AS THEY SURROUND IT.

CATHERINE AND CHILDREN
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.

MARCUS
THEY ORBIT ‘ROUND IT.

CATHERINE AND CHILDREN
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.

MARCUS
Imitate my motion while we sing!
(making a roping motion above his head.)
LET’S ROPE IT!

CATHERINE AND CHILDREN
(imitating MARCUS)
ROPE IT, ROPE IT, MISTER SUN.

MARCUS
(pantomiming swimming)
LET’S SWIM IT.

CATHERINE AND CHILDREN
SWIM IT, SWIM IT, MISTER SUN.

MARCUS
LET’S END IT!

(MARCUS picks CATHERINE to replace him in the middle of the circle.)

MARCUS
Now we start the song again with the new person in the middle!

ALL
AS THEY ORBIT ‘ROUND IT
THE PLANETS THAT SURROUND IT
SAY, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISTER SUN.”

MARCUS
Except Madame Hubert is a she!

CHILDREN AND MARCUS
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAME SUN!

CATHERINE
AS THEY SURROUND HER.

MARCUS AND CHILDREN
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAME SUN.

CATHERINE
THEY ORBIT ‘ROUND HER.

MARCUS AND CHILDREN
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAME SUN.

CATHERINE
(making a hip-bumping motion)
LET’S BUMP IT!

MARCUS AND CHILDREN
(imitating CATHERINE)
BUMP IT, BUMP IT...

(Music transitions into "The Desk Song.” A commotion ensues as OPHÉLIE enters the room, lugging an old-school metal school desk with an opening wooden top. The children laugh and point and drop what they’re doing to gape at her.)

OPHÉLIE
(to CHARLOTTE as she forces her way into the room)
Get out of my way!

CHARLOTTE
Hey! WATCH IT!
WHATCHA DOING?

(With effort, OPHÉLIE plunks the desk down on the floor in the middle of the room right where MARCUS and CATHERINE are standing. The other children gather around.)

OPHÉLIE
SUCK IT!
DADDY'S SUING.
THIS FUCKING SCHOOL HAS TAUGHT ME BUMPKIS.
I SAY, "FUCK THIS."

MARCUS
Ophélie! Hang on a minute.

OPHÉLIE
YOU'D THINK THIS WAS A PLAYGROUND
THE WAY YOU MORONS FLOUNCE AROUND.
NOW, MADAME, YOU...
EVEN YOU DO IT TOO!

CHARLOTTE
METAL IS FORBIDDEN.

OPHÉLIE
I NEED A DESK TO SIT IN.

CHARLOTTE
REMOVE THIS THING RIGHT NOW.

OPHÉLIE
COME MAKE ME.

CHARLOTTE
SO HELP ME...

MARCUS
WHY DON'T WE ALL CALM DOWN.

OPHÉLIE
(jumping on the desk, gesturing to MARCUS)
SOMEBODY TELL THIS CLOWN.
THAT I'M NOT LEARNING SHIT.
THESE SONGS ARE DUMB.
AND I'M ALL THUMBS.
I NEED TO SIT.
YOU FRUITCAKES CAN SHOVE YOUR ARABESQUES.
I’LL BE AT MY DESK.

Words and Music by Michael Johnson
© 2022, Zubsongs, Ltd.