 Liverpool Oratorio » The lyrics [+ Add +] |
1. _ Movement Iv - Father
Chorus (mourners)
Father, father.
Father, father.
Chief mourner
O father, you have given
Time to your children.
You will look after
Those in your care.
Women's chorus (mourners)
We beg you
Look after us.
Father, father.
Chief mourner
Father.
Women's chorus
Into the future,
In ever-growing circles,
Chief mourner
You will be there,
And your spirit will keep us moving
In the right direction.
Full chorus (mourners)
(ah)
O father, you have given
Time to your children.
You will look after
Those in your care.
Into the future,
In ever-growing circles,
You will be there.
Chief mourner
And your spirit will keep us moving
In the right direction.
Shanty
Hey, wait a minute.
You didn't tell me.
I fell into a place
I didn't wanna go.
It doesn't matter.
I swear
I'll never go through another of those things
In my life.
You should have warned me of all the dangers.
But maybe there were some things you just didn't know.
But you're my father,
And surely fathers ought to know about most things
In this life.
Don't tell me.
I thought you were the best.
You were only human
And a lot like all the rest.
Like me you were fragile.
Not secure
With the fast tide of life
That would speed past your door.
Chorus (mourners)
Father, father, father.
Boys and chorus
Toti mundo nati.
Chorus
Father.
(ah)
Shanty
I forgive you,
Will you forgive me?
Chief mourner
You will be there.
Chief mourner and chorus
And your spirit will keep us moving
In the right direction.
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2. _ Movement Ii - School
Boys
We're here in school today to get a perfect education,
Yes, we're going up.
We're keen to learn the rules and laws that civilization taught us
Yes, we're growing up.
Not for ourselves, b
But for the whole world were we born.
And we were born in liverpool.
Our teachers say that ignorance will always drag us down,
It's like a nagging cough.
Shanty (thrown away)
But i can say that looking back,
The most important thing i found was sagging off!
Not for the whole world.
But for yourself were you born.
And you were...
Shanty and boys
Born in liverpool.
Boys
Not birmingham
Nor edinburgh.
Not manchester
Or sunderland.
Shanty
Being born where you were born
Carries with it certain responsibilities.
Boys
This school is good for us.
Shanty
This school is only good for those
Who want to learn from books.
You'll lose your sense of purpose...
Boys
But we dare not answer back,
We're scared of teacher's looks.
Not for ourselves,
But for the whole world were we born.
And we were born in liverpool.
Shanty
Not coventry
Headmaster
Or solihull.
Boys
Not scarborough
Shanty
Nor inverness.
Being born where you were born
Carries with it certain responsibilities.
Headmaster
Walk in single file out of the classroom,
Down the stairs and into the playground.
Boys
Through the school gates,
Cross the road, and over the cemetery fence,
Down the hill to where the grave-stones
Lie inviting in the sun.
Settle down.
Settle down.
Let the afternoon slip by.
Settle down.
Settle down.
It's the perfect place for a kip.
(shanty falls asleep on a grave-stone and dreams)
Shanty
Kept in confusion,
Trapped by illusion,
Thinking of speaking my mind.
Dreams of the future,
Ghosts of the past left behind.
Constantly drifting,
Endlessly lifting
More weight than one man can bear.
Into the future,
Ghosts of the past everywhere.
Men's chorus (ghosts)
You're sleeping amongst us,
We're in your dream,
Who are you?
Why call us?
What does this mean?
Disturbing our slumber,
You move so fast.
Shanty
Ghosts of the past.
Tossing and turning,
Somehow i'm learning
Secrets i'd rather not know.
Can't it be simple?
Why does it have to be so?
Mary dee (as ghost)
I ll always be here,
I ll never leave you,
I ll always be in your mind.
Dreams of the future,
Ghosts that the past left behind.
Women s chorus (ghosts)
You re sleeping amongst us.
We re in your dream.
Who are you?
Why call us?
What does this mean?
Full chorus (ghosts)
Disturbing our slumber,
You move so fast.
Shanty and mary dee (as ghost)
Ghosts of the past.
(later, back in school)
Headmaster
Boys, this is your teacher.
Her name is miss inkley.
She will reach you spanish.
She was in the war
Fighting with the troops.
You may call her sir!
Boys
Sir?
