Hadestown: The Musical (2026) Movie Script
1
[instruments warming up]
-[Woman 1] Hello.
-Hello.
Are you lot getting ready?
-Yeah.
-Right.
-[Man] There she is.
-[Woman 2] There she is, honey.
[Andr De Shields]
Slow and steady. Calm and ready.
[chuckles]
[Woman 1]
Slow and steady. Calm and ready.
[background chatter]
[cheering]
[Woman over PA] Company, this is
your act one, beginners call.
Beginners to the stage, please.
[Man] First breath
is for community.
-Okay.
-Last looks.
-Lead the way, baby.
-Let's go.
[Man] Second breath is for being
in the moment.
[audience cheering]
[Man]
And the final breath is love.
-[heartbeat]
-[inhale]
-[exhale]
-[heartbeat continues]
-[inhale]
-[exhale]
[whooshing]
-[click]
-[silence]
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering continues]
[audience cheering]
[audience quiets]
[audience member shouts]
[audience giggles]
[audience cheering]
Alright?
Alright.
Alright?
Alright.
Alright!
Mmmm
Mmmm
-Ah-haaaa
-Mmmm
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Once upon a time there
Was a railroad line
Mmmm
Don't ask where, brother
Don't ask when
Mmmm
There was a road to hell
It was hard times
It was the world of Gods
And men!
[audience cheering]
-It's an old song
-It's an old song
It's an old tale
From way back when
-It's an old song
-It's an old song
And we're going
To sing it again
Gods and men, alright?
We've got some gods
in the house tonight.
See on the road to hell
There was a railroad line
And there were three old women
All dressed the same
And they was always singing
In the back of your mind
Everybody meet the Fates!
[audience cheering]
And on the road to hell
There was a railroad line
And a lady stepping
Off a train
With a suitcase
full of summertime.
Persephone by name.
[audience cheering]
-And if you ride that rain
-Ride that train
-If you ride that train
-Ride that train
If you ride that train
To the end of the line
Where the sun don't shine
And it's always shady
It's there you'll find
The King of the mine
Almighty, Mister Hades!
[audience cheering]
We got any other gods?
Oh, yeah, almost forgot.
On the road to hell
There was a railroad station
And a man
With feathers on his feet
Who could help you
To your final destination
Mister Hermes,
That's me.
[audience cheering]
See, someone's got
To tell the tale
Whether or not
It turns out well
Maybe it will
Turn out this time
On the road to hell
On the railroad line
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
It's sad tale, it's a tragedy.
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
We're gonna sing it anyway
Hey, hey, hey.
Now, not everyone
gets to be a god.
And don't forget
that times are hard.
Hard times in the world of men.
Let me introduce you
to a few of them.
You can tip your hats
and your wallets.
Give 'em your pennies.
Give 'em your pearls.
They're the
hardest-working Chorus
in the God's almighty world!
[audience cheering]
And working just
as hard for you,
let's see what
this crew can do.
Alright.
Alright.
On the railroad line
On the road to hell
Mmmm
There was a poor boy
Working on a song
Laaa la la la la la
His mama was
A friend of mine
And this boy was
A muse's son
On the railroad line
On the road to hell
Mmmm
You might say
the boy was "touched."
Laaa la la la la laaa
'Cos he was touched
by the gods themselves.
Give it, give it, give it,
give it up for Orpheus.
[audience cheering]
Orpheus.
[audience cheering]
There was one more
soul on this road.
Girl, come on in
from the cold.
On the railroad line
On the road to hell
Mmmm
There was a young girl
Looking for something to eat
Mmmm
And brother
Thus begins the tale
Of Orpheus and Eurydice!
[audience cheering]
-It's a love song
-It's a love song
It's a tale of love
From long ago
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
But we gonna sing it even so
-It's the old song
-It's the old song
It's an old tale
From way back when
And we're gonna sing
We're gonna sing
We're gonna sing it again
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Again!
[audience cheering]
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
-A runaway.
-Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
From everywhere
She'd ever been
She was no stranger
to the world.
No stranger to the wind.
Weather ain't
the way it was before
Ain't no spring or fall
At all anymore
It's either blazing hot
Or freezing cold
Any way the wind blows
-And there ain't a thing
-That you can do.
-When the weather takes
-A turn on you
'Cept for hurry up
and hit the road
Any way the wind blows
Wind comes up
Ooh
Do you hear that sound?
-Wind comes up
-Move to another town
Ain't nobody gonna stick around
When the dark clouds roll
Any way the wind blows
You met the Fates.
-Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
-Remember them?
Anybody got a match?
Always singing
in the back of your mind.
Give me that.
Whatever it was
this young girl went,
The Fates were close behind.
People turn on you
Just like the wind
Everybody is
A fair weather friend
In the end
You're better off alone
Any way the wind blows
-When your body aches to
-Lay it down
When you're hungry and
There ain't enough
To go around
Ain't no length
To which a girl won't go
Any way the wind blows
Wind comes up
Ooh
And sometimes you think
Wind comes up
You would do anything
Just to fill your belly
Full of food
Find a bed
That you could fall into
Where the weather
Wouldn't follow you--
Wherever you go
Any way the wind blows
Now, Orpheus was
the son of a muse.
And you know
how those muses are.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Sometimes they abandon you
And this poor boy,
he wore his heart
out on his sleeve.
You might say he was
naive to the ways of the world.
But he had a way
With words
And the rhythm
And the rhyme
And he sang just like
A bird up on the line
And it ain't because I'm kind.
But his mama was
A friend of mine
And I like to hear him sing.
And his way
Of seeing things
So, I took him
underneath my wing.
And that is where he stayed.
Until one day.
You want to talk to her?
-Yes.
-Go on.
Orpheus.
Yes.
Don't come on too strong.
Come home with me
Who are you?
The man who's
Gonna marry you
I'm Orpheus
Is he always like this?
Yes.
I'm Eurydice.
Your name
Is like a melody
A singer,
is that what you are?
I also play the lyre.
Oh, a liar, and a player too.
I've met too many men like you.
Oh, no, I'm not like that.
He's not like any
man you've met.
Tell her what you're working on.
I'm working on a song
It isn't finished yet
But when it's done
And when I sing it
Spring will come again
-Come again?
-Spring will come.
When? I haven't seen
a spring or fall since
I can't recall.
That's what I'm working on.
A song to fix
What's wrong
Take what's broken
Make it whole
A song so beautiful
It brings the world
Back into tune
Back into time
And all the flowers will bloom
-When you become my wife.
-Oh, he's crazy.
Why would I become his wife?
Maybe because he'll
make you feel alive.
Alive...
That's worth a lot.
What else you got?
Lover, tell me
If you can
Who's gonna buy
the wedding bands?
Times being what they are
Hot and getting hotter
All the time
Lover, when I
Sing my song
All the rivers will sing along
And they're gonna break
Their banks for us
And with their gold
Be generous
All a-flashing in the pan
All to fashion for your hand
The river's gonna give us
The wedding bands
Lover, tell me
If you're able
Who's gonna lay
The wedding table?
Times being what they are
Dark and getting
Darker all the time
Lover, when I sing my song
All the trees
Gonna sing along
And they're gonna bend
Their branches down
To lay their fruit
Upon the ground
The almond and the apple
And the sugar from the maple
The trees gonna lay
The wedding table
So when you sing your song.
The one you're working on.
Spring will come again.
-Yes.
-Why don't you sing it, then?
It isn't finished.
Sing it!
You want to take me home?
-Yes.
-Sing the song.
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
La la la laaa laaa laaa
Laaa la la la la laaa
-How'd you do that?
-I don't know.
The song's not finished, though.
Even so, it can do this.
I know.
You have to finish it.
Lover, tell me
When we're wed
Who's gonna make
The wedding bed?
Times being what they are
Hot and getting hotter
All the time
Lover, when I
Sing my song
All the birds
Gonna sing along
And they'll come flying
From all around
To lay their feathers
On the ground
And we'll lie down
In eiderdown
A pillow 'neath our heads
The birds gonna make
The wedding bed
And the trees gonna lay
The wedding table
And the river's gonna give
Us the wedding bands
-Mmmm
-Mmmm
[audience cheering]
Where'd you get that melody?
I don't know
It came to me
As if I'd known it all along
You have.
It's an old song
A song of love
From long ago
Long time since
I heard it, though
You've heard that melody before?
-Sure.
-Tell me more.
Remember the tale I told you
once about the gods?
-Which ones?
-Hades and Persephone.
Remember how it used to be.
Their love that made
the world go round.
Yeah, I remember now.
But that was long ago.
Tell it again, though.
[audience giggles]
King of shadows
King of shades
Hades was King
Of the Underworld
But he fell in love
With a beautiful lady
Who walked up above
In her mother's green field
He fell in love
With Persephone
Who was gathering flowers
In the light of the sun
And he took her home
To become his queen
Where the sun never shone
On anyone
Go on.
The lady loved him
And the kingdom they shared
But without her above
Not one flower would grow
So King Hades agreed
That for half of each year
She would stay
With him there
In his world down below
But the other half
She could walk in the sun
And the sun in turn
Burned twice as bright
Which is where
The seasons come from
And with them the cycle
Of the seed and the sickle
And the lives of the people
And the birds in their flight
Singing...
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Down below and up above.
Laaa la la la la la laaa
In harmony and rhythm.
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-The gods sang a song of love
Laaa la la la la la
and the world sang it with them.
But that was long ago
Before we were on this road
And on the road to hell
There was a lot of waiting
Mmmm, waiting
Everybody waiting on a train
Mmmm, waiting on the lady
With the--
Waiting on the train
To bring that lady
Mmmm, lady!
With the suitcase back again
She's never early always late
Waiting, waiting
These days she never
Stays for long
But good things come
To those who wait
Mmmm
[train whistle toots]
Here she comes!
Well, it's like he said
I'm an outdoor girl
And you're late again.
Married to the King
Of the Underworld
She forgot a little thing
called "spring."
Are you wondering
Where I've been?
-Yeah!
-Where you been?
I'm wondering.
Been to hell
And back again
But like my mama
Always said
Brother, when you're down
You're down
And when you're up
You're up
If you ain't six feet
Underground
You're living it up on top
Let's not talk
About hard times
Pour the wine
It's summertime
'Cos right now
We're living it
-How are we livin' it?
-Livin' it, livin' it up
Oh, brother, right here
We're livin' it
-Where are we livin' it?
-Livin' it up on top
Who makes the summer sun
shine bright?
That's right, Persephone!
Who makes the fruit
Of the vine get ripe?
-Persephone!
-That's me!
Who makes the flowers bloom
Again in spite of her man
You do!
Who is doing
The best she can?
Persephone, that's who.
Now, some may say the weather
Ain't the way it used to be
But let me tell you something
That my mama said to me
You take what you can get
And you make the most of it
-So right now we're livin' in
-How are we livin' it?
Livin' it, livin' it up
Oh, brother, right here
-we're livin' it
-Where are we livin' it?
Livin' it up on top
It was summertime
on the road to hell.
Mmmm
There was a girl
who had always run away.
Mmmm
You might say that it was
in spite of herself.
Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm
That this young girl
decided to stay.
There was a poor boy
With a lyre
Who says times are hard?
Flowers bloom,
the fruit got ripe.
And brother, for a moment there.
Anybody want a drink?
the world came back to life.
Ooh!
Hey.
[Chorus cheering]
-Hey!
-Hey!
-Hey!
-Ho!
-Hey!
-Ho!
Come on, now!
Whoo!
Hey, hey. Hey!
Hey, hey, hey, hey!
[audience cheering]
[audience clapping to the beat]
Up on top
We ain't got much
But we're livin' it
Livin' it up
Just enough to fill our cups
Livin it up on top
Brother,
Pass that bottle around
'Cos we're livin' it
Livin' it up
Let the poet bless this round.
Yeah!
-Orpheus!
-Orpheus.
To the patroness
Of all of this
Persephone!
-Hear, hear!
-Hear, hear!
Who's finally returned to us
With wine enough to share
Uh-huh!
Asking nothing in return
'Cept that we should live
And learn to live as
Brothers in this life
And to trust
She will provide
Alright.
And if no one
takes too much.
There will always be enough.
-She will always fill our cups.
-I will!
And we will always
raise 'em up.
To the world we dream about...
and...
the one we live in now.
'Cos right now
We're livin' it
How are we livin' it?
Livin' it, livin' it up
Brother, right here
We're livin' it
-Where are we livin' it?
-Listen here, I'll tell you
Where we're livin' it
Up on top
Up on top!
Livin' it up
And we ain't gonna stop
-Livin' it, livin' it
-Livin' it, livin' it
-How are we livin' it?
-Where are we livin' it?
Livin' it, livin' it
Livin' it, livin' it
Livin' it up on top
[audience cheering]
Orpheus was a poor boy.
But he had a gift to give.
He could make you see
how the world could be.
In spite of the way
That it is
And Eurydice was a young girl.
But she'd seen
how the world was.
When she fell, she fell
in spite of herself
in love with Orpheus.
