ABC Caf¿/Red And Black - Michael Ball, Michael Maguire, Anthony Crivello

Students, workers, everyone

There’s a river on the run

Like the flowing of the tide

Paris coming to our side!

The time is near

So near it’s stirring the blood in their veins!

And yet beware

Don’t let the wine go to your brains!

For the army we fight is a dangerous foe

With the men and the arms that we never can match

It is easy to sit here and swat 'em like flies

But the national guard will be harder to catch.

We need a sign

To rally the people

To call them to arms

To bring them in line!

Marius, you’re late.

And what’s wrong today?

You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.

Some wine and say what’s going on!

A ghost you say… a ghost maybe

She was just like a ghost to me

One minute there, then she was gone!

I am agog!

I am aghast!

Is Marius in love at last?

I’ve never heard him 'ooh' and 'aah'

You talk of battles to be won

And here he comes like Don Ju-an

It’s better than an o-per-a!

It is time for us all

To decide who we are

Do we fight for the right

To a night at the opera now?

Have you asked of yourselves

What’s the price you might pay?

Is it simply a game

For rich young boys to play?

The color of the world

Is changing day by day…

Red — the blood of angry men!

Black — the dark of ages past!

Red — a world about to dawn!

Black — the night that ends at last!

Had you been there today

You might know how it feels

To be struck to the bone

In a moment of breathless delight!

Had you been there today

You might also have known

How the world may be changed

In just one burst of light!

And what was right seems wrong

And what was wrong seems right!

Red…

I feel my soul on fire!

Black…

My world if she’s not there!

Red…

The color of desire!

Black…

The color of despair!

Marius, you’re no longer a child

I do not doubt you mean it well

But now there is a higher call.

Who cares about your lonely soul?

We strive toward a larger goal

Our little lives don’t count at all!

Red — the blood of angry men!

Black — the dark of ages past!

Red — a world about to dawn!

Black — the night that ends at last!

Well, Courfeyrac, do we have all the guns?

Feuilly, Combeferre, our time is running short.

Grantaire, put the bottle down!

Do we have the guns we need?

Give me brandy on my breath

And I’ll breathe them all to death!

In St. Antoine they’re with us to a man!

In Notre Dame they’re tearing up the stones!

Twenty rifles good as new!

(Gavroche rushes in shouting)

Listen!

Twenty rounds for every man!

Listen to me!

Double that in Port St. Cloud!

Listen everybody!

Seven guns in St. Martin!

General Lamarque is dead!

Lamarque is dead.

Lamarque!

His death is the hour of fate.

The people’s man.

His death is the sign we await!

On his funeral day they will honor his name.

Light of rebellion ablaze in their eyes

In the candles of weak we will kindle our flame

To the tune of our march shall our barricade rise.

The time is here!

Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer

Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts

With jubilant shout

They will come one and all

They will come when we cal