Red And Black (The Abc Cafe) Lyrics

     [The ABC Cafe, where the students, led by Enjolras,
     meet to discuss their revolutionary plans.]

Combeferre
     At Notre Dame
     The sections are prepared!

Feuilly
     At rue de Bac
     They're straining at the leash!

Courfeyrac
     Students, workers, everyone
     There's a river on the run
     Like the flowing of the tide
     Paris coming to our side!

Enjolras
     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
     Oh, it's 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 enters.]

     Marius, you're late.

Joly
     What's wrong today?
     You look as if you've seen a ghost.

Grantaire
     Some wine and say what's going on!

Marius
     A ghost you say... a ghost maybe
     She was just like a ghost to me
     One minute there, and she was gone!

Grantaire
     I am agog!
     I am aghast!
     Is Marius in love at last?
     I have never heard him `ooh' and `aah'
     You talk of battles to be won
     But here he comes like Don Ju-an
     It's better than an o-per-a!

Enjolras
     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!

Marius
     Had you been there tonight
     You might know how it feels
     To be struck to the bone
     In a moment of breathless delight!
     Had you been there tonight
     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...

Grantaire [mocking...]
     Red...

Marius
     I feel my soul on fire!

Grantaire
     Black...

Marius
     My world if she's not there...

All
     Red...

Marius
     The color of desire!

All
     Black...

Marius
     The color of despair!

Enjolras
     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!

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!

Enjolras
     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?

Grantaire [drunk]
     Give me brandy on my breath
     And I'll breath 'em all to death!

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

Combeferre
     In Notre Dame they're tearing up the stones!

Feuilly
     Twenty rifles good as new.

     [Gavroche rushes in, shouting.]

Gavroche
     Listen!

Jean Prouvaire
     Double that in Port St. Cloud!

Gavroche
     Listen everybody!

Lesgles
     Seven guns in St. Martin!

Gavroche
     General Lamarque
     Is dead!

Enjolras
     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.
     It's a rallying cry that will reach every ear!
     In the death of Lamarque we will kindle the flame
     They will see that the day of salvation is near!
     The time is hear!
     Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer
     Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts
     But a jubilant shout
     They will come one and all
     They will come when we call!