Miss inkley
First of all today
You will learn a song
In a foreign tongue.
You will follow me
As i say the words.
We will now begin...
Tres conejos
Boys
Tres conejos
Miss inkley
En un arbol
Boys
En un arbol
Miss inkley
Tocando
Boys
Tocando
Miss inkley
El tambor
Boys
El tambor.
Miss inkley
Que si
Boys
Que si
Miss inkley
Que no
Boys
Que no
Miss inkley
Que si. lo he visto yo.
Headmaster
Ahem!
Miss inkley
Tres conejos
En un arbol
Tocando
El tambor.
Que si
Que no
Que si.
Lo he visto yo.
Shanty and boys
Tres conejos
En un arbol
Tocando
El tambor.
Que si
Que no
Que si.
Lo he visto yo.
Boys
Tres conejos
Miss inkley
Three rabbits
Boys
En un arbol
Miss inkley
In a tree
Boys
Tocando
Miss inkley
Playing
Boys
El tambor
Miss inkley
The drum.
Boys
Que si
Miss inkley
Why yes
Boys
Que no
Miss inkley
Why no
Boys
Que si. lo he visto yo.
Miss inkley
Why yes. i have seen it,
Headmaster
Ahem!
Tres conejos
En un arbol
Tocando
Shanty and headmaster
El tambor.
Headmaster
Que si
Shanty
Que si
Miss inkley
Que. ..
All
No.
Que si
Lo he visto yo.
Boys and chorus
Not for ourselves,
But for the whole world were we born.
And we were born in liverpool.
Headmaster
Not birmingham
Miss inkley:
Nor edinburgh.
Boys
Not manchester
Shanty
Or solihull.
Boys and chorus
Being born where you were born
Boys and women's chorus
Carries with it certain responsi..
Men
Carries with it certain responsi..
Miss inkley and headmaster
Carries with it certain responsibilities.
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3. _ Movement I - War
Boy solo
Non nobis solum
Sed toti mundo nati,
Toti mundo nati.
Boys' choir
Non nobis solum
Sed toti mundo nati.
Chorus
(ah), ah
Shanty
The air raid siren slices through
A night in 1942.
A couple sheltering in the gloom
Know all too well this waiting room
For often they have in the past
Been huddled close against the blast
Of doodle bugs and bombs galore,
They can't put up with any more.
So it was that i was born
Into this world one summer morning
And breaking through this brand new day
I hear the sound of warning.
Chorus
(war, ah)
Shanty
Oh will it all end here?
Or is their future round the corner?
You'll be forgiven if you're down on your knees.
What will it be what will it?
What will we be what will we?
What will we see what will we see?
They stay in darkness underground
Until they hear the all clear sound
And weary eyes will search the sky
For any sign of sunlight.
For any sign of sunlight.
Chorus
Mother and father holding their child,
Not knowing what future magic lies inside.
We open our hearts,
You open the door
To peace and happiness for evermore,
For us for evermore.
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4. _ Movement V - Wedding
Shanty i know i should be glad of this
For to be thankful is
To know.
I hope
That you will still be here,
The time is drawing near
For us to know.
Mary dee (no longer as a ghost)
I'll always be here
As long as you've got time for me.
Whether it's joy or sadness,
It doesn't matter
As long as you have time for me,
We will be together.
Shanty
I know that to be thankful is
Not what i need, but just for right now
It's all i've got.
I know that patience is a virtue.
But at this time in my life
I need something more.
Something in the air
Is slowly drawing us together.
Mary dee
Sit tight,
Be brave.
And believe in something more.
Shanty
If i could sit still,
It i could be courageous.
I have a feeling that there's something
Drawing us inevitably towards it.
Mary dee
If you have patience,
You needn't wait for ever.
This is the story that they tell the children
Who are always asking the question.
Shanty
I know someone is making sense.
Mary dee
We have a common sense.
(ah)
Shanty and chorus
(ah)
Boys
Father, hear our humble voices.
We will praise thee all our days.
Cleanse our sins, release our minds.
We will be together.
Preacher and women's chorus
Lord, deliver thy salvation
Unto those that bless thy name.
Full chorus
Let them live in harmony,
Solo quartet
With thy holy spirit.
Chorus
Hosanna, hosanna.
Gloria in excelsis deo.
