The World Will Know
Alan Menken & Jack Feldman Lyrics
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Are we nothin'?
No
Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us
Do they got us?
Even though we ain't got hats or badges
We're a union just by sayin' so
And the world will know
What's it gonna take to stop the wagons?
Are we ready?
Yeah
What's it gonna take to stop the scabbers?
Can we do it?
Yeah
We'll do what we gotta do until we
Break the will of mighty Bill and Joe
And the World will know
And the Journal too
Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer, have we got news for you
See, the world don't know
But they're gonna pay
'Stead of hawkin' headlines we'll be makin' 'em today
And our ranks will grow
And we'll kick their rear
And the world will know that we've been here
When the circulation bell starts ringin'
Will we hear it?
No
What if the Delancys come out swingin'
Will we hear it?
No
When you got a hundred voices singin'
Who can hear a lousy whistle blow?
And the world will know
That this ain't no game
That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim
So they gave their word?
Well it ain't worth beans
Now they gonna see what "stop the presses" really means
And the old will weep
And go back to sleep
Now we got no choice but to see it through
And we found our voice
And I lost my shoe
And the world will
Yeah
Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us
Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us
Pulitizer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us
Pulitizer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us
And the world will know
We been keepin' score
Either they gives us our rights or we gives them a war
We've been down too long
And we paid our dues
And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news
And the die is cast
And the torch is passed
And the roar will rise
From the streets below
And our ranks will grow
And grow
And grow
And so the world will feel the fire and finally know
Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us
Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us
Pulitzer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us
Pulitzer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us
So the world says no?
Well the kids do too
Try to walk all over us
We'll stomp all over you
Can they kick us out?
Take away our vote?
Will we let them stuff this crock o' garbage
Down our throat? No
Everyday we wait
Is a day we lose
And this ain't for fun
And it ain't for show
And we'll fight 'em toe to toe to toe and Joe
Your world will feel the fire and finally (finally) know
The song "The World Will Know" is from the musical "Newsies" and is sung by the newsboys of New York City in the late 1800s. The lyrics are about the newsboys' struggle to form a union and stand up against the newspaper kingpins, Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. The first two verses ask rhetorical questions about whether or not the newsboys are nothing and whether Pulitzer and Hearst have them under their control. The answer in both cases is a resounding "no."
The chorus emphasizes the newsboys' unity as a union and their determination to be heard by the world. They declare that "the world will know" their struggle and that their movement will not be ignored. The third verse poses questions about what it will take to achieve their goals, including stopping the wagons that deliver newspapers and dealing with the "scabbers" - newsboys who continue to work despite the strike.
The rest of the song continues to highlight their unity and determination, insisting that they will be heard and will not back down until their demands are met. The final lines declare that the newsboys' fight will be known worldwide and that nothing can stop them.
Line by Line Meaning
Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothin'
Pulitzer and Hearst believe that we are insignificant.
Are we nothin'?
However, we refuse to be treated as such.
Pulitzer and Hearst, they think they got us
Both Hearst and Pulitzer believe they have power over us.
Do they got us?
But in truth, we remain independent.
Even though we ain't got hats or badges
Despite not having formal symbols of union or protection,
We're a union just by sayin' so
we are united in our cause, just through our shared beliefs.
And the world will know
We will make sure those beyond these streets will learn of our fight.
What's it gonna take to stop the wagons?
What must we do to blockade their circulation trucks?
Are we ready?
Are we prepared to take a stand?
Yeah
Yes, we are.
What's it gonna take to stop the scabbers?
What measures should we take to prevent strike-breaking?
Can we do it?
Do we have what it takes?
Yeah
Yes, we do.
We'll do what we gotta do until we
We will take any action necessary until we
Break the will of mighty Bill and Joe
Break the spirits of those in power, Bill and Joe.
And the Journal too
Their newspaper, The Journal, will also be impacted by our resistance.
Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer, have we got news for you
Hearst and Pulitzer do not know what they are in for.
See, the world don't know
Outside of ourselves, the world is unaware.
But they're gonna pay
But they will soon feel the impact of our cause.
'Stead of hawkin' headlines we'll be makin' 'em today
Instead of being passive observers of the news, we will be the ones creating it.
And our ranks will grow
More people will join us in this movement.
And we'll kick their rear
We will overcome and defeat them.
And the world will know that we've been here
The world will acknowledge the impact we have made.
When the circulation bell starts ringin'
Once the newspaper printing begins
Will we hear it?
Will we pay attention?
No
No, we will not give in to their distractions.
What if the Delancys come out swingin'
What if we face violent opposition from the Delancys?
Will we hear it?
Will we concede?
No
No, we will stand firm.
When you got a hundred voices singin'
When we have many people united in song
Who can hear a lousy whistle blow?
No one will be able to ignore us or shut us up.
And this ain't no game
We are not playing around.
That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim
We have plenty of rotten food to express our dissent, and even better aim.
So they gave their word?
They made promises?
Well it ain't worth beans
Their promises are worthless.
Now they gonna see what "stop the presses" really means
Now, they will learn the true meaning of the phrase "stop the presses."
And the old will weep
The elder members of society will be saddened by what we do.
And go back to sleep
Their complacency will continue to dissolve.
Now we got no choice but to see it through
We must be committed to the end.
And we found our voice
We discovered and are using our strength.
And I lost my shoe
We may have lost a battle, but the war continues.
And the world will
And the world will, indeed,
Yeah
yes,
Pulitzer may own the World, but he don't own us
We cannot be owned by him, despite his vast power.
Pulitizer may crack the whip, but he won't whip us
He may threaten and try to force us, but he will not succeed.
We been keepin' score
We've been tallying our battles.
Either they gives us our rights or we gives them a war
If they do not give us what we deserve, we will fight.
We've been down too long
We've been ignored for too long.
And we paid our dues
But we have done the work and deserve recognition.
And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news
Our actions and stories will be the headlines of tomorrow.
And the die is cast
Our fate is set.
And the torch is passed
We have received the torch and must carry it forward.
And the roar will rise
Our collective voice will only get louder.
From the streets below
Our protest echoes from these very streets.
And our ranks will grow
We will continue to gain strength.
And grow
And continue growing.
And so the world will feel the fire and finally know
And ultimately, the world will fully comprehend the message of our cause.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JACK A. FELDMAN, ALAN MENKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind