Preservation: Act 1

Scene: flash is on the run and he goes to belle for help.
He sings this song with belle.

Flash: when we were young and green
We shared our dreams together,
And you were my friend.

Belle: we had our good times pal,
We thought they'd last forever.
But nothing lasts forever,
Nothing lasts forever.
Time goes by and people change
It's best we go our separate ways
And it was wrong to think our love would never end
My friend
Nothing lasts forever,
Nothing lasts forever.
Time goes by it takes us all,
Nations crumble and empires fall
And who are we
To think that we would always be,
You see nothing lasts forever,
Nothing lasts forever.

Flash: i know that you'll survive
And you'll get by whatever.
Though you say goodbye.
My love will never die,
It will last forever.

Your love will die but mine will last forever,
Your love will fade but mine will last forever.
Your feeling might go but mine will last forever.
And though you're gone you're in my mind forever.

Scene: after his capture, flash is taken to a secret hideout to have
His brain cleansed, and his mind conditioned.
Flash, mr. black and the mad scientist sing:

Flash: i can't believe it's happening
I just want to stay the way that i am.
I don't want to live a lie in an artificial world.

Mr black: let's build an antiseptic world,
Full of artificial people.
Cure all diseases, conquer pain
And monitor the human brain,
And see what thoughts you're thinking.
Observe your feelings,
Secret fears,
Controlling everything you say and do
And we will build a master race
To live within our artificial world.
Tell it to the people all across the land,
We're going to build an artificial man
With the physique of a tarzan
And the profile of a cary grant,
A superior being
Totally made by hand.
Throw out imperfection,
Mould you section by section,
Gonna make you the ultimate creation.

Flash: i can visualise the day
When the world will be controlled by artificial people,
But i don't want to live a lie in an artificial world.

Mr black: tell the world that we finally did it,
Made a man that's totally programmed,
Preconditioned thoughts and emotions,

Push-button artificial man.
Did you ever want to live forever?
Well here's your chance to be a total automaton
'cos we've improved on god's creation
An outdated homo sapien.
Make you taller if you want it
Make your hair grow longer if you need it.
If it doesn't exist then i guess we can breed it.
There'll be no disagreements,
We'll dedicate our lives to achievements,
And organise your life and keep it totally planned.

Flash: i can visualise the day
When the world will be controlled by artificial people,
But i don't want to live a lie in an artificial world.

Mr black tell the world we finally did it.
& mad modified the population,
Scientist:put your senses and your mind
Under constant observation
Even when you're dreaming.
Replaced your nose, heart and lungs,
So shake me with your artificial hand.
We went and built a master race
To live within our artificial world.

Announcement 1 (track 1)

"it has been rumored that a new people's army has been formed by a certain
'commander black'. a few minor incidents have already been reported, and further
Unconfirmed reports suggest that this is a definite attempt to overthrow the
Present government which is led by mr. flash.

"we would like to stress that these are only unconfirmed rumors, but we will
Of course bring you up-to-date news and information on these reports as they
Come in. meanwhile we do urge the population not to panic and to remain calm
During the crisis."

Please stay tuned to this station for further bulletins.


Announcement 2 (track 5)

Announcer 1: "in just a few moments, mr. black is due to address the people.
We are now going over to live coverage of his speech."

Announcer 2: "well the scenes here are absolutely indescribable. i've personally
Never seen anything like it before. a crowd of around, what, thirty-thousand people
Have been waiting all day for the arrival of mr. black and his entourage. and it is
Expected that one of the main topics of his speech this evening will be the controversial
Anti-(something) corruption bill, which mr. black wants brought into effect immediately
To put an end to the current widespread decline in public moral standards.

"and, just a minute, there he is. i can see mr. black now. he's surrounded by, of
Course, all his bodyguards. (something) the crowd is growing wild with excitement --
It's clapping, it's cheering -- as mr. black finally makes his way on that far side
Onto the platform. and now -- yes, there he is -- he's about to speak.