Mary dee and shanty
God in heaven, save thy thunder
For the enemies of love.
Bathe us in thy holy light.
We will live together.
Chorus
Amen.
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5. _ Movement Iii - Crypt
Shanty
And so it was that i had grown
Into a youth uncertain, thrown
Amongst the lions and the lambs.
To pass the time we watched the children dance.
I used to come here when this place was a crypt.
Now the music plays.
Oh don't you sometimes wish they'd stick to the script
As the local preacher says.
Rain from heaven will blessings bring,
Behold the harvest grown. r
Ian from heaven falls down on you,
But me, i feel alone.
Preacher (sympathetically)
Alone.
Shanty
Alone.
Preacher
If they won't come to worship
God in a church
Something must be done.
We have to instigate a nationwide search
For a way to make it fun.
Rain from heaven will blessings bring,
Behold the harvest grown.
Shanty and preacher
Rain from heaven falls down on you,
Shanty
But me, i feel alone.
Alone.
Here now,
What am i doing here now?
Hear me,
Why do you never hear me?
Why do you never hear me?
Mary dee (as half-ghost)
I'll always be here.
I'll never leave you.
I'll always be in your mind.
Dreams of the future,
Ghosts of the past left behind.
Women's chorus
(ah)
Shanty
Thought i had a vision
Lying in a graveyard,
Thought i heard a melody inside.
Could it be the future,
Speaking with the voice of those who died?
Thought i saw a kingdom,
Happiness and laughter,
Somewhere for an innocent to play.
Is there any justice?
Do these things still happen in this way?
Mary dee
Don't tell him no,
It isn't fair.
For he was told by those who know
There was love everywhere.
Shanty
Love everywhere.
Mary dee
Now's the time to tell him,
While his mother's crying.
Break it to him gently as she weeps.
Let him know his father
Will be well looked after, where he sleeps.
Chorus (ghosts)
He's sleeping amongst us.
He's in our dreams.
Don't worry. he's with us now.
Shanty
Don't say it's so,
It isn't fair.
For i was told by those who know
There was love everywhere.
Alone.
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6. _ Movement Vii - Crises
(mary dee and shanty's home)
Mary dee (alone in bedroom)
The world you're coming into,
Is no easy place to enter.
Every day is haunted
By the echoes of the past.
Funny thoughts and wild; wild dreams
Will find their way into your mind.
The clouds that hang above us,
May be full of rain and thunder.
But in time they slide away
To find the sun still there.
Lazy days and wild. wild flowers
Will bring some joy into your heart.
And i will always love you,
I'll welcome you into this world.
Mary dee and boy solo
You-re mine and i will love you.
Shanty
]where-s my dinner?
I've been working hard all day
And a man can work up quite an appetite that way.
What's for dinner?
Something nourishing and hot?
I could tackle quite a lot of 'you know what'
And all i've got to say to you is 'why no dinner?'
I've got nothing on my plate.
It's expected of a mate.
Whyd 'ya have to make me wait?
Where's my...
Mary dee
This is the way we put out the candle.
Farewell to childhood.
Deep in the wild wood a fire goes out,
And what are we left with
Now we are grown up?
Shanty
This is the way we pull up the anchor.
Goodbye to romance.
Out on the ocean a good ship is lost,
And what are we left with
Now we are grown up?
Mary dee
Time to be thinking of real life feelings.
I must get on.
Shanty
Time to be buying those little trinkets
I can't afford.
Lord knows
I want to give her the best.
But where will
I find the rest of the cash?
Mary dee
It's one mad dash
To fame and fortune.
The cymbals clash
And then you're gone.
Shanty
So what are my chances
Of getting promotion?
The way things are going
It doesn't look good.
Mary dee
What good is complaining,
It's getting you nowhere.
And i'm in the middle of your whirlwind
In the eye of your storm.
Shanty
Let's not argue.
Mary dee
Spare me your excuses.
Shanty
No excuses.
Mary dee
Pardon my anger.
Shanty
Why are you driving me so hard?
Mary dee
I can't believe what i'm hearing.
Shanty
You didn't cook any dinner.
Mary dee
I'm not a slave.
I work for a living,
I can command the respect of my peers.
Where did you go?
You were out with the boys.
Shanty
So what if i went for a drink?
You'd think to listen to you
It was some sort of crime.
