Wedding Chorale / Beggars at the Feast lyrics

[MARIUS and COSETTE lead a wedding procession.]

[GUESTS]
Ring out the bells upon this day of days
May all the angels of the Lord above
In jubilation (In)
Sing their songs of praise (Jubilation, sing their songs of praise)
And crown this
Blessed time with peace and love (And crown this blessed time)
(Peace and love)

[The procession becomes a dancing celebration. A waltz is played.]

[MAJOR DOMO, spoken]
The Baron and Baroness de Thénard
Wish to pay their respects to the groom

[THÉNARDIER]
I forget where we met
Was it not at the Chateau Lafarge
Where the Duke did that puke
Down the Duchess's décolletage?

[MARIUS]
No, "Baron de Thénard"
The circles I move in are humbler by far
Go away, Thénardier
Do you think I don't know who you are?
[MADAME THÉNARDIER]
He's not fooled, told you so
Show Monsieur what you've come here to show
Tell the boy what you know

[The waltz finishes.]

[MARIUS]
When I look at you, I remember Éponine
She was more than you deserved, who gave her birth
But now she is with God and happier, I hope
Than here on earth

[The waltz starts up again.]

[THÉNARDIER]
So it goes, heaven knows
Life has dealt me some terrible blows

[MADAME THÉNARDIER]
You've got cash and a heart
You could give us a bit of a start
We can prove, plain as ink
Your bride's father is not what you think

[THÉNARDIER]
There's a tale I could tell
[MADAME THÉNARDIER]
Information we're willing to sell

[THÉNARDIER]
There's a man what he slew
I saw the corpse clear as I'm seeing you
What I tell you is true

[MADAME THÉNARDIER]
Pity to disturb you at a feast like this
But five hundred francs surely wouldn't come amiss

[MARIUS]
In God's name, say what you have to say

[THÉNARDIER]
But first you pay!

[MARIUS pays THÉNARDIER.]

What I saw, clear as light
Jean Valjean in the sewer that night
Had this corpse on his back
Hanging there like a bloody great sack
I was there, never fear
Even found me this fine souvenir
[THÉNARDIER shows MARIUS a ring.]

[MARIUS]
I know this, this was mine
This is surely some heavenly sign

[THÉNARDIER]
One thing more, mark this well
It was the night that the barricades fell

[MARIUS]
Then it's true, then I'm right
Jean Valjean was my savior that night!
As for you, take this too!

[MARIUS punches THÉNARDIER, then throws money at him.]

[THÉNARDIER, spoken]
Oh!

[MARIUS]
God forgive us the things that we do
Come my love, come Cosette
This day's blessings are not over yet

[The THÉNARDIERS begin to dance. MARIUS and COSETTE leave.]

[THÉNARDIER]
Ain't it a laugh?
Ain't it a treat?
Hob-nobbing here among the elite?
Here comes a prince
There goes a Jew
This one's a queer, but what can you do?

Paris at my feet
Paris in the dust
And here's me breaking bread with the upper crust

Beggar at the feast
Master of the dance
Life is easy pickings if you takes your chance
Everywhere you go
Law-abiding folk
Doing what is decent, but they're mostly broke!

Singing to the Lord on Sundays
Praying for the gifts He'll send

[THÉNARDIER & MADAME THÉNARDIER]
But we're the ones who take it
We're the ones who make it in the end

Watch the buggers dance
Watch 'em till they drop
Keep your wits about you and you stand on top!
Masters of the land
Always get our share
Clear away the barricades and we're still there!

We know where the wind is blowing
Money is the stuff we smell
And when we're rich as Croesus
Jesus! Won't we see you all in hell!