Announcement 3 (track 11)
"news has just reached us of a major victory for mr. black and the people's army.
The battle took place on the outskirts of a small village somewhere in the northern
Zone. casualties on both sides are reported to have been very high, indeed. and
Our on-the-spot correspondent describes the fighting as some of the fiercest in
Living memory. no quarter has been shown on either side."


Announcement 4 (track 17)
"at six a.m. this morning the victorious people's army overthrew the corrupt regime
That has been ruling over our country. it is reported that mr. flash and his
Gang were all been taken prisoner. they have been taken to a secret hideout where
They will be tried for treason by a people's court."


Announcement 5 (track 20)
"a state of emergency was declared by the government at eight a.m. today. it was
Stated that this step has been taken in the interest of national security. and the
Emergency measures set out in today's announcement will remain in force for an
Indefinite period.

"curfew will take effect as from this evening, and will operate between nine p.m. and
Six a.m. each day. the curfew will be enforce by patrols from the people's army,
And severe penalties are to be imposed on anyone found on the streets during the
Daily curfew period.

"food rationing is to be introduced immediately, and shops will only be allowed to
Open for a period of three hours each day. restrictions on the use of petrol start
Immediately. restrictions on the use of electricity, gas and water will also be
Announced shortly.

"all places of public entertainment will be closed until further notice. all
Television channels are now closed down, and radio broadcasts will operate on this
Channel only.

"and now, here is the people's choir singing the new nation anthem, which led our
Victorious troops into battle!"

Sung by belle (flash's special floosie)

Why i love you though you treat me bad.
'cos when i look at you i'm looking through the mirror of love.
Oh the mirror of love and you look alright,
'cos when i look at you i'm looking through the mirror of love.
You're such a cool lover,
But you're such a cruel lover,
Treat me like i'm a fool,
I hate you but you know i would kill for you.
You're a mean and obscene lover,
But i would have no other,
Even though you treat me bad,
You were the best man i ever had,
'cos through the mirror of love, mirror of love,
When i see you through the mirror of love,
You're alright and i forget that you're bad,
'cos when i look at you i'm looking through the mirror of love.

Why i love you though you treat me bad,
'cos when i look at you i'm looking through the mirror of love.
The mirror of love you sure look alright.
I see your reflection when i'm looking through the mirror of love.
You're a crude and a rude lover,
But i would have no other,
You slap me down, treat me bad,
You're a two-timing swine and you drive me mad.
You're a mean and obscene lover,
But you are my dream lover,
'cos even though you treat me bad,
You were the best man i ever had,
'cos through the mirror of love, mirror of love,
I see your reflection in the mirror of love.
And you're alright though you treat me bad.
When i see you i'm looking through the mirror of love.
Oh the mirror of love, sure look alright
'cos when i see you i'm looking through the mirror of love.

Sung by: belle and the floosies
(as flash's empire is being dismantled piece by piece)

There ain't no beauty
And there ain't no style,
There's no quality
And there's no purity.
Honour's dead and buried
Because it's unnecessary.

Look at all the people,
Why they all look the same.
They're walking to the factory
In their cloth caps and trilbies.
They've got no style,
Ain't it a pity.

They're tearing old quality down
Without any pity,
Now they're coming to take me away
To scrapheap city.
They say that good manners belong on a heap,
They say they're outdated and they're obsolete,
And now they're coming to take me away
To scrapheap city.

There's no quality
And there ain't no style
Just miles and miles
Of scrapheap piles.
There's no quality
And there's no purity.
They're digging up all of the flowers
Because they look pretty
And erecting identical concrete monstrosities.
They're killing off all of the animals too,
The only ones left are the ones in the zoo.
Now they're coming to take me away
To scrapheap city.
Ain't it a pity,
Scrapheap city.

Sung by the tramp

I can't understand why everybody's quarreling,
Nobody gives in case they lose face,
And everybody's guilty and everybody's innocent,
And the fact of it is nobody gives any more.