Mary dee
I needed someone to talk to
But all i could find was myself.
If you were the same man i married,
You'd know that your woman needs love.
Shanty
And what about me?
I suppose i don't matter.
I'm not even sure
If you ever loved me.
Mary dee
Right!
That's it!
I'm off!
Oh, and by the way...you're about to become a father.
(she rushes our into the street)
Chorus
Stop.
Wait.
Hold on.
Hold on to life.
Stay.
(hospital)
Nurse
Do you know who you are
As you lie there sleeping?
Take the time to rest your troubled head.
I will watch over you till the moment you awake.
Can you hear what i say
As you lie there sleeping?
When misfortunes crowd into your day
And the dark side of life
Has become too much to bear,
I will stay by your side.
Though we don't yet know if there's something wrong
You were brought in from the street
And a witness said you gave a shout
As you fell down at his feet.
We are running tests
And soon the results will be known.
But i feel i have to warn you,
There may be complications.
But we don't yet know if your child is in danger.
We shall have to wait and see.
In the meantime
There is nothing more for you to do
But sleep.
Boys
Ghosts of the past left behind.
Men's chorus (ghosts)
You're sleeping
Amongst us.
We're in your dream.
Nurse
You're dreaming. try to rest, my child.
Men's chorus (ghosts)
You called us,
We heard you
And we are here.
Nurse
To save your child you must be still.
Men's chorus (ghosts)
We're ready to listen
To what you ask.
Nurse
Go to sleep
Women's chorus (ghosts)
You're crossing
The water,
The tide is strong.
Mary dee
No!
Women's chorus (ghosts)
Your child is drawn to us,
Into our throng.
Shanty
No!
Full chorus (ghosts)
This child is
Most welcome.
Soon one of us.
Mary dee
No, i tell you!
You'll never get through,
I'll never let you.
No-one is stealing this child.
I'm not afraid of ghosts that the past left behind.
Shanty
Let her recover,
Then let me love her
Until we run out of time.
And in the future
I will promise to be the man
She had in mind.
Nurse
Be still.
Be calm.
Your child is safe.
Mary dee
Do we live in a world
With an uncertain future
Where a man is unsure of his fate?
Will we come to our senses
Be fair to each other?
Can we turn it around
Before it's too late?
Do i know that we have the answer?
Yes, i know now we are together.
So we must bear in mind
That the pages are turning
And the sand will run out of the glass.
In the heat of the battle
We will drive out the demons
And we'll carry the day,
For we must save the child.
Mary dee and nurse
(ah)
Mary dee and shanty
We have come to our senses,
We are part of each other
And we'll carry the day,
For we must save the child.
Chorus
Do you know that you have the answer?
Mary dee and shanty
Yes, we know now.
Chorus
We know now.
Mary dee and shanty
We know now.
We are together.
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7. _ Movement Vi - Work
(mary dee's office)
Women's chorus (office staff)
Working women at the top,
Will it ever stop?
Papers piling up and up.
Days go by like monday, tuesday:
Work until we drop!
All the time looking great,
Running late,
In a state, losing weight,
Running late again
And again.
Mary dee
Let me have the letter that you typed up yesterday.
Did mr. fisher send the fax to la?
Make sure the flowers don't arrive too late
And cancel my appointment at the squash club.
Women's chorus
What club?
Mary dee
Squash club.
Women's chorus
Working women on the go,
Will they ever know
What it takes to run the show?
Days go by like lightning,
Will it ever slow?
Half the time feeling dead,
Over-fed,
Aching head,
Miss my bed.
Over-fed again and again.
Mary dee
Did they ever pick up the accountant's resume?
Make sure the car arrives in time for the plane.
Get me the details of the takeover bid
And write another letter to the minister.
Women's chorus
Minister?
Mary dee
The minister of love.
Women's chorus
Love.
(la)
Mary dee
Where's the time for standing still?
Women's chorus
Holding hands and walking free.
Mary dee
Where's the time for you...
Mary dee and women's chorus
And me?
Mary dee
Did i sign the letter that you typed up yesterday?
Is mr. fisher on the flight to la?
He's got the details of the takeover bid
And i'll be in a meeting with the minister.
Women's chorus
Minister, minister of love.
Love.
Mary dee
Feeling confusion,
Fear of intrusion,
Frightened of losing my mind.
