"Chant (Reprise)" lyrics - ANAIS MITCHELL

[HERMES, spoken]
Now everybody knows that walls have ears

[ORPHEUS]
Is it true?

[COMPANY]
Is it true?

[HADES, spoken]
What's that noise?

[HERMES, spoken]
And the walls had heard what the boy was saying

[ORPHEUS]
Is it true?

[COMPANY]
Is it true?

[HADES, spoken]
It's the boy!

[HERMES, sang]
A million tons of stone and steel...

[ORPHEUS]
Is it true?

[COMPANY]
Is it true?

[HERMES]
Echoed his refrain

[COMPANY]
Low, keep your head, keep your head low
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
Keep your head, keep your head low
Oh, you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh, you gotta-
Why do we turn away when our brother is bleeding?
Oh, keep your head-
Why do we build the wall and then call it freedom?
Oh, keep your head-
If we're free
Tell me why
I can't look in my brother's eye?
Keep your head-

[HADES]
Young man
Got to hand it to you
Guess you don't scare easy, do ya?
Are you brave or stupid, son?
Doesn't matter which one
'Cause it seems your song made quite a strong impression on my wife
But it takes more than singin' songs to keep a woman in your arms

Take it from a man no longer young
If you want to hold a woman, son
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
Take it from an old man

[COMPANY]
Ooohhh

[ORPHEUS]
If I raise my voice-

[THE FATES]
If I raise my voice
If I raise my voice

[COMPANY]
Keep your head low

[EURYDICE]
If I raise my head-

[THE FATES]
If I raise my head
If I raise my head

[COMPANY]
Keep your head low

[EURYDICE]
Could I change my fate?

[THE FATES and COMPANY]
Could I change-
Could I change-
Could I change my fate? Oh, you gotta keep your head low

[ORPHEUS]
If I raise my voice could I-

[COMPANY]
Keep your head low!

[ORPHEUS and EURYDICE]
Could I change the way it is?

[COMPANY]
Why do we turn away instead of standing with him?
Oh, keep your head-
Why are we digging our own graves for a living?
Oh, keep your head-
If we're free
Tell me why
We can't even stand upright?
If we're free
Tell me when
We can stand with our fellow man
Keep your head-

[HADES]
Young man, I was young once too
Sang a song of love like you
Son, I too, was left behind
Turned on one too many times
Now I sing a different song
One I can depend upon
A simple tune, a steady beat
The music of machinery
You hear that heavy metal sound?
The symphony of Hadestown
And in this symphony of mine
Of power cords and power lines
Young man, you can strum your lyre
I have strung the world in wire
Young man, you can sing your ditty
I CONDUCT THE ELECTRIC CITY!

I'll tell you what, young man
Since my wife is such a fan
And since I'm going to count to three
And put you out of your misery
One!- give me one more song
One more song before I send you
Two!- to the great beyond
Where nobody can hear you singing
Three!- sing a song for me
Make me laugh, make me weep
Make the king feel young again
Sing for an old man!