I've been listening to the Les Miserables soundtrack. This is my favorite Broadway show of all time; the message is so powerful, the music is so phenomenal, the combination of the two gives me goosebumps every time I listen to the soundtrack, and especially when I see the show. My favorite part of the show is the Finale. If you're not already bawling by the time the Finale comes around, you will be quickly. But I wanted to post the lyrics to the end of the Finale, after Fantine and Eponine enter to bring Jean Valjean home. I first posted the lyrics to Do You Hear the People Sing. The Finale lyrics follow those. Anywho. Maybe you'll take something from these lyrics, maybe you won't. It's mostly for me. :) If you have never seen Les Miz I'd definitely encourage you to see it done by a professional company if you ever have the opportunity. Just look past the sappiness coming from Marius and Cosette, and focus on characters like Fantine, Eponine (she's my favorite character), Gavroche, the School Boys and Javert, and the journeys they take individually as presented through the life of Jean Valjean. It's incredible.
Do You Hear the People Sing?
ENJOLRAS
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
COMBEFERRE
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
COURFEYRAC
Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free!
ALL
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
FEUILLY
Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of France!
ALL
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
This song is the cry of the School Boys who want to start a revolution and rid their community of the corruption brought on by the...police...for lack of a better word. Needless, all of these school boys, and many others, die in this effort. Well, all accept Marius, but that's a different aspect of the story. What makes the Finale so powerful, is all those who die in this effort re-enter the stage to sing this last song. Their message is one of hope for their future, and one they hope to instill in the hearts of those listening to their story.
The Finale
CHORUS
Do you hear the people sing
Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light.
For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies.
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise.
They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord.
They will walk behind the plough-share,
They will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken
And all men will have their reward.
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes...
Tomorrow comes!
1 comments:
I know exactly what you mean! This is a phenomenal play. I love it so much. It has been my favorite for a very long time.
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