Prologue - Gary Beach, Tim Bowman, Reece Holland, Jordan Bennett, Raymond Saar, Philip Quast, Gary Morris & Les Misérables: International Cast: Song Lyrics, Music Videos & Concerts

Gary Beach, Tim Bowman, Reece Holland, Jordan Bennett, Raymond Saar, Philip Quast, Gary Morris & Les Misérables: International Cast

Prologue

1,397

Musicals

Prologue was released on January 1, 1988 by First Night Records as a part of the album Les Misérables (The Complete Symphonic Recording)

Song Details

AlbumLes Misérables (The Complete Symphonic Recording)

Release DateJanuary 1, 1988

LabelFirst Night Records

LanguageEnglish

Melodicness

Acousticness

Valence

Danceability

Energy

BPM83

OVERVIEW

LYRICS

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS

Gary Beach

Performer

Tim Bowman

Performer

Reece Holland

Performer

Jordan Bennett

Performer

Les Misérables: International Cast

Les Misérables: International Cast

Performer

Raymond Saar

Performer

Philip Quast

Performer

Gary Morris

Performer

Glynn Kerslake

Performer

James Francis Johnson

James Francis Johnson

Performer

Diedre Forrest

Performer

Julian Forsyth

Performer

Ken Caswell

Performer

Peter Gantenbein

Peter Gantenbein

Performer

Bruce Winant

Performer

COMPOSITION & LYRICS

Alain Boublil

Composer

Claude-Michel Schönberg

Claude-Michel Schönberg

Composer

Lyrics

Look down, look down

Don't look 'em in the eye

Look down, look down

You're here until you die

The sun is strong

It's hot as Hell below

Look down, look down

There's twenty years to go

I've done no wrong

Sweet Jesus, hear my prayer

Look down, look down

Sweet Jesus doesn't care

I know she'll wait

I know that she'll be true

Look down, look down

They've all forgotten you

When I get free, you won't see me

Here for dust

Look down, look down

Don't look 'em in the eye

How long, oh Lord

Before you let me die?

Look down, look down

You'll always be a slave

Look down, look down

You're standing in your grave

Now, bring me Prisoner 24601

Your time is up and your parole's begun

You know what that means

Yes, it means I'm free

No!

It means you get your yellow ticket-of-leave

You are a thief

I stole a loaf of bread

You robbed a house!

I broke a window pane

My sister's child was close to death

And we were starving

You will starve again

Unless you learn the meaning of the law

I know the meaning of those nineteen years

A slave of the law

Five years for what you did

The rest because you tried to run, yes, 24601

My name is Jean Valjean!

And I'm Javert

Do not forget my name

Do not forget me, 24601

Look down, look down

You'll always be a slave

Look down, look down

You're standing in your grave

Freedom is mine

The earth is still

I feel the wind

I breathe again

And the sky clears

The world is waking

Drink from the pool

How clean the taste

Never forget the years, the waste

Nor forgive them

For what they've done

They are the guilty, everyone

The day begins

And now, let's see

What this new world

Will do for me

You'll have to go

I'll pay you off for the day

Collect your bits and pieces there

And be on your way

You have given me half

What the other men get

This handful of tin

Wouldn't buy my sweat

You broke the law

It's there for people to see

Why should you get the same

As honest men like me?

Now, every door is closed to me

Another jail, another key, another chain

For when I come to any town

They check my papers and they find the mark of Cain

In their eyes, I see their fear

"We do not want you here"

My rooms are full

And I've no supper to spare

I'd like to help a stranger

All we want is to be fair

I will pay in advance

I can sleep in a barn

You see how dark it is

I'm not some kind of dog

You'll leave my house

Or feel the weight of my rod

We're law-abiding people here

Thanks be to God

And now, I know how freedom feels

The jailer always at your heels

It is the law

This piece of paper in my hand

That makes me cursed throughout the land

It is the law

Like a cur

I walk the street

The dirt beneath their feet

Come in, Sir, for you are weary

And the night is cold out there

Though our lives are very humble

What we have, we have to share

There is wine here to revive you

There is bread to make you strong

There's a bed to rest till morning

Rest from pain, and rest from wrong

He let me eat my fill, I had the lion's share

This silver in my hand costs twice what I had earned

In all those nineteen years, a lifetime of despair

And yet, he trusted me

The old fool trusted me, he'd done his bit of good

I played the grateful serf and thanked him like I should

But when the house was still, I got up in the night

Took the silver, took my flight

Tell his reverence your story

Let us see if he's impressed

You were lodging here last night

You were the honest Bishop's guest

And then out of Christian goodness

When he learned about your plight

You maintain he made a present of this silver

That is right

But my friend, you left so early

Surely something slipped your mind

You forgot I gave these also

Would you leave the best behind?

So, M'sieurs, you may release him

For this man has spoken true

I commend you for your duty

And God's blessing go with you

But remember this, my brother

See in this some higher plan

You must use this precious silver

To become an honest man

By the witness of the martyrs

By the Passion and the Blood

God has raised you out of darkness

I have bought your soul for God

Written by: Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg

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