1. Overture / There Was A Man

THERE WAS A MAN
 

[MARTHA]

There was a man, there was a man.
And he was more than a man, in a land where the faint dare not go.

There was a time, fading from view.
Before the lines of battle designs, stole all we knew

 [TUCKER]

When a man's word was good as gold 

[VANCE & TUCKER]

And honor was the page on which he wrote

[VOICES JOIN THEM]

And everybody knew each other's names, each other's lives  

[MARTHA & ALL] 

There was a man.(There was a man)

There was a time(There was a time)

When this was our land (this was our land)

And this was our town. 

[SARGE]                       There was a man

(Women)                      (He was a man of strength and character) 

[JUDGE]                        He was a fool

(Women)                      (He was a man of courage and honor) 

[SARGE]                       He was a coward, an outlaw, a rebel who broke every rule!

(Women)                      (He was the best of our kind!) 

[SHARKER]                   Now there was a man..

(EXECUTIONER)            (I had to watch him swing in front of me) 

[SHARKER]                   Gallant and strong

(EXECUTIONER) (I had to watch him suffer) 

[SHARKER]                   The kind of a man, who'd take a stand

[JUDGE & SARGE] Even when wrong!

(EXECUTIONER) (His innocence still haunts me!) 

[MARTHA]                     We built our families on this rocky soil, 

[MEN]                           Slaving every day in earthly toil, 

[MEN & WOMEN]            Side by side we watched the seasons change, and all along, 

[MARTHA & ALL]           

There was a man (there was a man)

There was a time (there was a time)

There was a land (there was a land)

And there was a town. 

[MEN]                           Somewhere in the distance, bugles cried 

[WOMEN]                      We watched in horror as our sons and husbands answered!

[MEN]                           Men were men and boys were boys 

[ALL]                            Willing to join in the fight 

[MARTHA & ALL]           

There was a man (there was a man)

There was a time (there was a time)

There was a land (there was a land)

There was a town (there was a town)

There was a man (there was a man)

There was a BOY!

[PAULINE] 

Just say you love me, that's all I need.
To open treasure, first you must find a key.
I'm not a lady, but I'm worth more than free!
Just say you love me, how hard can it be? 

What are you afraid of?  Why are you so scared?
Is is something you're ashamed of, telling me that you care? 

Just for tonight whisper into my ears,
Those simple words that I always have longed to hear and
I'll be your princess, and make you my king!
Just say you love me, and you'll have everything! 

What are you afraid of?  Though the words are few,
They're what life is made of couldn't you?  Wouldn't you?

Just say you love me, and we'll be "more than friends"
 

 TOM                             What's worth fighting for, when it's all said and done?

                                    Is it worth dying for, when the hellish battle's won?

WILLY                           I long for another time '.spent with family and friends

What gets me through the night

'.and through the fight

is the hope that 

WILLY & TOM                 I'm finding my way home, marching my way through the war,

I'm just finding my way home, cause home is the only thing that is worth fighting for  

TOM                             What's worth fighting for?

BOY                              I just want to get home'

            Back where It's safe and warm' back to Ma, who's all alone 

VANCE                          What's worth living for'

            Seeing her smile when she wakes 

OLD TIMER                    If I should die tonight, know that I'm in my glory and' 

EVERYONE                     Finding my way home,

Marching my way through this war.

I'm just finding my way home, cause home is the only thing that is worth fighting  for'.

[MARTHA]

Not long ago, there weren't shadows' these were arms of welcome shade;

Now all that's left are the memories, silently replayed'.     

(in our hearts')

[CHILD 1]                    

We used to swing from these branches                          

                                                                                                 (for our children')

[CHILD 2]

Climbing high we'd laugh and we'd play

 [ALL]

We never gave thought to what we had, up until that day!

[MAN 1 & 2]                                                                                    [MARTHA]

Not long ago this was our land                                       Now this land is their land                                                                                      And this road is their road

This road led the way'to                                               Now this land is their land

                                                                                  And our home is their home

Our town, our homes, our community,                           Now this tree is their tree

                                                                                   Standing in their shadow

To the church we prayed'                                             Now this land is their land

                                                                                   And our home is their home

 (For our lives')                                                           Now this land is their land'

 [YOUNG PERSON]                                                                                 [MAN 2]

We used to call to each other                                         [The BELL!  The BELL!]

