Vietnam, 1978

The Morning of the Dragon

FIRST GROUP:

On silent feet it came

Breathing a sheet of flame, it came

Closing in on its rightful prey

Burning a hundred years away

The morning of the dragon truth lit up the street

The tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet

And in the clear white heat of dawn

Was gone

From every door they came

These children born of war, they came

Sharing a secret word, which they

Waited a hundred years to say

SECOND GROUP:

Victory

Victory

Victory

FIRST GROUP:

The morning of the dragon truth lit up the street

The tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet

And in the clear white heat of dawn

It's gone

SECOND GROUP:

The morning of the dragon all the walls fell down

Brother greeted brother in a sudden light

And in the endless night

Was gone

FIRST GROUP:

On silent feet it came

Breathing a sheet of flame, it came

Closing in on its rightful prey

Burning a hundred years away

SECOND GROUP:

Victory

Victory

Victory

THIRD GROUP:

May all our children learn

The tide of night will turn

FIRST GROUP:

The morning of the dragon truth lit up the street

The tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet

And in the clear white heat of dawn was gone

(two soldiers enter with the ENGINEER)

ENGINEER:

Three years of school was nice

In rice fields, planting rice

You did good work you see

Re-educating me

SOLDIERS:

Who lives a lie must change or die

ENGINEER:

Three years - how quick they moved

Look how the world's improved

Saigon, that queen of sin

Renamed for Ho Chi Minh

SOLDIERS:

Who lives a lie must change or die

ENGINEER:

But men, will always be men

They washed out my brain

I'm still who I am

Deep inside, I know what I know

Wherever I go, I speak Uncle Ho

And think Uncle Sam

SOLDIER 1:

Your name is Trahn Van Dinh

ENGINEER:

At your service

SOLDIER 1:

You're called the Engineer

ENGINEER:

Yes sir

SOLDIER 1:

The people's commissar

ENGINEER:

Am I free?

SOLDIER 1:

Has ordered you back here

SOLDIERS:

Who lives a lie must change or die

(THUY, now the people's commissar, enters)

SOLDIER 2:

We found the man that you wanted so bad

SOLDIER 3:

And Commissar, you were perfectly right

SOLDIER 2:

He had been take up north to a camp

SOLDIER 3:

We brought him down under cover of night

SOLDIER 2:

Once he had served the American clique

SOLDIER 3:

Selling our sisters and daughters for gold

SOLDIER 2:

Notice we caught him in less than a week

SOLDIER 3:

When we get orders we do what we're told

THUY:

Alright, alright

That's it, that's all

You've done your job

That's it

You go back

I'll take over now

(the soldiers leave)

Kim...

You will find her for me

Crawl from under your shell

You know who her friends were

Go! See what they can tell

Sniff her out, or I swear

You look forward to hell!

ENGINEER:

I never saw her again

I am a different man

I've been enlightened since then, yes

But. . .

Men must help other men

And seeing it's you

I'll work to the bone

THUY:

I'll give you 48 hours

If you want to stay free

Don't come back here alone

(the ENGINEER leaves)

SOLDIERS, FIRST, SECOND & THIRD GROUP:

On silent feet it came victory may all our children learn

Breathing a sheet of flame, it came victory

Closing in on its rightful prey victory the tide of right will turn

Burning a hundred years away

FIRST GROUP:

The morning of the dragon truth lit up the street

The tiger we were stalking walked on paper feet

And in the clear white heat of dawn

Was gone. . .

I Still Believe

KIM:

Last night I dreamed you held me

We slept here side by side

You whispered softly to me

I heard you speak my name, I cried

Though I know it's been so many years

But through silence of my secret tears

You are here, still

I still - I still believe

You will return

I know you will

My heart against all odds

Holds still

Yes, still, I still believe

I know as long as I can keep believing

I'll live, I'll live

Love cannot die

You will return, you will return

And I alone know why...

ELLEN:

Last night I watched you sleeping

Once more the nightmare came

I heard you cry out something

A word that sounded like a name

And it hurts me more than I can bear

Knowing part of you I'll never share

Never know

But still - I still believe

The time will come

When nothing keeps us apart

My heart forever more holds still

It's all over I'm here

There is nothing to fear!

Chris, what's haunting you?

Won't you let me inside?

What you so want to hide, I need you too!

ELLEN (KIM):

I will hold you all night (For still I still believe)

I will make it all right

You are safe with me (As long as I can keep believing I'll live, I'll live)

But I wish I could tell

What you don't want to tell

You can sleep now (You will return)

You can cry now (And I know why)

I'm your wife now (I'm yours!)

ELLEN:

For life

BOTH:

Until we die!

Back in Town / Coo-Coo Princess

Thuy's Death/You Will Not Touch Him/This is the Hour

THUY:

No one must ever see

This thing you're showing me

Your bastard fouls our name

KIM:

My baby's not to blame

For what I've done

THUY:

You must decide upon

Which side you're really on

You whored to have this kid

KIM:

That isn't what I did

Don't touch my son

THUY:

You must seem how it is when you're my wife

Keeping that child of his brands us for life

No alternative! This child cannot live!

(THUY pulls a knife, threatening the boy)

KIM:

No!