I was alone so long
I didn't even know
That I was lonely
Out in the cold so long
I didn't even know
That I was cold
Turn my collar to the wind
This is how it's always been
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
But now I wanna
Hold you too
You take me in your arms
And suddenly there's
Sunlight all around me
Everything bright and warm
And shining like it
Never did before
And for a moment I forget
Just how dark and cold it gets
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
But now I want to hold you
Now I want to hold you
Hold you close
I don't wanna ever have
To let you go
Now, I wanna hold you
Hold you tight
I don't want to go back
To the lonely life
I don't know how or why
Or who am I that I should
Get to hold you
But when I saw you all alone
Against the sky
It's like I'd known you
All along
I knew you before we met
And I don't even know you yet
All I know's you're someone
I have always known
All I know's you're someone
I have always known
And I don't even know you
Now I want to hold you
Hold you close
I don't wanna ever
Have to let you go
Suddenly there's sunlight
Bright and warm
Suddenly I'm holding
The world in my arms
Say that you hold me forever
Say that the wind
Won't change on us
Say that we'll stay
With each other
And it will always
Be like this
I'm gonna hold you forever
The wind will never
Change on us
As long as we stay
With each other
Then it will always
Be like this
[audience cheering]
[train whistle toots]
On the road to hell
There was a railroad track
Mmmm
Oh, come on!
There was a train coming up
From way down below
-Mmmm
-That was not six months.
Better go get
Your suitcase packed
Guess it's time to go
-She gonna ride that train
-Ride that train
-She gonna ride that train
-Ride that train
She's gonna ride that train
To the end of the line
Mmmm
'Cos the King of the mine
Is a-coming to call
Mmmm
Did you ever wonder what it's
Like on the underside?
Way down under
-On the yonder side
-Way down yonder!
On the other side of his wall?
Follow that dollar
For a long way down
Far away from
The poorhouse door
You either get to hell
Or to Hadestown
Ain't no difference anymore
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Hound dog howls
And the whistle blows
Train come a-rollin'
Clickety-clack
Everybody tryna
Get a ticket to go
But those who go
They don't come back
Going way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Boo!
Winter's nigh
And summer's o'er
Hear that high
And lonesome sound
Of my husband coming for
To bring me home to Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Down there
It's a bunch of stiffs
Brother, I'll be bored to death
Gonna have to import
Some stuff
Just to entertain myself
Give me morphine in a tin
Give me a crate
Of the fruit of the vine
Takes a lot of medicine
To make it through
The winter time
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Every little penny
In the wishing well
Every little nickel
On the drum
All them shiny
Little heads and tails
Where do you think
they come from?
-They come from
-Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Everybody hungry
Everybody tired
Everybody slaves
By the sweat of the brow
The wage is nothing
And the work is hard
It's a graveyard in Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
[audience cheering]
Mister Hades
Is a mean old boss
With a silver whistle
And a golden scale
An eye for an eye
-And he weights the cost
-A lie for a lie
-And your soul for sale
-Sold!
To the King
On the chromium throne
-Thrown!
-To the bottom
Of a Sing-Sing cell
Where the little wheels squeal
And the big wheel groans
And you better forget
About your wishing well
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
[train whistle toots]
On the road to hell
There was a railroad car
Mmmm
And the car door opened
And a man stepped out
Mmmm
Everybody looked
and everybody saw
it was the same man
they'd been singin' about.
You're early.
I missed you.
[audience cheering]
Mister Hades
Is a mighty King
Must have been making
Some mighty big deals
Seems like he owns
Everything
Kind of makes you wonder
How it feels
[audience laughing]
All aboard!
Ah, one, a two,
a one, two, three, four!
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Way down under the ground
Way down under the
Ground!
[audience cheering]
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
With Persephone gone,
the cold came on.
He came too soon
He came for her too soon
It's not supposed
to be like this.
Well, till someone brings
the world back into tune.
This is how it is.
Orpheus had a gift to give.
Hey, where are you going?
Touched by the gods
is what he was.
I have to finish the song.
Finish it quick!
The wind is changing.
There's a storm coming on.
Wind comes up
Ooh
We need food.
Wind comes up
Ooh
We need firewood.
Orpheus and Eurydice
Do you hear me, Orpheus?
Poor boy working on a song
Orpheus!
A young girl looking
For something to eat
Okay, finish it.
Under a gathering storm
King of silver
King of gold
And everything glittering
Under the ground
Hades is King
Of oil and coal
And the riches that flow
Where those rivers are found
But for half of the year
With Persephone gone
His loneliness moves in him
Crude and black
He thinks of his wife
In the arms of the sun
And jealousy fuels him
And feeds him
And fills him with doubt
That she'll ever come
Dread that she'll never come
Doubt that his lover
Will ever come back
King of mortar
King of bricks
The river Styx
Is a river of stones
And Hades lays them
High and thick
With a million hands
That are not his own
With a million hands
He builds a wall
Around all the riches
He digs from the earth
The pickax flashes
The hammer falls
And crashing and pounding
His rivers surround him
And drown out the sound
of the song he once heard
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Huh, kkh
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
-Laaa la la la la la
-Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta
Keep your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep your head
In the coldest time of year
Why is it so hot down here?
Hotter than a crucible
It ain't right
And it ain't natural
-Lover, you were gone so long
-Kkh!
Lover, I was lonesome
So I built a foundry
In the ground
Beneath your feet
Here I fashioned
Things of steel
Oil drums and automobiles
Then I kept that furnace fed
With the fossils of the dead
Lover, when you feel that fire
Think of it as my desire
Think of it as my desire
For you
La la la la
La la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la laaa
La la la la la laaa
La la la la la laaa la
La la la la la la laaa
La la la la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la la la la
-Oh, keep your head
-Keep your head low
-Kkh!
-Is it finished?
-You gotta keep your head low
-La la la la
-If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Not yet.
You gotta keep your head low
-La la la la la laaa
-Keep your head, keep your head
Is he always like this?
-You gotta keep your head low
-Laaa la la la
Looking high
And looking low
For the food and firewood
I know we need to find
And I am
Keeping one eye on the sky
-And try to trust
-Ooh, ooh, ooh
That the song
He's working on
Is gonna shelter us
From the wind, the wind
-A-ooh!
-The wind
[Fates laughing]
-A-ooh!
-Huh!
Kkh!
In the darkest time of year
Why is it so bright down here?
Brighter than a carnival
It ain't right
And it ain't natural
Lover, you were gone so long
Lover, I was lonesome
So I laid a power grid
In the ground
On which you stood
And wasn't it electrifyin'
When I made the neon shine
Silver screen
Cathode ray
Brighter than the light of day
Lover, when you see that glare
Think of it as my despair
Think of it as my despair
For you
-They can't find the tune
-Orpheus.
-They can't feel the rhythm
-Orpheus!
King Hades is deafened
By a river of stone
Poor boy, working on a song.
And Lady Persephone's blinded
By a river of wine
Living in an oblivion
He did not see
the storm coming on.
His black gold flows
In the world down below
And her dark clouds roll
In the one up above
-Look up.
-Keep your head low
And that is the reason
We're on this road
And the seasons are wrong
And the wind is so strong
That's why times are so hard
It's because of the gods
The gods have forgotten
The song of their love
-Singing, laaa la la la
-Oh, keep your head
-La la la laaa
-Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low, kkh!
If you wanna
Keep your head, huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Laaa la la la la!
Looking low
And looking high
There is no food left to find
It's hard enough
To feed yourself
Let alone somebody else
I'm trying to believe
That the song
He's working on
Is gonna harbor me
-From the wind
-The wind
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
Give that back.
She was no stranger to the wind.
It's everything we have.
But she had not seen nothing.
-Orpheus
-Ooh, ooh, ooh
Like the mighty storm
she got caught in.
Orpheus!
-Shelter us
-Ooh, ooh, ooh
Only took a minute.
Harbor me
But the wrath
of the gods was in it.
Every year it's getting worse
Hadestown, hell on earth!
Did you think
I'd be impressed
With this neon necropolis?
Lover, what have you become?
Coal cars and oil drums
Warehouse walls
And factory floors
I don't know you anymore
And in the meantime
Up above
The harvest dies
And people starve
Oceans rise and overflow
It ain't right
And it ain't natural
-A-ooh!
-Lover, everything I do
-Kkh!
-I do it for the love of you
If you don't even want my love
I'll give it to
Someone who does
Someone grateful for her fate
Someone who appreciates
The comforts of a gilded cage
And doesn't try to fly away
The moment Mother Nature calls
Someone who would
Love these walls
That hold her close
And keep her safe
And think of them as my embrace
-Singing, la la la la la la la
-Keep your head
-Keep your head
-Shelter us
Think of them as my embrace
-Laaa la la la la
-Keep your head
-Keep your head
-Harbor me!
Think of them as my embrace
Of you
[audience cheering]
Hey, little songbird
Give me a song
I'm a busy man
And I can't stay long
I got clients to call
I've got orders to fill
I've got walls to build
I got riots to quell
And they're giving me hell
Back in Hades
Hey, little songbird
Cat got your tongue
Always a pity for one
So pretty and young
When poverty comes
To clip your wings
And knock the wind
Right out of your lungs
Hey, nobody sings
On empty
Strange is the call
Of this strange man
I wanna fly down
And feed at his hand
I want a nice
Soft place to land
I want to lie down forever
Hey, little songbird
You got something fine
You'd shine like a diamond
Down in the mine
And the choice is yours
If you're willing to choose
Seeing as you've got
Nothing to lose
And I could use a canary
Suddenly nothing is as it was
Where are you now
Orpheus?
Wasn't it gonna be
The two of us?
Weren't we birds
Of a feather?
Hey, little songbird
Let me guess
He's some kind of poet
And he's penniless
Give him your hand
He'll give you his
Hand-to-mouth
He'll write you a poem
When the power is out
Hey, why not fly south
For the winter?
Hey, little songbird
Look all around you
See how the vipers
And vultures surround you
And they'll take you down
They'll pick you clean
If you stick around
Such a desperate scene
See, people get mean
When the chips are down
[rattlesnake rattle]
Songbird versus rattlesnake.
Mmmm
What is it?
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
-Mmmm
-Your ticket.
And Hades gave her
a choice to make.
Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm
A ticket to the Underworld.
-Life ain't easy
-Life ain't fair
A girl's gotta fight
For her rightful share
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
-Help yourself
-To hell with the rest
Even the one
Who loves you best
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
when the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
Oh, my aching heart
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
[laughing]
Come here.
No.
[laughing]
-Take if you can
-Give if you must
Ain't nobody
But yourself to trust
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
-Aim for the heart
-Shoot to kill
If you don't do it
Then the other one will
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
And the first shall be first
And the last shall be last
Cast your eyes to heaven
You get a knife in the back
Nobody's righteous
Nobody's proud
Nobody's innocent
Now that the chips are down
Now that the, now that the
Now that the, now that the
Now that the chips
Are down
[audience cheering]
Orpheus
My heart is yours
Always was and will be
It's my gut I can't ignore
Orpheus
I'm hungry
Oh my heart
It aches to stay
But the flesh
Will have its way
Oh, the way
Is dark and long
I'm already
Gone
[rattling]
I'm gone.
[whistle blows]
[sighs]
Go ahead and lay the blame
Talk of virtue
Talk of sin
Wouldn't you
Have done the same?
In her shoes
In her skin
You can have
Your principles
When you've got a belly full
But hunger has a way with you
There's no telling
What you're gonna do
When the chips
Are down
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
[audience cheering]
-Mister Hermes.
-Hey, the big artiste.
Ain't you working
on your masterpiece?
-Where's Eurydice?
-Brother, what do you care?
You'll find another
muse somewhere.
-Where is she?
-Why you wanna know?
Wherever she is,
is where I'll go.
And what if I said
she's down below?
-Down below?
-Down below.
Six feet under the ground below.
She called your name
before she went.
But I guess you
weren't listening.
No!
So, just how far
would you go for her?
To the end of time
To the end of the earth
You got a ticket?
-No.
-Yeah,
I didn't think so.
Of course, there is
another way, but--
Nah, I ain't supposed to say.
-Another way?
-Around the back.
But that ain't easy walking,
Jack.
It ain't for
the sensitive of soul.
So do you really want to go?
-With all my heart.
-[gasps]
With all your heart.
Well...
that's a start.
How to get to Hadestown
You have to take
The long way down
Through the underground
Under cover of night
Laying low
Staying out of sight
Ain't no compass, brother
Ain't no map
Just a telephone wire
And a railroad track
Keep on walking
And don't look back
Till you get
to the bottom land
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait
I'm coming with you
Wait for me!
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
River Styx is high and wide
Cinder bricks and razor wire
Walls of iron and concrete
Hound dogs howling
Round the gate
Those dogs'll lay down
And play dead
If you got the bones
If you got the bread
But if all you got
Is your own two legs
Just be glad you got 'em
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
Who are you?
Where do you think
You're going?
Who are you?
Why are you all alone?
-Who do you
-Think you are?
-Who are you
-To think that you
Can walk a road that no one
Ever walked before?
Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la
Laaa la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la la
-La la la la la la
La la la la la la la--
You're on the lam
You're on the run
Don't give your name
You don't have one
And don't look
No one in the eye
That town'll try
To suck you dry
They'll suck your brain
They'll suck your breath
They'll pluck the heart
Right out your chest
They'll truss you up
In your Sunday best
And stuff your mouth
With cotton
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming
-I'm coming, wait for me
-Wait!
I hear the walls are repeating
-Wait!
-The falling of my feet and
It sounds like drumming
-Wait!
-And I am not alone
-Wait!
-I hear the rocks and stones
-Wait!
-Echoing my song
-I'm coming
-Coming
Coming
[audience cheering]
Why do we build the wall?
My children, my children
Why do we build the wall?
Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall
To keep us free
That's why
We build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
How does the wall
Keep us free?
My children, my children
How does the wall
Keep us free?
How does the wall
Keep us free?
The wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build a wall
To keep us free
That's why
We build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
Who do we call the enemy?
My children, my children
Who do we call the enemy?
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build the wall
To keep us free
That's why
We build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
Because we have
And they have not
My children, my children
Because they want
What we have got
Because we have
And they have not
Because they want
What we have got
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build the wall
To keep us free
That's we build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
What do we have
That they should want?
My children, my children
What do we have
That they should want?
What do we have
That they should want?
We have a wall to work upon
We have work
And they have none
And our work is never done
My children, my children
And the war is never won
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build the wall
To keep us free
That's why we build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
We build the wall
To keep us
Free
Then Hades told Eurydice...
There are papers to be signed.
Step into my office.
And he closed the door behind.
Now a lot can happen
behind closed doors.
That's for sure, brother.
That's a fact.
But a lot can happen
on the factory floor
when the foreman turns his back.
Anybody want a drink?
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering]
Step into my office.
I don't know about you boys...
But if you're like me
Been hanging around
This old manhole
Is bringing you down
Six feet under
Getting under your skin
Cabin fever is a-setting in
You're stir crazy
Stuck in a rut
You could use
A little pick-me-up
I can give you
What it is you crave
A little something
From the good old days
I got the wind
Right here in a jar
I got the rain on tap
At the bar
I got sunshine
Up on a shelf
Allow me
To introduce myself
Brother, what's my name?
My name is
Our Lady of the Underground
Whoo!
Brother, what's my name?
Our lady of ways
Our lady of means
Brother, what's my name?
My name is
Our Lady of the Upside Down
Wanna know my name?
I'll tell you my name
Persephone!
[audience cheering]
Come here, brother
Let me guess
It's the little things you miss
Spring flowers
Autumn leaves
Ask me, brother
And you shall receive
Or maybe these
Just ain't enough
Maybe you're looking
For some stronger stuff
I got a sight
For the sorest eye
When was the last time
You saw the sky?
Wipe away your tears, brother
Brother, I know how you feel
I can see you're blinded
By the sadness of it all
But look a little closer
And everything will be revealed
Look a little closer and
There's a crack in the wall
Whoo!
Whoo!
[trombone solo]
Ladies and gentlemen,
Daniel Higham, on the trombone!
[audience cheering]
David Kadumukasa on the cello!
[audience cheering]
Ros Stepen on the violin!
[audience cheering]
Brad Webb on drums!
[audience cheering]
Beth Symmons on the bass!
[audience cheering]
On the guitar, David Delarre!
[audience cheering]
And Tarek Merchant on the keys!
[audience cheering]
Whoo!
You want stars?
I got a skyful
Put a quarter in the slot
You'll get an eyeful
You want the moon?
I got her, too
She's right here waiting
In my pay-per-view
How long's it been?
A little moonshine
Ain't no sin
Tell my husband
To take his time
What the boss don't know
The boss won't mind
Ha!
[audience cheering]
[whistle]
-The deal is signed.
-Yes.
-About time.
-Get on the line.
I did what I had to do.
That's what they did too.
Now, in Hadestown
There were a lot of souls
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head
Working on the wall
With all their might
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep your head
Ya see, they kept
Their heads down low
Huh, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
You couldn't quite
See their faces, right
But you can hear
Them singing
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head
Swinging their hammers
In the cold hard ground
You can hear the sound
Of the pickax ringing
Huh, kkh!
If you want to keep your head
And they called it "freedom"
I'm Eurydice.
Doesn't anybody hear me?
-They can hear.
-But they don't care.
No one has
a name down here.
Mister Hades set you free
To work yourself
Into the ground
Free to spend eternity
-In the factory
-And the warehouse
Where the whistles scream
And the foremen shout
-And you're punching in
-And punching in
And punching in
And you can't punch out
And you're way down Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Why won't anybody
look at me?
-They can look.
-But they don't see.
-You see?
-It's easier that way.
Your eyes will look
like that someday.
Down in the river of oblivion
You kiss your life goodbye
And Hades laid
His hands on you
And gave you everlasting life
And everlasting overtime
-In the mine
-In the mill
In the machinery
Your place
On the assembly line
Replaces all your memories
Way down, Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
What do you mean
I'll look like that?
That's what it
looks like to forget.
-Forget what?
-Who you are.
And everything that came before.
-I have to go!
-Go, where?
-Go back.
-Oh, and where is that?
So, what was
your name again?
You've already forgotten.
You see,
it's like I said before,
a lot can happen
behind closed doors.
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
But she wasn't hungry anymore.
What she was instead was dead.
Dead to the world anyway.
You see, she went behind those
doors and signed her life away.
A-ooh!
Saw that wheel up in the sky
-Huh!
-Heard the big bell tolling
A-ooh!
A lot of souls have got to die
To keep the rust belt rolling
A-ooh!
A lot of spirits gotta break
To make the Underworld
Go round
Way down, Hadestown
Huh!
Way down under the
Ground
What I wanted was
To fall asleep
Close my eyes and disappear
Like a petal on a stream
A feather on the air
Lily white
And poppy red
I trembled
When he laid me out
"You won't feel a thing"
He said
"When you go down"
Nothing gonna wake you now
Now
Dreams are sweet
Until they're not
Men are kind
Until they aren't
Flowers bloom
Until they rot and fall apart
Is anybody listening?
I open my mouth
And nothing comes out
Nothing
Nothing gonna wake me
Now
[sobbing]
Flowers
I remember fields of flowers
Soft beneath my heels
Walking in the sun
I remember someone
Someone by my side
Turned his face to mine
And then I turned away
Into the shade
[crying softly]
You
The one I left behind
If you ever walk this way
Come and find me
Lying in the bed
I made
[audience cheering]
Come home with me
-It's you.
-It's me.
Orpheus
Eurydice
I called your name before--
-I know.
You heard?
No.
Mister Hermes told me so.
Whatever happened
I'm to blame
No, no.
You called my name
You came
But how'd you get here?
On the train?
No, I walked a long way
How'd you get beyond the wall?
I sang a song so beautiful
The stones wept
And they let me in
And I can sing us
Home again
No, you can't.
Yes, I can.
No, you don't understand.
Young man!
I don't think we've met before.
You're not from
around here, son.
I don't know
who the hell you are
but I can tell you don't belong.
These are working people, son.
Law-abiding citizens.
Go back to where you came from.
You're on the wrong side
of the fence.
Hades, I know this boy.
One of the unemployed.
-His name is Orpheus.
-You stay out of this.
Orpheus was a poor boy.
Do you hear me, son?
You might say he was naive.
You better run!
This poor boy
raised up his voice
with his heart
out on his sleeve.
No, Orpheus, you should go.
I'm not going back alone.
I came to take her home.
[laughs]
Who the hell
do you think you are?
Who the hell do you think
you're talking to?
She couldn't go anywhere
even if she wanted to.
You are not
from around here, son.
If you were,
then you would know
that everything and everyone
in Hadestown, I own!
But I only buy
what others choose to sell.
Oh, you didn't know?
She signed the deal herself.
-And now she
-It isn't true.
-belongs to me.
-It isn't true!
What he said--
-Eurydice!
-I did!
I do.
As for you...
Everybody gather round!
Everybody look and see!
What becomes of trespassers
with no respect for property.
Why the struggle?
Why the strain?
Why make trouble?
Why make scenes?
Why go against the grain?
Why swim upstream?
It ain't, it ain't
It ain't no use
You're bound, you're bound
You're bound to lose
What's done, what's done
What's done is done
That's the way the river runs
So why get wet?
Why break a sweat?
Why waste your precious breath?
Why beat your handsome brow?
Nothing changes
Nothing changes
Nothing changes
Anyhow
[audience cheering]
If it's true what they say
If there's nothing to be done
If it's true that it's too late
And the girl I love is gone
If it's true what they say
Is this how the world is?
To be beaten and betrayed
And then be told
That nothing changes
It'll always be like this
If it's true what they say
I'll be on my way
Huh!
And the boy turned to go.
Huh!
'Cos he thought
no one could hear.
Huh!
But everybody knows
that walls have ears.
-And the workers heard him
-Kkh!
-If it's true what they say
-Huh!
-With their hammer swinging
-Kkh!
-What's the purpose of a man?
-Huh!
-And they quit their working
-Kkh!
Just to turn his eyes away
-When they heard him singing
-Kkh
Just to throw up
Both his hands
No hammer swinging
What's the use
Of his backbone?
No pickax ring
If he never stands upright
And they stood and listened
If he turns his back
On everyone
To the poor boy sing
That he could have
Stood beside
If it's true what they say
I'll be on my way
But who are they to say
What the truth is anyway?
Ask the ones
Who tell the lies
Ahh
Are the solemnest to swear
And the ones
Who load the dice
Hmm
Always say the toss is fair
And the ones
Who deal the cards
Deal the cards
Are the ones
Who take the tricks
Ahh
With their hands
Over their hearts
Mmmm
While we play the game they fix
And the ones
Who speak the word
Speak the word
Always say it is the last
Mmmm
And no answer
Will be heard
To the question no one asks
So I'm asking if it's true!
I'm asking me and you
And you
And you
I believe our answer matters
More than anything they say
We stand and listen
We stand
I believe if there is
Still a will
Then there is still a way
We're standing with him
I believe there is a way
I believe in us together
More than anyone alone
We're standing near him
Near him
I believe that with each other
We are stronger than we know
We hear him
I believe we're stronger
Than they know
I believe that we are many
I believe that they are few
-We're standin'
-We're standin'
And it isn't for the few
To tell the many what is true
We understand him
So I ask you
If it's true what they say
Standin'
I'll be on my way
Standin'
Tell me what to do?
Standin'
Is it true?
Is it true what they say?
[audience cheering]
What are you afraid of?
What?
He's just a boy in love.
Have a drink, why don't you?
No, I've had enough.
He loves that girl, Hades.
Well, that's too bad.
He has the kind of love for her
that you and I once had.
The girl means nothing to me.
I know, but she means
everything to him.
So?
Let her go.
Hades, my husband
Hades, my light
Hades, my darkness
If you had heard
How he sang tonight
You'd pity poor Orpheus
All of his sorrow
Won't fit in his chest
It just burns like a fire
In the pit of his chest
And his heart is a bird
On a spit in his chest
How long
How long, how long
How long?
Just as long
As Hades is King
Nothing comes
Of wishing on stars
And nothing comes
Of the songs people sing
However sorry they are
Give them a piece
And they'll take it all
Show them a crack
They'll tear down the wall
Lend them an ear
And the kingdom will fall
The kingdom will fall
For a song
What does he care
For the logic of kings?
The laws of your Underworld
It is only for love
That he sings
He sings
For the love of a girl
You and your pity
Don't fit in my bed
You just burn like a fire
In the pit of my bed
And I turn like a bird
On a spit in my bed
How long
How long, how long?
How long?
Just as long
As I am your wife
It's true
The earth must die
But then the earth
Comes back to life
And the sun
Must go on rising
And how does the sun
Even fit in the sky?
It just burns like a fire
In the pit of the sky
And the earth is a bird
On a spit in the sky
How long, how long
How long?
[audience cheering]
Now everybody knows
that walls have ears.
-Is it true?
-Is it true?
What's that noise?
And the walls had heard
what the boy was sayin'.
-Is it true?
-Is it true?
It's the boy.
A million tons
Of stone and steel
-Is it true?
-Is it true?
Echoed his refrain
[steam whistle blows]
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Keep your head
Keep your head low
Oh, you gotta
Keep your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh! Oh, you gotta--
Why do we turn away
When our brother is bleeding?
Oh, keep your head
Why do we build a wall
And then call it freedom?
Oh, keep your head
If we're free
Tell me why
I can't look
In my brother's eye
-Keep your head--
-Young man!
Got to hand it to ya
Guess you don't scare easy
Do ya?
Are you brave or stupid, son?
Doesn't matter which one
'Cos it seems your song made
Quite a strong impression
On my wife
But it takes more
Than singing songs
To keep a woman in your arms
Take it from a man
No longer young
If you want
To hold a woman, son
Hang a chain
Around her throat
Made of many karat gold
Shackle her
From wrist to wrist
With sterling silver bracelets
Fill her pockets full of stones
Precious ones, diamonds
Bind her with a golden band
-Take it from an old man
-Ooh
If I raised my voice
-If I raised my voice
-If I raised my--
Keep your head low
-If I raised my head
-If I raised my head
-If I raised my head
-Keep your head low
Could I change my fate?