Dreams of the future,
Thoughts of myself left behind.
Women's chorus
Working women at the top.
Mary dee
Will i ever stop?
Orders piling up and up.
Women's chorus
Days go by like thursday, friday.
Mary dee
Always on the go.
Part of myself lives inside.
(shanty's office)
Men's chorus
When you ask a working man,
'does he ever stop?'
Will he make it to the top?
Should he take a break on sunday?
Work until he drop.
Shanty
My early days in school required
A lot of concentration
I was finding out.
But now in later years i find
My colleagues here are more inclined
To mess about.
My wife at home
Would surely never understand
If i so much as look at someone else
Men's chorus
If men had been the faithful sort
It surely would have changed the course of history.
Don't ask me who the first man was
That dared to take a mistress,
It's a mystery.
Your wife at home
Would surely have to understand
If you were ever seen with someone else.
Mr. dingle
Oh, no she won't!
Men's chorus
You wouldn't dare!
Shanty
Oh, yes i would!
Mr, dingle
Oh, no you don't!
Men's chorus
All things matrimonial
Carry with them certain responsibilities.
Shanty and mr. dingle
(ah)
Carry with them certain responsibilities.
Mr. dingle
Let's find ourselves a little hostelry
Where you can sit and have a drink on me.
We'll get a chance
To talk about anyone who bothers us.
There's so much more to life than meets the eye,
It's quite enough to make a throat feel dry.
So let's repair
To where no-one else would dare to bother us.
Let's have a drink
While we think what to do.
And while we think,
I'll accept a little drink from you.
If everybody took a serious view of life,
We all would feel the same as you.
But, as it is,
We don't, so it isn't gonna bother us.
Let's have a drink
While we think what to do.
And while we think,
I'll accept a little drink from you.
Mary dee
Part of myself grows inside.
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8. _ Movement Viii - Peace
Shanty
And so it was that you were born
Into this world one winter morning,
With a childish innocence you smiled at me
And i was born again.
Boy solo
Non nobis solum
Sed toti mundo
Boys' choir
Nati,
Mundo nati.
Boy solo
Toti mundo nati.
Men's chorus
God is good
And he will be our savior,
All we need
Is in his power to give us.
Let the light that lies within
His heart
Illuminate our being.
Full chorus
God is good
And with this thought to guide us
We will live
In joyful contemplation.
Let the love that lives within your heart
Illuminate your being.
Preacher
What people want is a family life,
The strength of a home and a moat round the castle.
Pull up the drawbridge,
Staying at home with the family.
All people want is a family life,
Sometimes they find that it isn't so easy.
People can argue,
Life can be hard on a family.
Basses
Mum's in the kitchen, she won't speak to dad.
Altos
Uncle's ashamed of the good time he had.
Tenors
Brothers and sisters are lifting the roof
With the music they play all night.
Preacher
But people still want a family life,
Nothing replaces the love and affection.
Pull up the drawbridge
Tempers are frayed, but it's like that.
Altos
Don't be dismayed if it's like that.
Basses
Like that.
Preacher
You're not obeyed but you like that -family life.
Boys and altos
God is good.
In him we'll live for ever,
Satisfied
Inside his grace and glory,
Full chorus
Safe and sound
In his eternal love
We have found salvation.
Nurse
Dad's in the garden, he won't speak to m
Mary dee mother.
Nurse
Uncle's in bed with a pain in his...
Shanty
The devil is evil
Preacher
And god is good.
Mary dee
The devil is evil
Shanty with a d.
Mary dee
And god is good
Shanty without an o.
Mary dee and nurse god is good without an o.
Shanty and preacher
0...
Mary dee and nurse
And so we are grateful for harmony
For we will be faithful
Shanty and preacher
Eternally.
Mary dee, nurse, shanty and preacher
(ah)
Full chorus
(ah)
God is good,
The universal savior.
Trust in him
To lead us through the darkness.
Live in love and when the battle's won
Mary dee and nurse
Live in peace.
Shanty and preacher
Live in peace.
Full chorus
Live in peace for ever.
Solo quartet
Live in peace.
All live in peace together.
Shanty
So on and on the story goes
From day to day throughout our lives.
Mary dee
What can we do,
That's how it grows.
I am with you,
Mary dee and shanty
Our love survives.
End
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