This piece is from the score of the original stage musical The Right Circles. It is performed by the characters Miranda and Bill.
Listen to .mp3 sample of On Top from the Demo Recording.
See the The Right Circles post for Demo Recording performance credits.
Lyrics & Book Excerpt
BILL: Would you like to go first, or shall I do the honors?
MIRANDA: I’m liberated. Go ahead.
They stand opposite each other at the edges of the board. As each calls out a move, the other follows the direction.
BILL:
Left foot blue
MIRANDA:
This is so tempting, potentially cruel
Right foot red
BILL:
Fine then, we’ll play tit for tat
Right foot red
MIRANDA:
Maybe we ought to make kindness a rule
Left foot green
BILL:
Or do we just hit the mat?
MIRANDA: Not yet.
BILL:
Right foot yellow
MIRANDA:
Stand by me cheek to cheek, follow the chart
Left foot blue
BILL:
Like Arthur Murray dance class
Left foot red
MIRANDA:
Just watch your step and you’re sure to look smart
Left hand green
She dips him backward.
BILL:
I’m gonna fall on my ass!
Bill falls.
BILL:
Don’t think that you’ll succeed
Playing cheap with such a low blow
Letting me drop
MIRANDA:
But look who’s in the lead
You’re below
And I am on top
BILL:
What a fine thank you for all that I’ve done
Right hand yellow
MIRANDA:
And still you won’t tell me why
Right hand red
BILL:
Cooking for two’s so much more fun than one
Left foot blue
MIRANDA:
There’s more than just you I
Left hand green
BILL:
Oh God, you’re pregnant – I’m gonna be sick!
Right foot red
MIRANDA:
I’m not the one who gave birth
Right foot green
BILL:
Okay, I get it, you mean Roderick
Right hand blue
MIRANDA:
Sometimes I think he comes first
With your attention switched
I just hope that you don’t mistake
Me for a backdrop
Bill maneuvers himself over Miranda.
BILL:
You’ve got no right to bitch
You helped make him
Now who’s on top?
Score is tied, positions swap
MIRANDA:
Find me some rope and we’ll really get tied
Left hand red
BILL:
Not in the mood to play rough
Right foot blue
MIRANDA:
Read Kama Sutra and see what’s inside
Right foot yellow
BILL:
Twister is twisted enough
Left hand red
MIRANDA:
Tell me about your day, I’ll treat you right
Left foot green
BILL:
Bribery will get you nowhere
You’ll hit the sheets like you do every night
On your back, legs in the air
MIRANDA:
Just feel how blue you’ll be
She quickly flips him over, onto a blue circle.
Long as what I want is not got
I’m a closed shop
With neither you nor me
On the bottom
Or on the top
Sex will come to an abrupt stop
Once again positions flip-flop
Game is over, and I’m on top
© & 
2007, 1994 Mark S. Meritt and Richard Hack