Ever After lyrics
by Stephen Sondheim
[NARRATOR, spoken]
And it came to pass, all that seemed wrong was now right
And those who deserved to were certain to live a long and happy life
Ever after...
[COMPANY]
Ever after!
[NARRATOR]
Journey over, all is mended
And it's not just for today
But tomorrow, and extended
Ever after!
[COMPANY]
Ever after!
[NARRATOR]
All the curses have been ended
The reverses wiped away
All is tenderness and laughter
For forever
After!
[COMPANY]
Happy now and happy hence
And happy ever after!
[NARRATOR]
There were dangers—
[COMPANY]
We were frightened—
[NARRATOR]
And confusions—
[COMPANY]
But we hid it—
[NARRATOR]
And the paths would often swerve
[COMPANY]
We did not
[NARRATOR]
There were constant—
[COMPANY]
It's amazing—
[NARRATOR]
Disillusions—
[COMPANY]
That we did it
[NARRATOR]
But they never lost their nerve
[COMPANY]
Not a lot
[NARRATOR & MEN]
And they (we) reached the right conclusions
[WOMEN]
And we got what we deserve!
[COMPANY]
Not a sigh and not a sorrow
Tenderness and laughter
Joy today and bliss tomorrow
And forever after!
[FLORINDA]
I was greedy
[LUCINDA]
I was vain
[FLORINDA]
I was haughty
[LUCINDA]
I was smug
[FLORINDA & LUCINDA]
We were happy
[LUCINDA]
It was fun
[FLORINDA]
But we were blind
[FLORINDA & LUCINDA]
Then we went into the woods
To get our wish
And now we're really blind
[WITCH]
I was perfect
I had everything but beauty
I had power
And a daughter like a flower
In a tower
Then I went into the woods
To get my wish
And now I'm ordinary
Lost my power and my flower
[FLORINDA & LUCINDA]
We're unworthy
[FLORINDA, LUCINDA & WITCH]
We're (I'm) unhappy now, unhappy hence
As well as ever after
Had we used our common sense
Been worthy of our discontents—
[WOMEN]
To be happy, and forever
You must see your wish come true
[COMPANY]
Don't be careful, don't be clever
When you see your wish, pursue
It's a dangerous endeavor
But the only thing to do—
[GROUP 1, GROUP 2, GROUP 3]
Though it's fearful
Though it's deep
Though it's dark
And though you may
Lose the path
Though you may
Encounter wolves (Though it's fearful)
Though it's deep
You mustn't stop (Though it's dark)
You mustn't swerve (And though you may)
Lose the path
You mustn't ponder (Though you may)
Encounter wolves (Though it's fearful)
Though it's deep
You have to act! (You mustn't stop) (Though it's dark)
When you know your (You mustn't swerve) (And though you may)
Wish (Lose the path)
You have to act! (Though you may)
If you want your wish (Encounter wolves)
You can have your wish (You can have your wish) (You mustn't swerve)
Or ponder
But you can't just wish— (But you can't just wish—) (You can't just wish—)
No, to get your wish (No, to get your wish) (No, to get your wish)
[COMPANY]
You go into the woods
Where nothing's clear
Where witches, ghosts
And wolves appear
Into the woods
And through the fear
You have to take the journey
Into the woods
And down the dell
In vain perhaps
But who can tell?
[MEN]
Into the woods to lift the spell
[WOMEN]
Into the woods to lose the longing
[MEN]
Into the woods to have the child
[WOMEN]
To wed the Prince
[MEN]
To get the money
[WOMEN]
To save the house
[MEN]
To kill the wolf
[WOMEN]
To find the father
[MEN]
To conquer the kingdom
[COMPANY]
To have, to wed
To get, to save
To kill, to keep
To go to the Festival!
Into the woods
Into the woods
Into the woods
Then out of the woods
And happy ever after!