Script to (1) log into remote box, (2) connect to MySQL db

What's the point of all this complexity? Since the system already has and uses SSH, why not do it in one line?

    # ssh hostname "echo 'use db; show tables' | mysql -p(password)"

Or, for a remote, interactive MySQL session that prompts for a password:

    # ssh -t hostname mysql -p

The linked content is overkill.