It's the same throughout all history,
Nobody gives unless they receive,
And nobody trusts or is willing to believe
And nobody gives or is willing to concede.

Back in nineteen hundred and twenty-five
There were thousands of people struggling to survive.
There was hunger, unemployment and poverty,
Then in 1926 they decided to be free
So they all went on strike and
The workers told the unions, who blamed it on the government,
The politicians blamed it on the strikers and the militants,
Everybody's guilty and everybody's innocent,
But the fact of it is nobody gives any more.

Back in nineteen hundred and thirty-nine
There were scores of german military waiting in a line,
And the fatherland wanted what the world wouldn't give,
And then hitler decided he could take what was his,
So they all went to war and said
Kill all the left-wing intellectuals,
Annihilate the jews and wipe out their race,
Eliminate the weak because they're ineffectual,
And the fact of it is nobody gives any more.

I'm only sitting here watching it all go on
And listening to both sides.
Yeah, why can't we talk it out,
Why can't we sort it out,
We'll work it out if we try.
Why can't we sit down and work out a compromise,
Why not negotiate and try to be civilised?
I'll tell you why, because nobody gives a damn.
Nobody listens and no one will understand.
Yet i'm wondering, sitting here wondering,
And listening to both sides.
Why can't we work it out?
Why can't we sort it out?
We'll work it out if we try.
Why can't we sit down and work out a compromise,
Why not negotiate and try to be civilised?
I'll tell you why, because nobody gives a damn.
Nobody listens and no one will understand.
Yet, i'm wondering, sitting here wondering,
Yet i'm wondering, sitting here wondering
Listening to both sides.
Nobody gives, nobody gives, nobody gives.

The workers told the unions who blamed it on the government,
The politicians blamed it on the strikers and the militants,
Everybody's guilty and everybody's innocent.

Nobody gives. nobody gives a damn any more.
The politicians, unions, workers and the militants,
The fact of it is nobody gives any more.

Sung by flash, spivs & floosies.

Flash: they call me the scum of the earth.
They say i'm the scab of the nation.
But deep inside i'm only human.
Just an ordinary man.
With ordinary plans.
They say i'm crooked and bent,
They call me a rogue and a villain,
But if they could see deep inside me
They'd see a heart that once was pure
Before it touched the evils of this world,
For if i cut myself i bleed
And if i catch a cold i sneeze.
Have i not eyes to help me see?
Have i not lungs to help me breathe?
Have i not hands, organs, senses
And affections just like you?
Stop the music.
Well ain't i human
Like everybody else?
Before you condemn me my friends,
I suggest that you look deep inside you
For good and evil
Exist in all of us,
And no man is a saint
And each creates his heaven and his hell.

Chorus: we know that he's only a man.
He's got feelings and faults
Just like everyone else.

Flash: so don't put me down because i've done well,
For even wide boys, hoods and spivs
Have got the right to live.

Chorus: we know we're the scum of the earth,
We know we're the scab of the nation,
But we're your enemies and your brothers
And no man is a saint
And deep down we're all the same as one another.

Sung by the tramp:

While the rich get their kicks with their affluent antics
Mr. black sits and ponders their fate.
He just sits in the gloom of his dimly-lit room
Waiting for them to swallow the bait.
While the rich run their rackets he sits in his attic
And casually clocks their defeat.
While the politicians cover up mistakes that they've made
And all the promises, the lies and deceits.
A military coup has been long overdue.
Now there's fighting and panic in the streets.
Amid the mass disillusion, disorder and confusion,
He will rise now his plan is complete.
But me, i'm only standing here
Watching it all go on and i'm watching it all go wrong
And it's painfully clear that the battle is near
And i wish i could just disappear.

While flash and his men drink champagne in their den
And debase life with crude ostentation,
The poor cry for more, but they're reaching the point
Where the people can't stand any more.
But me, i'm only standing here
Watching it all go on, and i'm watching it all go wrong
And it's painfully clear that the battle is near
And i wish i could just disappear.