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charles strouse - rags: the new american musical: rags lyrics

[papa]
open your eyes, bella
just take a breath

[bella]
please, don’t tell me that again
don’t tell me how it all belongs to me
‘just take a breath, bella’
not outdoors, papa
every time i take a breath i gag
‘open your eyes, bella’
no, open your’s papa
mine are open wide, and let me tell you what i see
rags! rags!
this land of freedom we had to run to and now we’re free just like everyone to wear rags
it’s all day seeing them, all day smelling them, all day listening to peddlers selling them, rags!
rags, i live in rags, and so i’m right in style
all the while
sewing, sewing, see us sewing
hags! we turn to hags
it happens bit by bit
picture it papa
there i sit sewing b+ttons on rags
oh, papa, was it so necessary to cram us on to that stinking ferry and drag us here to become american rags?

[papa]
bella, remember what we left
[bella]
papa, i know you had to leave

[papa]
i wanted to be free

[bella]
i know how much you wanted to be free

[papa]
for you and for herschel

[bella]
just don’t say again
how you did it all

[papa]
it wasn’t

[both]
for me

[bella]
when all i got is rags
and it’s rags to wear
and it’s rags to buy
and it’s rags to wash and hang out to dry like old flags
it’s rags on heads
and it’s rags on feet
it’s the latest look on delancey street
it’s all rags
dreams, you gave me dreams
of such a golden place
[papa]
soon, all your dreams

[bella]
silk and lace

[papa]
they will come true

[bella]
milk and honey
oh, that’s funny

[papa]
soon

[bella]
lies!

[papa]
soon, you’re gonna see

[bella]
that’s all it seems

[papa]
just wait and see
[bella]
and now the dreams have flown

[papa]
time, things take time

[bella]
use your eyes, papa

[papa]
give it time!

[bella]
no more lies
papa, leave me alone!

here’s where the beauty is
where the party is
see that handsome gent
look how smart he is
dancing by in his fancy clothes
and he sneers at me down his perfect nose
and his hair is clean
and his skin is clear
and he wonders, ‘what is she doing here?’
and he turns his back
and the rest do, too
and i want to scream ‘i’m the same as you!’
but it isn’t true
i’m just one more jew
in her rags

- charles strouse lyrics

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