Carrying the Banner

Racetrack: That's my cigar
Snipeshooter: You'll steal another
Kid Blink: Hey bummers we got work to do
Specs: Since when did you become me mother?
Crutchy: Ah stop your bawling
Several newsies: Hey! Who ast you?
Mush: Try Bottle Alley or the harbor
Racetrack: Try Central Park it's guaranteed
Jack: Try any bank, or bum, or barber
Skittery: They almost all knows how to read
Kid Blink: I smell money
Crutchy: You smell foul
Mush: Met this girl last night
Crutchy: Move your elbow
Racetrack: Pass the towel
Skittery: For a buck I might!
All: Ain't it a fine life? Carrying the banner through it all
A mighty fine life  Carrying the banner tough and tall
Every morning we goes where we wishes, we's as free as fishes
Sure beats washing dishes What a fine life
Carrying the banner home-free all!
Jack: It takes a smile as sweet as butter
Crutchy: The kind that ladies can't resist
Racetrack: It takes an orphan with a stutter
Jack: Who ain't afraid to use his
Kid Blink: Fist!
All: Summer stinks and winter's waiting Welcome to New Yawk
Boy ain't nature fascinatin' When youse gotta walk?
Group 1: Still, it's a fine life Carrying the banner with me chums
Group 2: A mighty fine life Carrying the banner with me chums
Group 1: A mighty fine life Blowing every nickel as it comes
Crutchy: I'm no snoozer! Sittin' makes me antsy, I likes livin' chancey,
All: Harlem tah Dalancey, what a fine life
Carrying the banner through the slums
Nuns: Blessed children Though you wander lost and depraved
Jesus Loves you You shall be saved
(Sung in Counterpoint)
Patrick's Mother: Patrick, darling, since you left me I am undone
Mother loves you! God, save my son!
Racetrack: Just gimme half a cup
Kid Blink: Something to wake me up
Mush: I gotta find an angle
Crutchy: I gotta sell more papes
(End Counterpoint)
Group 1:Papers is all I got
Group 2: Wish I could catch a breeze
Group 1: Sure hope the headline's hot
Group 2:All I can catch is fleas
Group 1: God help me if it's not
Group 2: Somebody help me, please?
All: If I hate the headlines I'll make up a headline
And I'll say anything I hafta
'Cause at two for a penny If I take too many
Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta
(Sung in counterpoint)
Group 1: Look! They're puttin' up the headline You call that a headline?
I get better stories from the copper on the beat
I was gonna start at twenty Now a dozen'll be plenty
Tell me, how'm I gonna make ends meet?
Group 2: What's it say? That won't pay
So where's your spot? God, it's hot
Will ya tell me how'm I gonna make ends meet?
(End Counterpoint)
We need a good assassination
We need an earthquake or a war
Snipeshooter: How 'bout a crooked politician?
All: Hey stupid, that ain't news no more!
Uptown to Grand Central station
Down to City Hall
We improves our circulation Walkin' till we fall
(Sung in counterpoint)
Group 1: Still we'll we'll be out there Carrying the banner man to man
We'll be out there Soaking every sucker that we can
See the headline: Newsies on a mission
Kill the competition Sell the next edition
While we're out there Carrying the banner it's a-
Group 2: Look they're puttin' up the headline
They call that a headline? The idiot who wrote it must be workin' for the Sun. Did ya hear about the fire?
Heard the toll was even higher Hitched it on a trolley
Little Italy's a secret By the courthouse
On the corner someone beckoned and I-
Group 3: Heard it killed old man Maguire Why do I miss all the fun?
Meet'cha Fourty-fourth and Second
Bleecker's further than I reckoned Near the stables-
Group 1: It's a fine life Carrying the banner through it all
A mighty fine life Carrying the banner tough and tall
See the headline: Newsies on a mission
Kill the competition Sell the next edition
What a fine life Carrying the banner
It's a fine life Carrying the banner
It's a fine life Carrying the banner
It's a fine life Carrying the banner
It's a fine life Carrying the banner
It's a  Go!
Group 2/3: Would you look at that headline? You call that a headline?
I get better stories from the copper on the beat
I was gonna start with twenty Now a dozen'll be plenty
Would you tell me how'm I ever Gonna make ends meet?
Hitched it on a trolley Meet'cha Fourty-fourth and Second
Little Italy's a secret Bleecker's further than I reckoned
By the courthouse Near the stables
On the corner someone beckoned
Go get 'em Cowboy! You got 'em now, boy!
Go get 'em Cowboy! You got 'em now, boy! Go!

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