                                                                                  And our road is their road'

(For our children')                                                       Now this land is their land

[YOUNG PERSON 2]                                                                  [MAN 2]

And from our porches waved'                                 [The BELL, they stole the BELL!]

                                                                                 And our home is their home

[ALL]                                                                                                  [Man 2]

We never gave thought to LIBERTY                                [The BELL'of'LIBERTY]

UP UNTIL THAT DAY!                                                     UP UNTIL THAT DAY!

Don't try to
Tell me what to do ya stinkin' piece-a-crap, you ugly fool
--Pickin' on a lady, such as me!  You think
Because you're wearin' blue, you got a right to push old ladies too?
Ladies such as me... (or is it ladies such as I?)

Back to your
Sty you filthy swine, (no offense to pigs 'n all their kind),
--Pickin' on a lady, such as me!  I've wiped my
Rear with better than you--cleaned purdier turds from under my shoes
A lady such as me... (or is it lady such as I?) 

[sniff]

What's that I smell?  I could swear something died...
Is it your breath or your armpits?  I just can't decide...

It'd take the
Runt of a litter like you to grow to the biggest jackass to be
--Pickin' on a lady, such as me!  If I were
You I'd be ashamed of pickin' on a lady as my game,
A lady such as me... (or is it lady such as I?)

 {SPOKEN}

{You sorry excuse for a peckerhead...calling ME 'white trash'?  And while we're on the subject of pecker heads, why, I bet your's is only this big'and that's fully growed...but the GOOD lord was merciful in that he gave you matching tiny little  balls...'bout the size of peas I 'suspect..}

 I'm so disgusted the men of our town,
Could lose it all to a man with less sense than a hound... 

Speakin' of
Dogs, they lick themselves clean, (you don't bother washin', know what I mean?)
--Pickin' on a lady, such as me!

'And by the
way it wouldn't hurt if one day you would kindly wash your shirt'
For ladies such as me... (or is it ladies such as I?) 

          SARGE

(YOU'D BETTER SHUT UP you B...)

        MARTHA

You wear your dinner well...

        SARGE {SPOKEN}

(WHAT!?)   

         MARTHA

....you got egg on your lapel!   

         SARGE {SPOKEN}

(HUH? WHAT'RE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?...) 

          MARTHA

[sniff sniff]...What is that I smell?   

           SARGE {SPOKEN}

(WHERE?!?) 

           MARTHA

Sulpher-pits-of-hell?   

           SARGE {SPOKEN}

(ALRIGHT, THAT DOES IT...) 

           MARTHA

Have I made myself perfectly clear, young man, you can go to HELL!! 

MARTHA {SPOKEN}

(Yew might wanna wash that shirt first!)

My beloved wife as I write tonight, I can almost feel you near,
Even though you're miles away'
Every waking minute of my life is spent with you in mind,
If I never tell ya, I know I'm one lucky fella' 

But when I hear the sound of children laughing now,
Well, it almost brings me to tears'
Longing for the family we share;
I cease to understand what I'm doing here, when I wish that I were home'
Right there next to you, and the children too,
Instead of here, alone, oh, 

I'm missing you'more than flowers need rain,
I need you'when I'm thirsting with pain,
Only you'are the hope I depend on'
'Til we meet again, I'll be missing you. 

And every lonely night that you're not by my side
Is spent in quiet despair
Questioning the reason I'm here'
Oh I'm following orders from a "higher command"'
Given by someone who'll never understand that
When it comes to me, I've begun to see,
Something greater than glory oh

I'm missing you!                                   (mothers' response: 'I'm missing you'')

More than flowers need rain

I need you!                                          (mothers' response: 'I need you'')

When I'm thirsting in pain

Only you                                              (mothers' response: 'Only you')

Are the light I depend on

'Til we meet again                                 (mothers too: 'Til we meet again)

I'll be missing'you                                (mothers too: 'I'll be missing'you)