-Could I change
-Could I change my fate?
Keep your head low
If I raised my voice?
Could I
Could I change
The way it is?
Why do we turn away 'stead
Of standin' with him?
Oh, keep your head
Why are we digging
Our own graves for a livin'?
Oh, keep your head
If we're free, tell me why
We can't even stand upright
If we're free, tell me when
We can stand
With our fellow man
-Keep your head--
-Young man!
I was young once too
Sang a song of love like you
Son, I too was left behind
Turned on one
Too many times
-A-ooh!
-Now I sing a different song
-Kkh!
One I can depend upon
-A-ooh!
-A simple tune
-Huh!
-A steady beat
-Kkh!
-The music of machinery
-A-ooh!
-You hear that
Heavy metal sound?
-Kkh!
-The symphony of Hadestown
-A-ooh!
-And in this symphony of mine
Are power chords
And power lines
-A-ooh!
-Young man!
-You can strum your lyre
-Kkh!
I have strung
The world in wire
-A-ooh!
-Young man!
-Huh!
-You can sing your ditty
I conduct the Electric City!
[audience cheering]
I tell you what, young man
Since my wife is such a fan
And since I'm gonna
Count to three
And put you out
Of your misery
One!
Give me one more song
One more song
Before I send you
Two!
To the great beyond
Where nobody
Can hear you singing
Three!
Sing a song for me
Make me laugh
Make me weep
Make the King
Feel young again
Sing!
For an old man
[audience cheering]
King of shadows
King of shades
Hades was King
Of the Underworld
Oh, it's about me, huh?
Go on.
But he fell in love
With a beautiful lady
Who walked up above
In her mother's green field
He fell in love
With Persephone
Who was gathering flowers
In the light of the sun
And I know how it was because
He was like me
A man
In love with a woman.
Singing laaa
La la laaa la la laaa
Laaa la laaa la la la laaa
Where'd you get that melody?
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Let him finish, Hades.
Laaa la la la la la
You didn't know how
And you didn't know why
But you knew that you wanted
To take her home
You saw her alone there
Against the sky
It was like she was someone
You'd always known
Ooh
It was like you were
Holding the world
When you held her
Ooh
Like yours were the arms
That the whole world was in
And there were no words
For the way that you felt
So you opened your mouth
And you started to sing
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
No!
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la la la
-La la la la
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la la
-La la la la la la
[Orpheus] La la la la
La la la la la
-La la la la la la la
-[Orpheus] La la la la
[Orpheus] La la la la la laaa
[Company]
Laaa la la la la la laaa
[Orpheus] La la la la la laaa
[Company] La la la la la la
-[Orpheus] La la la la la la
-[Company] La la la la la la
[Company] Laaa la la la la la
Laaa la la la la la
Laaa la la la la la la
And what has become
Of the heart of that man?
La
Now that the man is king
What has become
Of the heart of that man?
Now that he has
Everything
The more he has
The more he holds
The greater the weight
Of the world on his shoulders
See how he labors
Beneath that load
Afraid to look up
And afraid to let go
So he keeps his head low
He keeps his back bending
He's grown so afraid
That he'll lose what he owns
But what he doesn't know
Is that what he's defending
Is already gone
Where is the treasure
Inside of your chest?
Where is your pleasure?
Where is your youth?
Where is the man
With his arms outstretched
To the woman he loves
With nothing to lose?
Singing laaa la la la
La la laaa
Laaa la la la la la la--
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la laaa la la
[crying softly]
Orpheus was a poor boy,
but he had a gift to give.
This poor boy brought the world
back into tune, is what he did.
And Hades and Persephone,
they took each other's hands.
And, brother,
you know what they did?
They danced.
La la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la
Laaa
La la la la la la laaa
La la la la la
Orpheus?
Yes?
You finished it.
Yes.
Now what do I do?
[audience laughing]
You take me home with you.
Let's go.
Let's go right now.
-Okay, let's go.
-Yeah.
How?
We'll walk.
You know the way.
We'll just go back
The way you came
It's a long road
It's a long walk
Back into the cold and dark
Are you sure you want to go?
Take me home.
I have no ring for your finger
I have no
Banquet table to lay
I have no bed of feathers
Whatever promises I made
I can't promise you
Fair sky above
Can't promise you
Kind road below
But I'll walk
Beside you, love
Any way the wind blows
I don't need gold
Don't need silver
Just bread when I'm hungry
Fire when I'm cold
Don't need a ring
For my finger
Just need
A steady hand to hold
Don't promise me
Fair sky above
Don't promise me
Kind road below
Just walk beside me, love
Any way the wind blows
What about him?
He'll let us go.
Look at him.
He can't say no.
What about them?
We'll show the way.
If we can do it, so can they.
I don't know
Where this road will end
But I'll walk it with you
Hand in hand
I can't promise you
Fair sky above
Can't promise you
Kind road below
But I'll walk
Beside you, love
Any way the wind blows
And do you let me
walk with you?
-I do.
-I do.
I do.
And keep on walking
Come what will?
-I will
-I will
We will
And so the poor boy
asked the King.
Can we go?
And this is how he answered him.
I don't know.
-Gotta think quick
-Gotta save face
Caught 'tween a rock
And a hard place
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do now?
-If you tell 'em no
-Oh
You're a heartless man
And you're gonna have
A martyr on your hands
-If you let him go
-Oh
You're a spineless King
And you're never gonna
Get 'em in line again
Damned if you don't
Damned if you do
Whole damn-nation's
Watching you
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do now?
Here's a little tip
Word to the wise
Hmm, here's a little
Snippet of advice
Men are fools
Oh, men are frail
Give them the rope
And they'll hang themselves
The devil take this Orpheus.
And his belladonna kiss.
Beautiful.
Poisonous.
Lovely.
Deadly.
Dangerous this Jack of Hearts
With his kiss
The riot starts
All my children
Came here poor
Clamoring for bed and board
Now what do they clamor for?
Freedom
Freedom
Have I made myself their lord
Just to fall upon the sword
Of some pauper's minor chord
Who will lead them?
Who lays all
The best-laid plans?
Who makes work
For idle hands?
Only one thing to be done
Let them go
But let there be some term
To be agreed upon
Some condition
Orpheus, the undersigned
Shall not turn to look behind
She's out of sight
And he is out of his mind
Every coward seems courageous
In the safety of a crowd
Bravery can be contagious
When the band is playing loud
Nothing makes a man so bold
As a woman's smile
And a hand to hold
But all alone
His blood runs thin
And doubt comes
Doubt comes in
What is it?
Well, the good news is,
he said that you can go.
-He did?
-He did?
[Chorus] He did?
He did...
There's bad news, though.
What is it?
You can walk,
but it won't be
like you planned.
-What do you mean?
-Why not?
Well, you won't be hand in hand.
You won't be arm in arm,
side by side, and all of that.
He said that you
have to walk in front
and she has to walk in back.
Why?
And if you turn around
to make sure she's coming too,
then she goes back to Hadestown
and ain't nothing you can do.
But why?
Why build walls?
Make folks walk single file?
Divide and conquer's
what it's called.
-It's a trap?
-It's a trial.
Do you trust each other?
-Do you trust yourselves?
-We do.
Well, listen, brother,
if you want to walk out of hell,
you're gonna have to prove it
before gods and men.
Can you do that?
We can.
Alright, time to go.
Mister Hermes.
Yes.
It's not a trick?
No!
It's a test.
The meanest dog
You'll ever meet
He ain't the hound dog
In the street
He bares some teeth
And tears some skin
But, brother
That's the worst of him
Now the dog
You really gotta dread
Is the one that howls
Inside your head
It's him whose howling
Drives men mad
And a mind to its undoing
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
Show me the way
So we can see
Show the way
The world could be
If you can do it, so can she
If she can do it, so can we
Show the way
Show the way
The world could be
Show the way so we believe
We will follow
Where you lead
We will follow if you
Show the way
-You think they'll make it?
-I don't know.
Show the way
Hades, you let them go.
Show the way
I let them try.
-And how about you and I?
-Show the way
-Are we gonna try again?
-Show the way
It's time for spring.
We'll try again next fall.
-Wait for me.
-I will.
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
Who are you?
Who do you think you are?
Who are you?
Who are you telling her?
Who are you to lead them?
-Who are you
-To think that you can
Hold your head up higher
Than your fellow man?
You got
A lonesome road to walk
And it ain't along
The railroad track
And it ain't along
The blacktop tar
You've walked
A hundred times before
I'll tell you
Where the real road lies
Between your ears
Behind your eyes
That is the path
To Paradise
Likewise the road to ruin
-Wait for me, I'm coming
-I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
-Wait for me, I'm coming too
-I'm coming
Wait for me
-I'm coming
-I'm coming
- I'm coming
-Wait, I'm coming with you
-I'm coming
-Wait, I'm coming
Show the way
-I'm coming, wait from me
-Show the way
-I hear the wall repeating
-Show the way
The falling of our feet and
-It sounds like drumming
-Show the way
-And we are not alone
-Show the way
-I hear the rocks and stones
-Show the way
Echoing our song
-I'm coming
-Coming, coming
[audience cheering]
Laaa la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la laaa
Doubt comes in
The wind is changing
Doubt comes in
How cold it's blowing
Doubt comes in
And meets a stranger
Walking on a road alone
Where is she?
Where is she now?
Doubt comes in
Who am I?
-Where do I think I'm going?
-Doubt comes in
Who am I?
-Why am I alone?
-Doubt comes in
Who do I think I am?
Who am I to think
That she would follow me
Into the cold
And dark again?
Where is she?
Where is she now?
Orpheus
-Are you listening?
-Are you listening?
-I'm right here
-We are all right here
-And I will be till the end
-Will be till the end
-And the coldest night
-Coldest night
-Of the coldest year
-Coldest year
Comes right before the spring
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la laaa
Who am I?
Who am I against him?
Who am I?
Why would he let me win?
Why would he let her go?
Who am I to think
That he wouldn't deceive me
Just to make me leave alone
-Doubt comes in
-Is this a trap
-The wind is changing
-that's being laid for me?
Doubt comes in
Is this a trick...
-How dark it's growing
-...that's being played on me?
Doubt comes in
I used to see...
-And meets a stranger
-...the way the world could be
-Walking on the road alone
-But now the way it is
Is all I see and--
Where is she?
Where is she now?
Orpheus
You are not alone
I am right behind you
And I have been all along
And the darkest hour
Of the darkest night
Comes right before
It's you.
It's me.
Orpheus
Eurydice
[gasps]
Alright.
It's an old song
It's an old tale
From way back
When
It's an old song
And that is how it ends.
That's how it goes
Don't ask why, brother
Don't ask how
He could have come so
Close
The song was written long ago
And that is how it goes.
It's a sad song
It's a sad tale
It's a tragedy.
It's a sad song
But we sing it anyway.
'Cos here's the thing.
To know how it ends
and still begin
to sing it again
as if it might
turn out this time.
I learned that
from a friend of mine.
Mmmm
See, Orpheus was a poor boy.
Anybody got a match?
-But he had a gift to give.
-Give me that.
He can make you see
how the world could be
In spite of the way
That it is
Can you see it?
Mmmm
Can you hear it?
Mmmm
Can you feel it, like a train?
Is it coming?
Is it coming this way?
On a sunny day
There was a railroad car
And a lady
Stepping off a train
Everybody looked
And everybody saw
That spring had come again
-With a love song
-With a love song
With a love song
With a tale of love
From long ago
-It's a sad song
-Sad song
It's a sad song
But we keep singing
Even so
It's an old song
-Old song
-Old song
It's an old tale
From way back when
And we're going to sing it
Again and again
We're gonna sing
We're gonna sing
-It's a love song
-It's a love song
It's a love song
It's a tale of love
From long ago
It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
But we keep singing
Even so
-It's an old song
-It's an old song
It's an old, old, old song
From way back when
And we're going to sing it
Again and again
We're going to sing it again
[audience cheering]
Pour the wine
And raise a cup
Drink up, brothers
You know how
And spill a drop for Orpheus
Wherever he is now
Some birds sing
When the sun shines bright
Our praise is not for them
But the ones who sing
In the dead of night
We raise our cups to them
Wherever he is wandering
Alone upon the earth
Let all our singing follow him
And bring him comfort
Some flowers bloom
Where the green grass grows
Our praise is not for them
But the ones who bloom
In the bitter snow
We raise our cups to them
We raise our cups
And drink them up
We raise them high
And drink them dry
To Orpheus
And all of us
Good night, brothers
Good night
[audience cheering]
[lively music playing]
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering fades]
["Wedding Song,"
instrumental version playing]
[music fades]
Swing it back and--
[Woman]
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming
Wait!
Wait
[Man] Maybe not quite as big?
Wait
Wait
-[Man] On the fourth one,
-[Woman] Uh-huh.
[Man] we stop it.
[instruments warming up]
-[Woman 1] Hello.
-Hello.
Are you lot getting ready?
-Yeah.
-Right.
-[Man] There she is.
-[Woman 2] There she is, honey.
[Andr De Shields]
Slow and steady. Calm and ready.
[chuckles]
[Woman 1]
Slow and steady. Calm and ready.
