The Bottom Line

"The Banner Line" is a song from the musical Newsies. It is sung by Joseph Pulitzer (originated by John Dossett), Hannah (originated by Laurie Veldheer), Seitz (originated by Mark Aldrich) and Bunsen (originated by Nick Sullivan). The song was composed by Alan Menken.

Lyrics
[PULITZER, spoken]

Gentlemen, we need to sell more papers. There's an answer right before your eyes, but you're just not thinking this through

(sung)

Nunzio knows, when

He's cutting my hair

Trim a bit here and then

Trim a bit there

Just a modest adjustment

Can fatten the bottom line

[BUNSEN, spoken]

What if we cut back personnel?

[SEITZ, spoken]

How about a few salary trims?

[BUNSEN, spoken]

We could lower the price of the paper

[PULITZER, spoken] Bankrupting me even faster! Let me try again

(sung)

Shaving is tricky

The razor should float

Shave me too close and you

May slit my throat

It's the simplest solutions

That bolster the bottom line

[BUNSEN, spoken]

I've got it! If we charge the newsies sixty cents per hundred instead of fifty-

[SEITZ, spoken]

They'd have to sell ten more papers just to earn the same amount as always

[PULITZER, spoken]

My thought exactly. It's genius

[HANNAH, spoken]

It's gonna be awfully rough on those children

[PULITZER, spoken]

Nonsense, they'll be learning a real-life lesson in economics. I couldn't offer them a better education if they were my own

(sung)

Give me a week and I'll train them to be

Like an army that's marching to war

Proud of themselves and so grateful to me

They'll be begging to pay even more!

When there's dirt on our shoes, boys

For God's sake, relax!

Why throw them out?

All we need is some wax

Listen well to these barbershop lessons

For they'll see you through

[EMPLOYEES]

When you're stuck in the muck you'll be fine

You'll erase any trace of decline

[SEITZ]

With a trim

[HANNAH]

And a snip

[BUNSEN]

And a shine!

[PULITZER]

And the power of the press

Yes! Once again is mine!

The price for the newsies goes up in the morning!

Just a few common cents

Gents, that's the bottom line!

[EMPLOYEES]

Every new outcome

It's income for you

Thanks to that bottom line!