You will not touch him

Don't touch my boy

He's what I live for

He's my only joy

KIM (THUY):

You will not touch him (He is my enemy)

(It's he turns you from me)

Don't touch my boy (Erase him from your life)

(Even your memory)

He's what I live for (He's one drop in a flood)

(Left here to taint our blood)

He's my only joy (Our marriage bond was sworn)

(Forget that he was born)

(KIM pulls out a gun)

KIM (THUY):

(Of course you have a gun)

Don't touch my little boy (and now you'll shoot your cousin')

(And it's a U.S. gun)

And do not test my will (a gun that lost the war)

(You're the corrupted one)

I'm warning you, for him I'll kill! (Go on and shoot! Don't wait)

(To save your bastard son)

(You must not hesitate)

KIM:

The earth moves where I stand

I feel the turning of a wheel

I feel nothing in my hand

Not even the feel of steel

You will not take my child!

THUY:

You don't know how to kill

KIM:

I have no other choice

What I must do I will!

(She shoots him)

CROWD:

This is the hour

This is our land

We found the power

In our brother's hand

And from a storm

KIM:

No!

CROWD:

Pierced with light

Fierce and white

The lightning came

A bright'ning flame

To end the night

One man to heed us

Each girl, each boy

One voice to lead us

In a song of joy

This is the hour

This is our land!

If You Want to Die in Bed

ENGINEER:

If you want to die in bed

Follow my example

When you see a cloud ahead

It's time to show your class

Hit the door before

They make a target of your ass

If you want to die in bed

In times of revolution

When the flag they fly is red

Let pride fill up your chest

Meanwhile pack your sack

And take the first boat heading west

(He enters the abandoned backroom of what was one "Dreamland", opens a trapdoor in the floor and removes a tiny box. He opens it)

My precious souvenirs

Of all the golden years

Rolex watches in steel

That look practically real

I'll need a little stock

To start me in Bangkok!

If you want to die in bed

Forget about your karma

When your life hangs by a thread

Don't cry about the fates

Grab a stasg of casg

And plan a rest'rant in the States

Let me stop for a bit

This was my greatest hit

Miss Saigon, in her crown

I made queen of the town

I got e'm paying more

For jst another whore

Here I come, U.S.A

Your next champ's

On his way

For men will always be men

Thr rules are the same

For kings or for clerks

Give me francs, or dollars, or yen

I'll set up a game

I know how it works

Why was I born of a race

That thinks only of rice

And hates entrepeneurs?

Me I belong in a place

Where a man sets his price

And you pay, and he's yours

I should be - American!

Where every promise lands

And every buisnessman knows where he

stands

First stop Bangkok then I roam

Cross that ocean white with foam

To the place that's my heart's true home

America! America...

If you want to die in bed

En route to your nirvana

You gram your chance and plunge

Ahead and go where people win

Heaven's there - But sh*t

You need a visa to get in!

Let Me See His Western Nose/Kim & Engineer

KIM:

Engineer! Thuy is dead!

He was going to kill my baby and I shot

ENGINEER:

You did what? Who is that?

You'll be followed! Get him out of here!

Goodbye!

KIM:

We must leave! Tam and I!

We must set off for America tonight!

ENGINEER:

Oh right! Just like that!

Tell me how, and tell me at it, tell

Me why

KIM:

I hear the voice of my soldier

Telling me to bring his son

ENGINEER:

You're telling me this half-breed brat

Is born the son of a marine?

Let me see his western nose

This bastard is...

The most beautiful sight I've ever seen!

A passport in my hand

My new life can begin

Your brat's American

So they must let us in!

In!

The playground of mankind!

The movie in my mind!

I'm your dear brother from now on

And all our family is gone

Boy, kiss you brand-new uncle Tran

This kid is okay

He is our entree

To the U.S.A

With these two little diamonds to bait

My hooks

I'll book us a cruise - "Boat-people"

Deluxe

Don't worry 'bout the sharks out in the

Mekong bay

The pirates taking us are more scary any day

You just stay here and hide

Don't show your face outside

Take care of our little dear

I will go "Engineer"

If you want to die in bed

Don't care to much for country

Hit the open sea instead

And float there like a cork

Uncle Ho - Ho! Ho!

I'll have to call you from New York!

I'd Give My Life for You/Exodus

KIM:

You, who I cradled in my arms

You, asking as little as you can

Little snip of a little man

I know I'd give my life for you

You didn't ask me to be born

You, why should you learn of war or pain?

To make sure you're not hurt again

I swear I'll give my life for you

I've tasted love beyond all fear

And you should know it's love

That brought you here

And in one perfect night

When the stars burned like new

I knew what I must do

I'll give you a million things I'll never own

I'll give you a world to conquer when you're grown

You will be who you want to be

You can choose whatever heaven grants

As long as you can have your chance

I swear I'll give my life for you

Sometimes I wake up

Reaching for him

I feel his shadow brush my head

But there's just moonlight on my bed

Was he a ghost, was he a lie?

That made my body laugh and cry?

Then by my side the proof I see

His little one, gods of the sun

Bring him to me!

You will be who you want to be

You, can choose whatever heaven grants

As long as you can have your chance

I swear I'll give my life for you

No one can stop what I must do

I swear I'll give my life for you!

PEOPLE:

No grace, no hope

No life, no hope

No chance, no change (no regrets)

No grace, no hope (no return, no goodbye)

No life, no hope (no regrets, no return)

No chance, no change (no goodbye, no regrets)

One day (no return) one night (no goodbye)

One day (no regrets) one night (no return)

One day (no goodbye) one night (no regrets)

One day!