Look Down Lyrics

     [1832.  The teeming, squalid streets of Paris.
     Beggars, urchins, prostitutes, students, etc.]

Beggars
     Look down, look down, and see the beggars at your feet
     Look down and show some mercy if you can
     Look down and see
     The sweepings of the streets
     Look down, look down,
     Upon your fellow man!

Gavroche
     How do you do? My name's Gavroche
     These are my people, here's my patch
     Not much to look at, nothing posh
     Nothing that you'd call up to scratch
     This is my school, my high society
     Here in the slums of Saint Michele
     We live on crumbs of humble piety
     Tough on the teeth, but what the hell!
     Think you're poor?
     Think you're free?
     Follow me, follow me!

Beggars
     Look down, and show some mercy if you can
     Look down, look down, upon your fellow man

     [An old beggar woman finds a young prostitute occupying
     her patch.]

Old Beggar Woman
     What you think yer at?
     Hanging round me pitch?
     If you're new around here, girl
     You've got a lot to learn

Young Prostitute
     Listen you old bat
     Crazy bloody witch
     'Least I give my customers
     Some pleasure in return

Old Beggar Woman
     I know what you give!
     Give 'em all the pox!
     Spread around your poison
     Till they end up in a box

Pimp
     Leave the poor old cow,
     Move it, Madeleine
     She used to be no better
     Till the clap got to her brain

Beggars
     When's it gonna end?
     When we gonna live?
     Something's gotta happen now or
     Something's gonna give...
     It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
     It'll come, it'll come, it'll come

Enjolras
     Where the leaders of the land?
     Where are the swells who run this show?

Marius
     Only one man - and that's Lamarque
     Speaks for these people here below

Beggars
     See our children fed
     Help us in our shame
     Something for a crust of bread
     In Holy Jesus' name

Urchin
     In the Lord's Holy name.

Beggars
     In his name, in his name, in his name...

Marius
     Lamarque is ill and fading fast!
     Won't last the week out so they say

Enjolras
     With all the anger in the land
     How long before the judgement day?
     Before we cut the fat ones down to size?
     Before the barricades arise?

Gavroche
     Watch out for old Thenardier
     All of his family is on the make
     Once ran a hash-house down the way
     Bit of a swine and no mistake
     He's got a gang
     The bleeding layabout
     Even his daughter does her share
     That's Eponine, she knows her way about
     Only a kid, but hard to scare
     Do we care?
     Not a cuss!
     Long live us, long live us!

Beggars
     Look down, look down, and show some mercy if you can
     Look down, look down, upon your fellow man!