[background chatter]
[cheering]
[Woman over PA] Company, this is
your act one, beginners call.
Beginners to the stage, please.
[Man] First breath
is for community.
-Okay.
-Last looks.
-Lead the way, baby.
-Let's go.
[Man] Second breath is for being
in the moment.
[audience cheering]
[Man]
And the final breath is love.
-[heartbeat]
-[inhale]
-[exhale]
-[heartbeat continues]
-[inhale]
-[exhale]
[whooshing]
-[click]
-[silence]
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering continues]
[audience cheering]
[audience quiets]
[audience member shouts]
[audience giggles]
[audience cheering]
Alright?
Alright.
Alright?
Alright.
Alright!
Mmmm
Mmmm
-Ah-haaaa
-Mmmm
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Chucka, chucka
Once upon a time there
Was a railroad line
Mmmm
Don't ask where, brother
Don't ask when
Mmmm
There was a road to hell
It was hard times
It was the world of Gods
And men!
[audience cheering]
-It's an old song
-It's an old song
It's an old tale
From way back when
-It's an old song
-It's an old song
And we're going
To sing it again
Gods and men, alright?
We've got some gods
in the house tonight.
See on the road to hell
There was a railroad line
And there were three old women
All dressed the same
And they was always singing
In the back of your mind
Everybody meet the Fates!
[audience cheering]
And on the road to hell
There was a railroad line
And a lady stepping
Off a train
With a suitcase
full of summertime.
Persephone by name.
[audience cheering]
-And if you ride that rain
-Ride that train
-If you ride that train
-Ride that train
If you ride that train
To the end of the line
Where the sun don't shine
And it's always shady
It's there you'll find
The King of the mine
Almighty, Mister Hades!
[audience cheering]
We got any other gods?
Oh, yeah, almost forgot.
On the road to hell
There was a railroad station
And a man
With feathers on his feet
Who could help you
To your final destination
Mister Hermes,
That's me.
[audience cheering]
See, someone's got
To tell the tale
Whether or not
It turns out well
Maybe it will
Turn out this time
On the road to hell
On the railroad line
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
It's sad tale, it's a tragedy.
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
We're gonna sing it anyway
Hey, hey, hey.
Now, not everyone
gets to be a god.
And don't forget
that times are hard.
Hard times in the world of men.
Let me introduce you
to a few of them.
You can tip your hats
and your wallets.
Give 'em your pennies.
Give 'em your pearls.
They're the
hardest-working Chorus
in the God's almighty world!
[audience cheering]
And working just
as hard for you,
let's see what
this crew can do.
Alright.
Alright.
On the railroad line
On the road to hell
Mmmm
There was a poor boy
Working on a song
Laaa la la la la la
His mama was
A friend of mine
And this boy was
A muse's son
On the railroad line
On the road to hell
Mmmm
You might say
the boy was "touched."
Laaa la la la la laaa
'Cos he was touched
by the gods themselves.
Give it, give it, give it,
give it up for Orpheus.
[audience cheering]
Orpheus.
[audience cheering]
There was one more
soul on this road.
Girl, come on in
from the cold.
On the railroad line
On the road to hell
Mmmm
There was a young girl
Looking for something to eat
Mmmm
And brother
Thus begins the tale
Of Orpheus and Eurydice!
[audience cheering]
-It's a love song
-It's a love song
It's a tale of love
From long ago
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
But we gonna sing it even so
-It's the old song
-It's the old song
It's an old tale
From way back when
And we're gonna sing
We're gonna sing
We're gonna sing it again
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Again!
[audience cheering]
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
-A runaway.
-Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
From everywhere
She'd ever been
She was no stranger
to the world.
No stranger to the wind.
Weather ain't
the way it was before
Ain't no spring or fall
At all anymore
It's either blazing hot
Or freezing cold
Any way the wind blows
-And there ain't a thing
-That you can do.
-When the weather takes
-A turn on you
'Cept for hurry up
and hit the road
Any way the wind blows
Wind comes up
Ooh
Do you hear that sound?
-Wind comes up
-Move to another town
Ain't nobody gonna stick around
When the dark clouds roll
Any way the wind blows
You met the Fates.
-Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
-Remember them?
Anybody got a match?
Always singing
in the back of your mind.
Give me that.
Whatever it was
this young girl went,
The Fates were close behind.
People turn on you
Just like the wind
Everybody is
A fair weather friend
In the end
You're better off alone
Any way the wind blows
-When your body aches to
-Lay it down
When you're hungry and
There ain't enough
To go around
Ain't no length
To which a girl won't go
Any way the wind blows
Wind comes up
Ooh
And sometimes you think
Wind comes up
You would do anything
Just to fill your belly
Full of food
Find a bed
That you could fall into
Where the weather
Wouldn't follow you--
Wherever you go
Any way the wind blows
Now, Orpheus was
the son of a muse.
And you know
how those muses are.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Sometimes they abandon you
And this poor boy,
he wore his heart
out on his sleeve.
You might say he was
naive to the ways of the world.
But he had a way
With words
And the rhythm
And the rhyme
And he sang just like
A bird up on the line
And it ain't because I'm kind.
But his mama was
A friend of mine
And I like to hear him sing.
And his way
Of seeing things
So, I took him
underneath my wing.
And that is where he stayed.
Until one day.
You want to talk to her?
-Yes.
-Go on.
Orpheus.
Yes.
Don't come on too strong.
Come home with me
Who are you?
The man who's
Gonna marry you
I'm Orpheus
Is he always like this?
Yes.
I'm Eurydice.
Your name
Is like a melody
A singer,
is that what you are?
I also play the lyre.
Oh, a liar, and a player too.
I've met too many men like you.
Oh, no, I'm not like that.
He's not like any
man you've met.
Tell her what you're working on.
I'm working on a song
It isn't finished yet
But when it's done
And when I sing it
Spring will come again
-Come again?
-Spring will come.
When? I haven't seen
a spring or fall since
I can't recall.
That's what I'm working on.
A song to fix
What's wrong
Take what's broken
Make it whole
A song so beautiful
It brings the world
Back into tune
Back into time
And all the flowers will bloom
-When you become my wife.
-Oh, he's crazy.
Why would I become his wife?
Maybe because he'll
make you feel alive.
Alive...
That's worth a lot.
What else you got?
Lover, tell me
If you can
Who's gonna buy
the wedding bands?
Times being what they are
Hot and getting hotter
All the time
Lover, when I
Sing my song
All the rivers will sing along
And they're gonna break
Their banks for us
And with their gold
Be generous
All a-flashing in the pan
All to fashion for your hand
The river's gonna give us
The wedding bands
Lover, tell me
If you're able
Who's gonna lay
The wedding table?
Times being what they are
Dark and getting
Darker all the time
Lover, when I sing my song
All the trees
Gonna sing along
And they're gonna bend
Their branches down
To lay their fruit
Upon the ground
The almond and the apple
And the sugar from the maple
The trees gonna lay
The wedding table
So when you sing your song.
The one you're working on.
Spring will come again.
-Yes.
-Why don't you sing it, then?
It isn't finished.
Sing it!
You want to take me home?
-Yes.
-Sing the song.
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
La la la laaa laaa laaa
Laaa la la la la laaa
-How'd you do that?
-I don't know.
The song's not finished, though.
Even so, it can do this.
I know.
You have to finish it.
Lover, tell me
When we're wed
Who's gonna make
The wedding bed?
Times being what they are
Hot and getting hotter
All the time
Lover, when I
Sing my song
All the birds
Gonna sing along
And they'll come flying
From all around
To lay their feathers
On the ground
And we'll lie down
In eiderdown
A pillow 'neath our heads
The birds gonna make
The wedding bed
And the trees gonna lay
The wedding table
And the river's gonna give
Us the wedding bands
-Mmmm
-Mmmm
[audience cheering]
Where'd you get that melody?
I don't know
It came to me
As if I'd known it all along
You have.
It's an old song
A song of love
From long ago
Long time since
I heard it, though
You've heard that melody before?
-Sure.
-Tell me more.
Remember the tale I told you
once about the gods?
-Which ones?
-Hades and Persephone.
Remember how it used to be.
Their love that made
the world go round.
Yeah, I remember now.
But that was long ago.
Tell it again, though.
[audience giggles]
King of shadows
King of shades
Hades was King
Of the Underworld
But he fell in love
With a beautiful lady
Who walked up above
In her mother's green field
He fell in love
With Persephone
Who was gathering flowers
In the light of the sun
And he took her home
To become his queen
Where the sun never shone
On anyone
Go on.
The lady loved him
And the kingdom they shared
But without her above
Not one flower would grow
So King Hades agreed
That for half of each year
She would stay
With him there
In his world down below
But the other half
She could walk in the sun
And the sun in turn
Burned twice as bright
Which is where
The seasons come from
And with them the cycle
Of the seed and the sickle
And the lives of the people
And the birds in their flight
Singing...
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Down below and up above.
Laaa la la la la la laaa
In harmony and rhythm.
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-The gods sang a song of love
Laaa la la la la la
and the world sang it with them.
But that was long ago
Before we were on this road
And on the road to hell
There was a lot of waiting
Mmmm, waiting
Everybody waiting on a train
Mmmm, waiting on the lady
With the--
Waiting on the train
To bring that lady
Mmmm, lady!
With the suitcase back again
She's never early always late
Waiting, waiting
These days she never
Stays for long
But good things come
To those who wait
Mmmm
[train whistle toots]
Here she comes!
Well, it's like he said
I'm an outdoor girl
And you're late again.
Married to the King
Of the Underworld
She forgot a little thing
called "spring."
Are you wondering
Where I've been?
-Yeah!
-Where you been?
I'm wondering.
Been to hell
And back again
But like my mama
Always said
Brother, when you're down
You're down
And when you're up
You're up
If you ain't six feet
Underground
You're living it up on top
Let's not talk
About hard times
Pour the wine
It's summertime
'Cos right now
We're living it
-How are we livin' it?
-Livin' it, livin' it up
Oh, brother, right here
We're livin' it
-Where are we livin' it?
-Livin' it up on top
Who makes the summer sun
shine bright?
That's right, Persephone!
Who makes the fruit
Of the vine get ripe?
-Persephone!
-That's me!
Who makes the flowers bloom
Again in spite of her man
You do!
Who is doing
The best she can?
Persephone, that's who.
Now, some may say the weather
Ain't the way it used to be
But let me tell you something
That my mama said to me
You take what you can get
And you make the most of it
-So right now we're livin' in
-How are we livin' it?
Livin' it, livin' it up
Oh, brother, right here
-we're livin' it
-Where are we livin' it?
Livin' it up on top
It was summertime
on the road to hell.
Mmmm
There was a girl
who had always run away.
Mmmm
You might say that it was
in spite of herself.
Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm
That this young girl
decided to stay.
There was a poor boy
With a lyre
Who says times are hard?
Flowers bloom,
the fruit got ripe.
And brother, for a moment there.
Anybody want a drink?
the world came back to life.
Ooh!
Hey.
[Chorus cheering]
-Hey!
-Hey!
-Hey!
-Ho!
-Hey!
-Ho!
Come on, now!
Whoo!
Hey, hey. Hey!
Hey, hey, hey, hey!
[audience cheering]
[audience clapping to the beat]
Up on top
We ain't got much
But we're livin' it
Livin' it up
Just enough to fill our cups
Livin it up on top
Brother,
Pass that bottle around
'Cos we're livin' it
Livin' it up
Let the poet bless this round.
Yeah!
-Orpheus!
-Orpheus.
To the patroness
Of all of this
Persephone!
-Hear, hear!
-Hear, hear!
Who's finally returned to us
With wine enough to share
Uh-huh!
Asking nothing in return
'Cept that we should live
And learn to live as
Brothers in this life
And to trust
She will provide
Alright.
And if no one
takes too much.
There will always be enough.
-She will always fill our cups.
-I will!
And we will always
raise 'em up.
To the world we dream about...
and...
the one we live in now.
'Cos right now
We're livin' it
How are we livin' it?
Livin' it, livin' it up
Brother, right here
We're livin' it
-Where are we livin' it?
-Listen here, I'll tell you
Where we're livin' it
Up on top
Up on top!
Livin' it up
And we ain't gonna stop
-Livin' it, livin' it
-Livin' it, livin' it
-How are we livin' it?
-Where are we livin' it?
Livin' it, livin' it
Livin' it, livin' it
Livin' it up on top
[audience cheering]
Orpheus was a poor boy.
But he had a gift to give.
He could make you see
how the world could be.
In spite of the way
That it is
And Eurydice was a young girl.
But she'd seen
how the world was.
When she fell, she fell
in spite of herself
in love with Orpheus.
I was alone so long
I didn't even know
That I was lonely
Out in the cold so long
I didn't even know
That I was cold
Turn my collar to the wind
This is how it's always been
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
But now I wanna
Hold you too
You take me in your arms
And suddenly there's
Sunlight all around me
Everything bright and warm
And shining like it
Never did before
And for a moment I forget
Just how dark and cold it gets
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
All I've ever known is
How to hold my own
But now I want to hold you
Now I want to hold you
Hold you close
I don't wanna ever have
To let you go
Now, I wanna hold you
Hold you tight
I don't want to go back
To the lonely life
I don't know how or why
Or who am I that I should
Get to hold you
But when I saw you all alone
Against the sky
It's like I'd known you
All along
I knew you before we met
And I don't even know you yet
All I know's you're someone
I have always known
All I know's you're someone
I have always known
And I don't even know you
Now I want to hold you
Hold you close
I don't wanna ever
Have to let you go
Suddenly there's sunlight
Bright and warm
Suddenly I'm holding
The world in my arms
Say that you hold me forever
Say that the wind
Won't change on us
Say that we'll stay
With each other
And it will always
Be like this
I'm gonna hold you forever
The wind will never
Change on us
As long as we stay
With each other
Then it will always
Be like this
[audience cheering]
[train whistle toots]
On the road to hell
There was a railroad track
Mmmm
Oh, come on!
There was a train coming up
From way down below
-Mmmm
-That was not six months.
Better go get
Your suitcase packed
Guess it's time to go
-She gonna ride that train
-Ride that train
-She gonna ride that train
-Ride that train
She's gonna ride that train
To the end of the line
Mmmm
'Cos the King of the mine
Is a-coming to call
Mmmm
Did you ever wonder what it's
Like on the underside?
Way down under
-On the yonder side
-Way down yonder!
On the other side of his wall?
Follow that dollar
For a long way down
Far away from
The poorhouse door
You either get to hell
Or to Hadestown
Ain't no difference anymore
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Hound dog howls
And the whistle blows
Train come a-rollin'
Clickety-clack
Everybody tryna
Get a ticket to go
But those who go
They don't come back
Going way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Boo!
Winter's nigh
And summer's o'er
Hear that high
And lonesome sound
Of my husband coming for
To bring me home to Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Down there
It's a bunch of stiffs
Brother, I'll be bored to death
Gonna have to import
Some stuff
Just to entertain myself
Give me morphine in a tin
Give me a crate
Of the fruit of the vine
Takes a lot of medicine
To make it through
The winter time
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Every little penny
In the wishing well
Every little nickel
On the drum
All them shiny
Little heads and tails
Where do you think
they come from?
-They come from
-Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Everybody hungry
Everybody tired
Everybody slaves
By the sweat of the brow
The wage is nothing
And the work is hard
It's a graveyard in Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
[audience cheering]
Mister Hades
Is a mean old boss
With a silver whistle
And a golden scale
An eye for an eye
-And he weights the cost
-A lie for a lie
-And your soul for sale
-Sold!
To the King
On the chromium throne
-Thrown!
-To the bottom
Of a Sing-Sing cell
Where the little wheels squeal
And the big wheel groans
And you better forget
About your wishing well
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
[train whistle toots]
On the road to hell
There was a railroad car
Mmmm
And the car door opened
And a man stepped out
Mmmm
Everybody looked
and everybody saw
it was the same man
they'd been singin' about.
You're early.
I missed you.
[audience cheering]
Mister Hades
Is a mighty King
Must have been making
Some mighty big deals
Seems like he owns
Everything
Kind of makes you wonder
How it feels
[audience laughing]
All aboard!
Ah, one, a two,
a one, two, three, four!
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Way down under the ground
Way down under the
Ground!
[audience cheering]
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
With Persephone gone,
the cold came on.
He came too soon
He came for her too soon
It's not supposed
to be like this.
Well, till someone brings
the world back into tune.
This is how it is.
Orpheus had a gift to give.
Hey, where are you going?
Touched by the gods
is what he was.
I have to finish the song.
Finish it quick!
The wind is changing.
There's a storm coming on.
Wind comes up
Ooh
We need food.
Wind comes up
Ooh
We need firewood.
Orpheus and Eurydice
Do you hear me, Orpheus?
Poor boy working on a song
Orpheus!
A young girl looking
For something to eat
Okay, finish it.
Under a gathering storm
King of silver
King of gold
And everything glittering
Under the ground
Hades is King
Of oil and coal
And the riches that flow
Where those rivers are found
But for half of the year
With Persephone gone
His loneliness moves in him
Crude and black
He thinks of his wife
In the arms of the sun
And jealousy fuels him
And feeds him
And fills him with doubt
That she'll ever come
Dread that she'll never come
Doubt that his lover
Will ever come back
King of mortar
King of bricks
The river Styx
Is a river of stones
And Hades lays them
High and thick
With a million hands
That are not his own
With a million hands
He builds a wall
Around all the riches
He digs from the earth
The pickax flashes
The hammer falls
And crashing and pounding
His rivers surround him
And drown out the sound
of the song he once heard
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Huh, kkh
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
-Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
-Laaa la la la la la
-Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Huh, kkh, huh, kkh
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta
Keep your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep your head
In the coldest time of year
Why is it so hot down here?
Hotter than a crucible
It ain't right
And it ain't natural
-Lover, you were gone so long
-Kkh!
Lover, I was lonesome
So I built a foundry
In the ground
Beneath your feet
Here I fashioned
Things of steel
Oil drums and automobiles
Then I kept that furnace fed
With the fossils of the dead
Lover, when you feel that fire
Think of it as my desire
Think of it as my desire
For you
La la la la
La la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la laaa
La la la la la laaa
La la la la la laaa la
La la la la la la laaa
La la la la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la la la la
-Oh, keep your head
-Keep your head low
-Kkh!
-Is it finished?
-You gotta keep your head low
-La la la la
-If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Not yet.
You gotta keep your head low
-La la la la la laaa
-Keep your head, keep your head
Is he always like this?
-You gotta keep your head low
-Laaa la la la
Looking high
And looking low
For the food and firewood
I know we need to find
And I am
Keeping one eye on the sky
-And try to trust
-Ooh, ooh, ooh
That the song
He's working on
Is gonna shelter us
From the wind, the wind
-A-ooh!
-The wind
[Fates laughing]
-A-ooh!
-Huh!
Kkh!
In the darkest time of year
Why is it so bright down here?
Brighter than a carnival
It ain't right
And it ain't natural
Lover, you were gone so long
Lover, I was lonesome
So I laid a power grid
In the ground
On which you stood
And wasn't it electrifyin'
When I made the neon shine
Silver screen
Cathode ray
Brighter than the light of day
Lover, when you see that glare
Think of it as my despair
Think of it as my despair
For you
-They can't find the tune
-Orpheus.
-They can't feel the rhythm
-Orpheus!
King Hades is deafened
By a river of stone
Poor boy, working on a song.
And Lady Persephone's blinded
By a river of wine
Living in an oblivion
He did not see
the storm coming on.
His black gold flows
In the world down below
And her dark clouds roll
In the one up above
-Look up.
-Keep your head low
And that is the reason
We're on this road
And the seasons are wrong
And the wind is so strong
That's why times are so hard
It's because of the gods
The gods have forgotten
The song of their love
-Singing, laaa la la la
-Oh, keep your head
-La la la laaa
-Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low, kkh!
If you wanna
Keep your head, huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Laaa la la la la!
Looking low
And looking high
There is no food left to find
It's hard enough
To feed yourself
Let alone somebody else
I'm trying to believe
That the song
He's working on
Is gonna harbor me
-From the wind
-The wind
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
Give that back.
She was no stranger to the wind.
It's everything we have.
But she had not seen nothing.
-Orpheus
-Ooh, ooh, ooh
Like the mighty storm
she got caught in.
Orpheus!
-Shelter us
-Ooh, ooh, ooh
Only took a minute.
Harbor me
But the wrath
of the gods was in it.
Every year it's getting worse
Hadestown, hell on earth!
Did you think
I'd be impressed
With this neon necropolis?
Lover, what have you become?
Coal cars and oil drums
Warehouse walls
And factory floors
I don't know you anymore
And in the meantime
Up above
The harvest dies
And people starve
Oceans rise and overflow
It ain't right
And it ain't natural
-A-ooh!
-Lover, everything I do
-Kkh!
-I do it for the love of you
If you don't even want my love
I'll give it to
Someone who does
Someone grateful for her fate
Someone who appreciates
The comforts of a gilded cage
And doesn't try to fly away
The moment Mother Nature calls
Someone who would
Love these walls
That hold her close
And keep her safe
And think of them as my embrace
-Singing, la la la la la la la
-Keep your head
-Keep your head
-Shelter us
Think of them as my embrace
-Laaa la la la la
-Keep your head
-Keep your head
-Harbor me!
Think of them as my embrace
Of you
[audience cheering]
Hey, little songbird
Give me a song
I'm a busy man
And I can't stay long
I got clients to call
I've got orders to fill
I've got walls to build
I got riots to quell
And they're giving me hell
Back in Hades
Hey, little songbird
Cat got your tongue
Always a pity for one
So pretty and young
When poverty comes
To clip your wings
And knock the wind
Right out of your lungs
Hey, nobody sings
On empty
Strange is the call
Of this strange man
I wanna fly down
And feed at his hand
I want a nice
Soft place to land
I want to lie down forever
Hey, little songbird
You got something fine
You'd shine like a diamond
Down in the mine
And the choice is yours
If you're willing to choose
Seeing as you've got
Nothing to lose
And I could use a canary
Suddenly nothing is as it was
Where are you now
Orpheus?
Wasn't it gonna be
The two of us?
Weren't we birds
Of a feather?
Hey, little songbird
Let me guess
He's some kind of poet
And he's penniless
Give him your hand
He'll give you his
Hand-to-mouth
He'll write you a poem
When the power is out
Hey, why not fly south
For the winter?
Hey, little songbird
Look all around you
See how the vipers
And vultures surround you
And they'll take you down
They'll pick you clean
If you stick around
Such a desperate scene
See, people get mean
When the chips are down
[rattlesnake rattle]
Songbird versus rattlesnake.
Mmmm
What is it?
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
-Mmmm
-Your ticket.
And Hades gave her
a choice to make.
Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm
A ticket to the Underworld.
-Life ain't easy
-Life ain't fair
A girl's gotta fight
For her rightful share
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
-Help yourself
-To hell with the rest
Even the one
Who loves you best
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
when the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
Oh, my aching heart
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
[laughing]
Come here.
No.
[laughing]
-Take if you can
-Give if you must
Ain't nobody
But yourself to trust
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
-Aim for the heart
-Shoot to kill
If you don't do it
Then the other one will
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
And the first shall be first
And the last shall be last
Cast your eyes to heaven
You get a knife in the back
Nobody's righteous
Nobody's proud
Nobody's innocent
Now that the chips are down
Now that the, now that the
Now that the, now that the
Now that the chips
Are down
[audience cheering]
Orpheus
My heart is yours
Always was and will be
It's my gut I can't ignore
Orpheus
I'm hungry
Oh my heart
It aches to stay
But the flesh
Will have its way
Oh, the way
Is dark and long
I'm already
Gone
[rattling]
I'm gone.
[whistle blows]
[sighs]
Go ahead and lay the blame
Talk of virtue
Talk of sin
Wouldn't you
Have done the same?
In her shoes
In her skin
You can have
Your principles
When you've got a belly full
But hunger has a way with you
There's no telling
What you're gonna do
When the chips
Are down
Now that the chips
Are down
What you gonna do
When the chips are down?
Now that the chips
Are down
[audience cheering]
-Mister Hermes.
-Hey, the big artiste.
Ain't you working
on your masterpiece?
-Where's Eurydice?
-Brother, what do you care?
You'll find another
muse somewhere.
-Where is she?
-Why you wanna know?
Wherever she is,
is where I'll go.
And what if I said
she's down below?
-Down below?
-Down below.
Six feet under the ground below.
She called your name
before she went.
But I guess you
weren't listening.
No!
So, just how far
would you go for her?
To the end of time
To the end of the earth
You got a ticket?
-No.
-Yeah,
I didn't think so.
Of course, there is
another way, but--
Nah, I ain't supposed to say.
-Another way?
-Around the back.
But that ain't easy walking,
Jack.
It ain't for
the sensitive of soul.
So do you really want to go?
-With all my heart.
-[gasps]
With all your heart.
Well...
that's a start.
How to get to Hadestown
You have to take
The long way down
Through the underground
Under cover of night
Laying low
Staying out of sight
Ain't no compass, brother
Ain't no map
Just a telephone wire
And a railroad track
Keep on walking
And don't look back
Till you get
to the bottom land
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait
I'm coming with you
Wait for me!
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
River Styx is high and wide
Cinder bricks and razor wire
Walls of iron and concrete
Hound dogs howling
Round the gate
Those dogs'll lay down
And play dead
If you got the bones
If you got the bread
But if all you got
Is your own two legs
Just be glad you got 'em
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
Who are you?
Where do you think
You're going?
Who are you?
Why are you all alone?
-Who do you
-Think you are?
-Who are you
-To think that you
Can walk a road that no one
Ever walked before?
Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la
Laaa la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la la
-La la la la la la
La la la la la la la--
You're on the lam
You're on the run
Don't give your name
You don't have one
And don't look
No one in the eye
That town'll try
To suck you dry
They'll suck your brain
They'll suck your breath
They'll pluck the heart
Right out your chest
They'll truss you up
In your Sunday best
And stuff your mouth
With cotton
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming
-I'm coming, wait for me
-Wait!
