HADESTOWN SENTENCE STARTERS - PT II
taken from the broadway cast album. feel free to change pronouns, etc.
‘ is this how the world is? ’
‘ if it’s true what they say, i’ll be on my way. ’
‘ everybody knows that walls have ears. ’
‘ what’s the purpose of a man? ’
‘ what’s the use of your backbone if you never stand upright? ’
‘ but who are they to say what the truth is anyway? ’
‘ the ones who tell the lies are the solemnest to swear. ’
‘ the ones who load the dice always say the toss is fair. ’
‘ i’m asking if it’s true. ’
‘ i believe in us together more than anyone alone. i believe that with each other, we are stronger than we know. ’
‘ what are you afraid of? ’
‘ have a drink, why don’t you? ’
‘ he has the kind of love for her that you and i once had. ’
‘ she means nothing to me. ’
‘ ____, my light. ____, my darkness. ’
‘ all of my sorrow won’t fit in my chest. it just burns like a fire in the pit of my chest. ’
‘ nothing comes of wishing on stars. and nothing comes of the songs people sing, however sorry they are. ’
‘ give them a piece, and they’ll take it all. ’
‘ what do i care for the logic of kings? ’
‘ you and your pity don’t fit in my bed. you just burn like a fire in the pit of my bed, and i turn like a bird on a spit in my bed. ’
‘ how long? just as long as i am your wife. ’
‘ it’s true, the earth must die. but then the earth comes back to life, and the sun must go on rising. ’
‘ you gotta keep your head low if you wanna keep your head. ’
‘ if we’re free, tell me why i can’t look in my bother’s eye. ’
‘ got to hand it to you: guess you don’t scare easy, do you? ’
‘ are you brave, or stupid? ’
‘ it takes more than singing songs to keep a woman in your arms. ’
‘ if you want to hold a woman, hang a chain around her throat made of many carat gold; shackle her from wrist to wrist with sterling silver bracelets; fill her pockets full of stones, precious ones, diamonds; bind her with a golden band. ’
‘ could i change my fate? ’
‘ i was left behind. turned on one too many times. ’
‘ give me one more song. ’
‘ sing a song for me. make me laugh, make me weep. ’
‘ oh, it’s about me? ’
‘ i know how it was, because he was like me: a man in love with a woman. ’
‘ where’d you get that melody? ’
‘ i didn’t know how, and i didn’t know why, but i knew that i wanted to take you home. ’
‘ i saw you alone there, against the sky; it was like you were someone i’d always known. ’
‘ it was like i was holding the world when i held you. like mine were the arms that the whole world was in. ’
‘ what has become of the heart of that man now that he has everything? ’
‘ the more you have, the more you hold, the greater the weight of the world on your shoulders; see how you labor beneath that load? afraid to look up, and afraid to let go. ’
‘ you’ve grown so afraid that he’ll lose what you own. but what you don’t know is that what you’re defending is already gone. ’
‘ where is the treasure inside of your chest? where is your pleasure? where is your youth? ’
‘ where is the man with his arms outstretched to the woman he loves with nothing to lose? ’
‘ you brought the world back into tune is what you did. ’
‘ you know what they did? they danced. ’
‘ now what do i do? ’
‘ take me home with you. ’
‘ let’s go, let’s go right now! ’
‘ it’s a long road. it’s a long walk. are you sure you wanna go? ’
‘ i have no ring for your finger. i have no banquet table to lay. i have no bed of feathers, whatever promises i made. ’
‘ i can’t promise you fair sky above. i can’t promise you kind road below. but i’ll walk beside you, love, any way the wind blows. ’
‘ i don’t need a ring for my finger. i just need a steady hand to hold. ’
‘ he can’t say no. ’
‘ i don’t know where this road will end, but i’ll walk it with you, hand in hand. ’
‘ do you let me walk with you? and keep on walking, come what will? ’
‘ can we go? ’
‘ gotta think quick, gotta save face. you’re caught between a rock and a hard place. ’
‘ whatche gonna do now? ’
‘ if you tell him no, you’re a heartless man. ‘
‘ you’re gonna have a martyr on your hands. ’
‘ if you let him go, you’re a spineless king, and you’re never going to get them in line again. ’
‘ damned if you don’t, damned if you do. the whole damn nation’s watching you. ’
‘ men are fools. men are frail. give them the rope, and they’ll hang themselves. ’
‘ with your kiss, the riot starts. ’
‘ all my children came here poor, clamoring for bed and board. ’
‘ have i made myself their lord just to fall upon the sword? ’
‘ who will lead them? ’
‘ who lays all our best-laid plans? ’
‘ she’s out of sight, and he’s out of his mind. ’
‘ every coward seems courageous in the safety of a crowd. ’
‘ nothing makes a man so bold as a woman’s smile and a hand to hold. ’
‘ well, the good news is, he said that you can go. ’
‘ it’s a test. ’
‘ the meanest dog you’ll ever meet, he ain’t the hound dog in the street. he bares some teeth and tears some skin, but that’s the worst of him. the dog you really got to dread is the one that howls inside your head. it’s him whose howling drives men mad, and a mind to its undoing. ’
‘ wait for me, i’m coming with you. ’
‘ show the way so we can see. show the way the world could be. ’
‘ we will follow where you lead. ’
‘ think they’ll make it? ’
‘ you let them go. ’
‘ are we gonna try again? ’
‘ it’s time for spring. we’ll try again next fall. ’
‘ wait for me? ’
‘ you’ve got a lonesome road to walk. ’
‘ i’ll tell you where the real road lies: between your ears, behind your eyes. that is the path to paradise, and likewise, the road to ruin. ’
‘ we are not alone. ’
‘ the wind is changing. ’
‘ who am i? ’
‘ why am i all alone? ’
‘ are you listening? ’
‘ i’m right here, and i will be to the end. ’
‘ who am i against him? why would he let me win? ’
‘ who am i to think that he wouldn’t deceive me just to make me leave alone? ’
‘ i used to see the way the world could be, but now the way it is is all i see. ’
‘ it’s an old song, and that is how it ends. that’s how it goes. ’
‘ don’t ask how he could have come so close. the song was written long ago. ’
‘ it’s a tragedy. ‘
‘ here’s the thing: to know how it ends, and still begin to sing it again, as if it might turn out this time? i learned that from a friend of mine. ’
‘ got a match? ’
‘ he could make you see how the world could be in spite of the way that it is. can you see it? can you hear it? can you feel it like a train? is it coming? is it coming this way? ’
‘ pour the wine and raise a cup. ’
‘ some birds sing when the sun shines bright. my praise is not for them, but the ones who sing in the dead of night: i raise my cup to them. ’
‘ let all my singing follow you and bring you comfort. ’
‘ goodnight. ’