Stephen Sondheim - November 22, 1963/Take a Look, Lee/You Can Close the New York Stock Exchange lyrics

RADIO ANNOUNCER (speaking): And now the motorcade is turning into Elm Street. There's someone holding up a banner, "All The Way With JFK". The President is smiling and waving as his car heads for Dealey Plaza where it will swing past the Texas Book Depository and onto the trademark where-- BOOTH (speaking): Take a look, Lee. Do you know what that is? That is America. A land where any kid can grow up to be President. The shining city, Lee. It shines so brightly I have to shade your eyes. But in here, this is America too. "The ma** of men lead lives of quiet desperation". An American said that and he was right. Well let me tell you something, there are no lives of quiet desperation in here. Desperation, yes. But quiet? I don't think so. Not today. Today we are going to make a joyful noise. This is the big one. You are the big one. You are the one who is going to sum it all up and blow it all wide open. I have seen the future, Lee, and you are it LEE (speaking): People will hate me BOOTH (speaking): They will hate you with a pa**ion, Lee. Imagine people having pa**ionate feelings about Lee Harvey Oswald. Somebody help me! ZANGARA (speaking): (Speaking Italian) MOORE (speaking): Please we beseech you... CZOLGOSZ (speaking): We are the hopeless ones. The lost ones... GUITEAU (speaking): We live our lives in exile... BYCK (speaking): Expatriates in our own country... HINCKLEY (speaking): We drift from birth to d**h, despairing... FROMME (speaking): Inconsolable... GUITEAU (speaking): But through you and through your act, we dare to hope... MOORE (speaking): Through you and your act we are revived and given meaning... CZOLGOSZ (speaking): Our lives, our acts, are given meaning... HINCKLEY (speaking): Our frustrations fall away... BYCK (speaking): Our fondest dreams come true... FROMME (speaking): Today, we are reborn, through you BOOTH (speaking): We need you Lee MOORE (speaking): Without you, we're just footnotes in a history book GUITEAU (speaking): "Disappointed office seeker." CZOLGOSZ (speaking): "Deranged immigrant." BOOTH (speaking): "Vainglorious actor." FROMME (speaking): Without you we're a bunch of freaks HINCKLEY (speaking): With you we're a force of history GUITEAU (speaking): We become immortal ZANGARA (speaking): Finally we belong MOORE (speaking): To one another CZOLGOSZ (speaking): To the nation GUITEAU (speaking): To the ages BYCK (speaking): Bring us together, babe MOORE (speaking): You think you can't connect. Connect to us CZOLGOSZ (speaking): You think you're powerless. Empower us BOOTH (spoken): It's in your grasp, Lee. All you have to do is move your little finger. You can close the New York Stock Exchange GUITEAU(spoken): Shut down the schools in Indonesia MOORE (spoken): In Florence, Italy, a woman will leap from the Duomo clutching a picture of your victim and cursing your name - CZOLGOSZ (spoken): Your wife will weep - FROMME (spoken): His wife will weep - ZANGARA (spoken): The world will weep - GUITEAU (spoken): Grief. Grief beyond imagining - HINCKLEY (spoken): Despair - MOORE (spoken): The d**h of innocence and hope - CZOLGOSZ (spoken): The bitter burdens which you bear - BYCK (spoken): The bitter truths you carry in your heart - GUITEAU (spoken): You can share them with the world BOOTH (spoken): You have the power of Pandora's Box, Lee. Open it... GUITEAU: I envy you MOORE: We're your family HINCKLEY: I admire you CZOLGOSZ: I respect you MOORE: Make us proud of you BOOTH: I envy you GUITEAU: We're your family FROMME and MOORE: We're depending on you ZANGARA: You are the future GUITEAU and MOORE: We're your family CZOLGOSZ: We respect you BYCK and GUITEAU: Make them listen to us We've been waiting for you BYCK and ZANGARA: Make them listen, boy ALL: We admire you We're your family You are the future We're depending on you Make us proud All you have to do is squeeze your little finger Squeeze your little finger You can change the wor - (OSWALD fires.)