I hear the walls are repeating
-Wait!
-The falling of my feet and
It sounds like drumming
-Wait!
-And I am not alone
-Wait!
-I hear the rocks and stones
-Wait!
-Echoing my song
-I'm coming
-Coming
Coming
[audience cheering]
Why do we build the wall?
My children, my children
Why do we build the wall?
Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall
To keep us free
That's why
We build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
How does the wall
Keep us free?
My children, my children
How does the wall
Keep us free?
How does the wall
Keep us free?
The wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build a wall
To keep us free
That's why
We build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
Who do we call the enemy?
My children, my children
Who do we call the enemy?
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build the wall
To keep us free
That's why
We build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
Because we have
And they have not
My children, my children
Because they want
What we have got
Because we have
And they have not
Because they want
What we have got
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build the wall
To keep us free
That's we build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
What do we have
That they should want?
My children, my children
What do we have
That they should want?
What do we have
That they should want?
We have a wall to work upon
We have work
And they have none
And our work is never done
My children, my children
And the war is never won
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out
The enemy
And we build the wall
To keep us free
That's why we build the wall
We build the wall
To keep us free
We build the wall
To keep us
Free
Then Hades told Eurydice...
There are papers to be signed.
Step into my office.
And he closed the door behind.
Now a lot can happen
behind closed doors.
That's for sure, brother.
That's a fact.
But a lot can happen
on the factory floor
when the foreman turns his back.
Anybody want a drink?
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering]
Step into my office.
I don't know about you boys...
But if you're like me
Been hanging around
This old manhole
Is bringing you down
Six feet under
Getting under your skin
Cabin fever is a-setting in
You're stir crazy
Stuck in a rut
You could use
A little pick-me-up
I can give you
What it is you crave
A little something
From the good old days
I got the wind
Right here in a jar
I got the rain on tap
At the bar
I got sunshine
Up on a shelf
Allow me
To introduce myself
Brother, what's my name?
My name is
Our Lady of the Underground
Whoo!
Brother, what's my name?
Our lady of ways
Our lady of means
Brother, what's my name?
My name is
Our Lady of the Upside Down
Wanna know my name?
I'll tell you my name
Persephone!
[audience cheering]
Come here, brother
Let me guess
It's the little things you miss
Spring flowers
Autumn leaves
Ask me, brother
And you shall receive
Or maybe these
Just ain't enough
Maybe you're looking
For some stronger stuff
I got a sight
For the sorest eye
When was the last time
You saw the sky?
Wipe away your tears, brother
Brother, I know how you feel
I can see you're blinded
By the sadness of it all
But look a little closer
And everything will be revealed
Look a little closer and
There's a crack in the wall
Whoo!
Whoo!
[trombone solo]
Ladies and gentlemen,
Daniel Higham, on the trombone!
[audience cheering]
David Kadumukasa on the cello!
[audience cheering]
Ros Stepen on the violin!
[audience cheering]
Brad Webb on drums!
[audience cheering]
Beth Symmons on the bass!
[audience cheering]
On the guitar, David Delarre!
[audience cheering]
And Tarek Merchant on the keys!
[audience cheering]
Whoo!
You want stars?
I got a skyful
Put a quarter in the slot
You'll get an eyeful
You want the moon?
I got her, too
She's right here waiting
In my pay-per-view
How long's it been?
A little moonshine
Ain't no sin
Tell my husband
To take his time
What the boss don't know
The boss won't mind
Ha!
[audience cheering]
[whistle]
-The deal is signed.
-Yes.
-About time.
-Get on the line.
I did what I had to do.
That's what they did too.
Now, in Hadestown
There were a lot of souls
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head
Working on the wall
With all their might
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep your head
Ya see, they kept
Their heads down low
Huh, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
You couldn't quite
See their faces, right
But you can hear
Them singing
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head
Swinging their hammers
In the cold hard ground
You can hear the sound
Of the pickax ringing
Huh, kkh!
If you want to keep your head
And they called it "freedom"
I'm Eurydice.
Doesn't anybody hear me?
-They can hear.
-But they don't care.
No one has
a name down here.
Mister Hades set you free
To work yourself
Into the ground
Free to spend eternity
-In the factory
-And the warehouse
Where the whistles scream
And the foremen shout
-And you're punching in
-And punching in
And punching in
And you can't punch out
And you're way down Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
Why won't anybody
look at me?
-They can look.
-But they don't see.
-You see?
-It's easier that way.
Your eyes will look
like that someday.
Down in the river of oblivion
You kiss your life goodbye
And Hades laid
His hands on you
And gave you everlasting life
And everlasting overtime
-In the mine
-In the mill
In the machinery
Your place
On the assembly line
Replaces all your memories
Way down, Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down, Hadestown
Way down under the ground
What do you mean
I'll look like that?
That's what it
looks like to forget.
-Forget what?
-Who you are.
And everything that came before.
-I have to go!
-Go, where?
-Go back.
-Oh, and where is that?
So, what was
your name again?
You've already forgotten.
You see,
it's like I said before,
a lot can happen
behind closed doors.
Eurydice was
a hungry young girl.
But she wasn't hungry anymore.
What she was instead was dead.
Dead to the world anyway.
You see, she went behind those
doors and signed her life away.
A-ooh!
Saw that wheel up in the sky
-Huh!
-Heard the big bell tolling
A-ooh!
A lot of souls have got to die
To keep the rust belt rolling
A-ooh!
A lot of spirits gotta break
To make the Underworld
Go round
Way down, Hadestown
Huh!
Way down under the
Ground
What I wanted was
To fall asleep
Close my eyes and disappear
Like a petal on a stream
A feather on the air
Lily white
And poppy red
I trembled
When he laid me out
"You won't feel a thing"
He said
"When you go down"
Nothing gonna wake you now
Now
Dreams are sweet
Until they're not
Men are kind
Until they aren't
Flowers bloom
Until they rot and fall apart
Is anybody listening?
I open my mouth
And nothing comes out
Nothing
Nothing gonna wake me
Now
[sobbing]
Flowers
I remember fields of flowers
Soft beneath my heels
Walking in the sun
I remember someone
Someone by my side
Turned his face to mine
And then I turned away
Into the shade
[crying softly]
You
The one I left behind
If you ever walk this way
Come and find me
Lying in the bed
I made
[audience cheering]
Come home with me
-It's you.
-It's me.
Orpheus
Eurydice
I called your name before--
-I know.
You heard?
No.
Mister Hermes told me so.
Whatever happened
I'm to blame
No, no.
You called my name
You came
But how'd you get here?
On the train?
No, I walked a long way
How'd you get beyond the wall?
I sang a song so beautiful
The stones wept
And they let me in
And I can sing us
Home again
No, you can't.
Yes, I can.
No, you don't understand.
Young man!
I don't think we've met before.
You're not from
around here, son.
I don't know
who the hell you are
but I can tell you don't belong.
These are working people, son.
Law-abiding citizens.
Go back to where you came from.
You're on the wrong side
of the fence.
Hades, I know this boy.
One of the unemployed.
-His name is Orpheus.
-You stay out of this.
Orpheus was a poor boy.
Do you hear me, son?
You might say he was naive.
You better run!
This poor boy
raised up his voice
with his heart
out on his sleeve.
No, Orpheus, you should go.
I'm not going back alone.
I came to take her home.
[laughs]
Who the hell
do you think you are?
Who the hell do you think
you're talking to?
She couldn't go anywhere
even if she wanted to.
You are not
from around here, son.
If you were,
then you would know
that everything and everyone
in Hadestown, I own!
But I only buy
what others choose to sell.
Oh, you didn't know?
She signed the deal herself.
-And now she
-It isn't true.
-belongs to me.
-It isn't true!
What he said--
-Eurydice!
-I did!
I do.
As for you...
Everybody gather round!
Everybody look and see!
What becomes of trespassers
with no respect for property.
Why the struggle?
Why the strain?
Why make trouble?
Why make scenes?
Why go against the grain?
Why swim upstream?
It ain't, it ain't
It ain't no use
You're bound, you're bound
You're bound to lose
What's done, what's done
What's done is done
That's the way the river runs
So why get wet?
Why break a sweat?
Why waste your precious breath?
Why beat your handsome brow?
Nothing changes
Nothing changes
Nothing changes
Anyhow
[audience cheering]
If it's true what they say
If there's nothing to be done
If it's true that it's too late
And the girl I love is gone
If it's true what they say
Is this how the world is?
To be beaten and betrayed
And then be told
That nothing changes
It'll always be like this
If it's true what they say
I'll be on my way
Huh!
And the boy turned to go.
Huh!
'Cos he thought
no one could hear.
Huh!
But everybody knows
that walls have ears.
-And the workers heard him
-Kkh!
-If it's true what they say
-Huh!
-With their hammer swinging
-Kkh!
-What's the purpose of a man?
-Huh!
-And they quit their working
-Kkh!
Just to turn his eyes away
-When they heard him singing
-Kkh
Just to throw up
Both his hands
No hammer swinging
What's the use
Of his backbone?
No pickax ring
If he never stands upright
And they stood and listened
If he turns his back
On everyone
To the poor boy sing
That he could have
Stood beside
If it's true what they say
I'll be on my way
But who are they to say
What the truth is anyway?
Ask the ones
Who tell the lies
Ahh
Are the solemnest to swear
And the ones
Who load the dice
Hmm
Always say the toss is fair
And the ones
Who deal the cards
Deal the cards
Are the ones
Who take the tricks
Ahh
With their hands
Over their hearts
Mmmm
While we play the game they fix
And the ones
Who speak the word
Speak the word
Always say it is the last
Mmmm
And no answer
Will be heard
To the question no one asks
So I'm asking if it's true!
I'm asking me and you
And you
And you
I believe our answer matters
More than anything they say
We stand and listen
We stand
I believe if there is
Still a will
Then there is still a way
We're standing with him
I believe there is a way
I believe in us together
More than anyone alone
We're standing near him
Near him
I believe that with each other
We are stronger than we know
We hear him
I believe we're stronger
Than they know
I believe that we are many
I believe that they are few
-We're standin'
-We're standin'
And it isn't for the few
To tell the many what is true
We understand him
So I ask you
If it's true what they say
Standin'
I'll be on my way
Standin'
Tell me what to do?
Standin'
Is it true?
Is it true what they say?
[audience cheering]
What are you afraid of?
What?
He's just a boy in love.
Have a drink, why don't you?
No, I've had enough.
He loves that girl, Hades.
Well, that's too bad.
He has the kind of love for her
that you and I once had.
The girl means nothing to me.
I know, but she means
everything to him.
So?
Let her go.
Hades, my husband
Hades, my light
Hades, my darkness
If you had heard
How he sang tonight
You'd pity poor Orpheus
All of his sorrow
Won't fit in his chest
It just burns like a fire
In the pit of his chest
And his heart is a bird
On a spit in his chest
How long
How long, how long
How long?
Just as long
As Hades is King
Nothing comes
Of wishing on stars
And nothing comes
Of the songs people sing
However sorry they are
Give them a piece
And they'll take it all
Show them a crack
They'll tear down the wall
Lend them an ear
And the kingdom will fall
The kingdom will fall
For a song
What does he care
For the logic of kings?
The laws of your Underworld
It is only for love
That he sings
He sings
For the love of a girl
You and your pity
Don't fit in my bed
You just burn like a fire
In the pit of my bed
And I turn like a bird
On a spit in my bed
How long
How long, how long?
How long?
Just as long
As I am your wife
It's true
The earth must die
But then the earth
Comes back to life
And the sun
Must go on rising
And how does the sun
Even fit in the sky?
It just burns like a fire
In the pit of the sky
And the earth is a bird
On a spit in the sky
How long, how long
How long?
[audience cheering]
Now everybody knows
that walls have ears.
-Is it true?
-Is it true?
What's that noise?
And the walls had heard
what the boy was sayin'.
-Is it true?
-Is it true?
It's the boy.
A million tons
Of stone and steel
-Is it true?
-Is it true?
Echoed his refrain
[steam whistle blows]
Oh, keep your head
Keep your head low, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh!
Oh, you gotta keep
Your head low
Keep your head
Keep your head low
Oh, you gotta
Keep your head low, kkh!
If you wanna keep your head
Huh, kkh! Oh, you gotta--
Why do we turn away
When our brother is bleeding?
Oh, keep your head
Why do we build a wall
And then call it freedom?
Oh, keep your head
If we're free
Tell me why
I can't look
In my brother's eye
-Keep your head--
-Young man!
Got to hand it to ya
Guess you don't scare easy
Do ya?
Are you brave or stupid, son?
Doesn't matter which one
'Cos it seems your song made
Quite a strong impression
On my wife
But it takes more
Than singing songs
To keep a woman in your arms
Take it from a man
No longer young
If you want
To hold a woman, son
Hang a chain
Around her throat
Made of many karat gold
Shackle her
From wrist to wrist
With sterling silver bracelets
Fill her pockets full of stones
Precious ones, diamonds
Bind her with a golden band
-Take it from an old man
-Ooh
If I raised my voice
-If I raised my voice
-If I raised my--
Keep your head low
-If I raised my head
-If I raised my head
-If I raised my head
-Keep your head low
Could I change my fate?
-Could I change
-Could I change my fate?
Keep your head low
If I raised my voice?
Could I
Could I change
The way it is?
Why do we turn away 'stead
Of standin' with him?
Oh, keep your head
Why are we digging
Our own graves for a livin'?
Oh, keep your head
If we're free, tell me why
We can't even stand upright
If we're free, tell me when
We can stand
With our fellow man
-Keep your head--
-Young man!
I was young once too
Sang a song of love like you
Son, I too was left behind
Turned on one
Too many times
-A-ooh!
-Now I sing a different song
-Kkh!
One I can depend upon
-A-ooh!
-A simple tune
-Huh!
-A steady beat
-Kkh!
-The music of machinery
-A-ooh!
-You hear that
Heavy metal sound?
-Kkh!
-The symphony of Hadestown
-A-ooh!
-And in this symphony of mine
Are power chords
And power lines
-A-ooh!
-Young man!
-You can strum your lyre
-Kkh!
I have strung
The world in wire
-A-ooh!
-Young man!
-Huh!
-You can sing your ditty
I conduct the Electric City!
[audience cheering]
I tell you what, young man
Since my wife is such a fan
And since I'm gonna
Count to three
And put you out
Of your misery
One!
Give me one more song
One more song
Before I send you
Two!
To the great beyond
Where nobody
Can hear you singing
Three!
Sing a song for me
Make me laugh
Make me weep
Make the King
Feel young again
Sing!
For an old man
[audience cheering]
King of shadows
King of shades
Hades was King
Of the Underworld
Oh, it's about me, huh?
Go on.
But he fell in love
With a beautiful lady
Who walked up above
In her mother's green field
He fell in love
With Persephone
Who was gathering flowers
In the light of the sun
And I know how it was because
He was like me
A man
In love with a woman.
Singing laaa
La la laaa la la laaa
Laaa la laaa la la la laaa
Where'd you get that melody?
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Let him finish, Hades.
Laaa la la la la la
You didn't know how
And you didn't know why
But you knew that you wanted
To take her home
You saw her alone there
Against the sky
It was like she was someone
You'd always known
Ooh
It was like you were
Holding the world
When you held her
Ooh
Like yours were the arms
That the whole world was in
And there were no words
For the way that you felt
So you opened your mouth
And you started to sing
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
No!
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la
-Laaa la la la la la la
-La la la la
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la la laaa
-Laaa la la la la la
-La la la la la la
[Orpheus] La la la la
La la la la la
-La la la la la la la
-[Orpheus] La la la la
[Orpheus] La la la la la laaa
[Company]
Laaa la la la la la laaa
[Orpheus] La la la la la laaa
[Company] La la la la la la
-[Orpheus] La la la la la la
-[Company] La la la la la la
[Company] Laaa la la la la la
Laaa la la la la la
Laaa la la la la la la
And what has become
Of the heart of that man?
La
Now that the man is king
What has become
Of the heart of that man?
Now that he has
Everything
The more he has
The more he holds
The greater the weight
Of the world on his shoulders
See how he labors
Beneath that load
Afraid to look up
And afraid to let go
So he keeps his head low
He keeps his back bending
He's grown so afraid
That he'll lose what he owns
But what he doesn't know
Is that what he's defending
Is already gone
Where is the treasure
Inside of your chest?
Where is your pleasure?
Where is your youth?
Where is the man
With his arms outstretched
To the woman he loves
With nothing to lose?
Singing laaa la la la
La la laaa
Laaa la la la la la la--
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la laaa la la
[crying softly]
Orpheus was a poor boy,
but he had a gift to give.
This poor boy brought the world
back into tune, is what he did.
And Hades and Persephone,
they took each other's hands.
And, brother,
you know what they did?
They danced.
La la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la
Laaa
La la la la la la laaa
La la la la la
Orpheus?
Yes?
You finished it.
Yes.
Now what do I do?
[audience laughing]
You take me home with you.
Let's go.
Let's go right now.
-Okay, let's go.
-Yeah.
How?
We'll walk.
You know the way.
We'll just go back
The way you came
It's a long road
It's a long walk
Back into the cold and dark
Are you sure you want to go?
Take me home.
I have no ring for your finger
I have no
Banquet table to lay
I have no bed of feathers
Whatever promises I made
I can't promise you
Fair sky above
Can't promise you
Kind road below
But I'll walk
Beside you, love
Any way the wind blows
I don't need gold
Don't need silver
Just bread when I'm hungry
Fire when I'm cold
Don't need a ring
For my finger
Just need
A steady hand to hold
Don't promise me
Fair sky above
Don't promise me
Kind road below
Just walk beside me, love
Any way the wind blows
What about him?
He'll let us go.
Look at him.
He can't say no.
What about them?
We'll show the way.
If we can do it, so can they.
I don't know
Where this road will end
But I'll walk it with you
Hand in hand
I can't promise you
Fair sky above
Can't promise you
Kind road below
But I'll walk
Beside you, love
Any way the wind blows
And do you let me
walk with you?
-I do.
-I do.
I do.
And keep on walking
Come what will?
-I will
-I will
We will
And so the poor boy
asked the King.
Can we go?
And this is how he answered him.
I don't know.
-Gotta think quick
-Gotta save face
Caught 'tween a rock
And a hard place
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do now?
-If you tell 'em no
-Oh
You're a heartless man
And you're gonna have
A martyr on your hands
-If you let him go
-Oh
You're a spineless King
And you're never gonna
Get 'em in line again
Damned if you don't
Damned if you do
Whole damn-nation's
Watching you
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do?
What you gonna do now?
Here's a little tip
Word to the wise
Hmm, here's a little
Snippet of advice
Men are fools
Oh, men are frail
Give them the rope
And they'll hang themselves
The devil take this Orpheus.
And his belladonna kiss.
Beautiful.
Poisonous.
Lovely.
Deadly.
Dangerous this Jack of Hearts
With his kiss
The riot starts
All my children
Came here poor
Clamoring for bed and board
Now what do they clamor for?
Freedom
Freedom
Have I made myself their lord
Just to fall upon the sword
Of some pauper's minor chord
Who will lead them?
Who lays all
The best-laid plans?
Who makes work
For idle hands?
Only one thing to be done
Let them go
But let there be some term
To be agreed upon
Some condition
Orpheus, the undersigned
Shall not turn to look behind
She's out of sight
And he is out of his mind
Every coward seems courageous
In the safety of a crowd
Bravery can be contagious
When the band is playing loud
Nothing makes a man so bold
As a woman's smile
And a hand to hold
But all alone
His blood runs thin
And doubt comes
Doubt comes in
What is it?
Well, the good news is,
he said that you can go.
-He did?
-He did?
[Chorus] He did?
He did...
There's bad news, though.
What is it?
You can walk,
but it won't be
like you planned.
-What do you mean?
-Why not?
Well, you won't be hand in hand.
You won't be arm in arm,
side by side, and all of that.
He said that you
have to walk in front
and she has to walk in back.
Why?
And if you turn around
to make sure she's coming too,
then she goes back to Hadestown
and ain't nothing you can do.
But why?
Why build walls?
Make folks walk single file?
Divide and conquer's
what it's called.
-It's a trap?
-It's a trial.
Do you trust each other?
-Do you trust yourselves?
-We do.
Well, listen, brother,
if you want to walk out of hell,
you're gonna have to prove it
before gods and men.
Can you do that?
We can.
Alright, time to go.
Mister Hermes.
Yes.
It's not a trick?
No!
It's a test.
The meanest dog
You'll ever meet
He ain't the hound dog
In the street
He bares some teeth
And tears some skin
But, brother
That's the worst of him
Now the dog
You really gotta dread
Is the one that howls
Inside your head
It's him whose howling
Drives men mad
And a mind to its undoing
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
Show me the way
So we can see
Show the way
The world could be
If you can do it, so can she
If she can do it, so can we
Show the way
Show the way
The world could be
Show the way so we believe
We will follow
Where you lead
We will follow if you
Show the way
-You think they'll make it?
-I don't know.
Show the way
Hades, you let them go.
Show the way
I let them try.
-And how about you and I?
-Show the way
-Are we gonna try again?
-Show the way
It's time for spring.
We'll try again next fall.
-Wait for me.
-I will.
Wait for me
I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming too
Who are you?
Who do you think you are?
Who are you?
Who are you telling her?
Who are you to lead them?
-Who are you
-To think that you can
Hold your head up higher
Than your fellow man?
You got
A lonesome road to walk
And it ain't along
The railroad track
And it ain't along
The blacktop tar
You've walked
A hundred times before
I'll tell you
Where the real road lies
Between your ears
Behind your eyes
That is the path
To Paradise
Likewise the road to ruin
-Wait for me, I'm coming
-I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
-Wait for me, I'm coming too
-I'm coming
Wait for me
-I'm coming
-I'm coming
- I'm coming
-Wait, I'm coming with you
-I'm coming
-Wait, I'm coming
Show the way
-I'm coming, wait from me
-Show the way
-I hear the wall repeating
-Show the way
The falling of our feet and
-It sounds like drumming
-Show the way
-And we are not alone
-Show the way
-I hear the rocks and stones
-Show the way
Echoing our song
-I'm coming
-Coming, coming
[audience cheering]
Laaa la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la laaa
Doubt comes in
The wind is changing
Doubt comes in
How cold it's blowing
Doubt comes in
And meets a stranger
Walking on a road alone
Where is she?
Where is she now?
Doubt comes in
Who am I?
-Where do I think I'm going?
-Doubt comes in
Who am I?
-Why am I alone?
-Doubt comes in
Who do I think I am?
Who am I to think
That she would follow me
Into the cold
And dark again?
Where is she?
Where is she now?
Orpheus
-Are you listening?
-Are you listening?
-I'm right here
-We are all right here
-And I will be till the end
-Will be till the end
-And the coldest night
-Coldest night
-Of the coldest year
-Coldest year
Comes right before the spring
Laaa la la la la la laaa
Laaa la la la la laaa
Who am I?
Who am I against him?
Who am I?
Why would he let me win?
Why would he let her go?
Who am I to think
That he wouldn't deceive me
Just to make me leave alone
-Doubt comes in
-Is this a trap
-The wind is changing
-that's being laid for me?
Doubt comes in
Is this a trick...
-How dark it's growing
-...that's being played on me?
Doubt comes in
I used to see...
-And meets a stranger
-...the way the world could be
-Walking on the road alone
-But now the way it is
Is all I see and--
Where is she?
Where is she now?
Orpheus
You are not alone
I am right behind you
And I have been all along
And the darkest hour
Of the darkest night
Comes right before
It's you.
It's me.
Orpheus
Eurydice
[gasps]
Alright.
It's an old song
It's an old tale
From way back
When
It's an old song
And that is how it ends.
That's how it goes
Don't ask why, brother
Don't ask how
He could have come so
Close
The song was written long ago
And that is how it goes.
It's a sad song
It's a sad tale
It's a tragedy.
It's a sad song
But we sing it anyway.
'Cos here's the thing.
To know how it ends
and still begin
to sing it again
as if it might
turn out this time.
I learned that
from a friend of mine.
Mmmm
See, Orpheus was a poor boy.
Anybody got a match?
-But he had a gift to give.
-Give me that.
He can make you see
how the world could be
In spite of the way
That it is
Can you see it?
Mmmm
Can you hear it?
Mmmm
Can you feel it, like a train?
Is it coming?
Is it coming this way?
On a sunny day
There was a railroad car
And a lady
Stepping off a train
Everybody looked
And everybody saw
That spring had come again
-With a love song
-With a love song
With a love song
With a tale of love
From long ago
-It's a sad song
-Sad song
It's a sad song
But we keep singing
Even so
It's an old song
-Old song
-Old song
It's an old tale
From way back when
And we're going to sing it
Again and again
We're gonna sing
We're gonna sing
-It's a love song
-It's a love song
It's a love song
It's a tale of love
From long ago
It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
-It's a sad song
But we keep singing
Even so
-It's an old song
-It's an old song
It's an old, old, old song
From way back when
And we're going to sing it
Again and again
We're going to sing it again
[audience cheering]
Pour the wine
And raise a cup
Drink up, brothers
You know how
And spill a drop for Orpheus
Wherever he is now
Some birds sing
When the sun shines bright
Our praise is not for them
But the ones who sing
In the dead of night
We raise our cups to them
Wherever he is wandering
Alone upon the earth
Let all our singing follow him
And bring him comfort
Some flowers bloom
Where the green grass grows
Our praise is not for them
But the ones who bloom
In the bitter snow
We raise our cups to them
We raise our cups
And drink them up
We raise them high
And drink them dry
To Orpheus
And all of us
Good night, brothers
Good night
[audience cheering]
[lively music playing]
[audience cheering]
[audience cheering fades]
["Wedding Song,"
instrumental version playing]
[music fades]
Swing it back and--
[Woman]
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me
I'm coming too
I'm coming
Wait!
Wait
[Man] Maybe not quite as big?
Wait
Wait
-[Man] On the fourth one,
-[Woman] Uh-huh.
[Man] we stop it.