Finale
London Cast Lyrics


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Now you are here
Again, beside me
Now, I can die in peace
For now my life is blessed

You will live papa, you're going to live!
It's too soon to ever say goodbye
Yes, Cosette
Forbid me now to die
I'll obey I will try

On this page
I write my last confession
Read it well
When I, at last, am sleeping
It's the story
Of those who always loved you

Your mother gave her life for you and gave you to my keeping

Come with me
Where chains will never bind you
All your grief
At last, at last, behind you
Lord in Heaven
Look down on him in mercy

Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to Your glory

Take my hand
And lead me to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting

And remember The truth that once was spoken

To love another person is to see the face of God!

Do you hear the people sing?
Lost in the valley of the night
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light

For the wretched of the Earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise

They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare
They will put away the sword

The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?

Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?

Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!





Aah, aah, aah
Tomorrow comes!

Overall Meaning

The finale of Les Miserables titled "Do You Hear the People Sing/Finale" is a powerful song that encapsulates the story's entire theme. The song begins with Marius grieving over the loss of his friends and thinking it's too soon to say goodbye, but then his love, Cosette, forbids him from dying. Jean Valjean, knowing he is about to die, writes his last confession, which tells the tale of those who loved him. Valjean admits to Cosette that her mother sacrificed herself for her and gave her to him, who undertook the responsibility of Cosette's upbringing. Later, Valjean prays to God to forgive his sins so he can join his loved ones in heaven. Cosette's reply comes in the form of a reference to the famous quote, "To love another person is to see the face of God."


The song then shifts from being a conversation amongst the main characters to a rallying cry for the revolution. The people sing, "Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade, is there a world you long to see?" The song ends with a powerful message of hope that even in the darkest times, the sun will rise again, and someday the wretched of the Earth will be free. The song's final words are, "do you hear the distant drums? It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes."


Line by Line Meaning

Now you are here
The singer is glad that the person they're addressing is present.


Again, beside me
The singer is referring to a past occurrence with the person before him/her now.


Now, I can die in peace
The singer is satisfied with something and feels that they can accept death if it comes.


For now my life is blessed
The person in front of the artist has brought joy and meaning to their existence.


You will live papa, you're going to live!
The artist is trying to console themself and the person they're addressing by saying that they'll survive.


It's too soon to ever say goodbye
The singer is hopeful that there's going to be more time for the person in front of them.


Yes, Cosette
The singer addresses the person they're speaking to by name.


Forbid me now to die
The artist is asking the person in front of them not to allow themself to die.


I'll obey I will try
The artist promises to attempt to do as they have been asked.


On this page
The artist is referring to a document that they're holding or about to write.


I write my last confession
The singer has written a confessional document for the person in front of them to read when they're dead.


Read it well
The artist wants the person in front of them to take their document seriously.


When I, at last, am sleeping
The singer is alluding to their own death.


It's the story
The singer wants to tell their life story.


Of those who always loved you
The singer is recounting the story of those who always loved the person in front of them.


Your mother gave her life for you and gave you to my keeping
The artist is telling the person in front of them that their mother died for them and gave them to the artist to protect.


Come with me
The artist is asking the person in front of them to follow them somewhere.


Where chains will never bind you
The singer is leading the person in front of them to a place of freedom where they're not confined in any way.


All your grief
The singer is referring to the inner turmoil of the person in front of them.


At last, at last, behind you
The artist wants to help the person in front of them let go of their grief and move away from it.


Lord in Heaven
The artist is addressing The Lord in Heaven.


Look down on him in mercy
The artist is asking The Lord for mercy and to look favorably on the person they're leading.


Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to Your glory
The singer is asking The Lord for forgiveness and requesting that they be taken to Heaven.


Take my hand
The artist is leading the person in front of them by the hand.


And lead me to salvation
The singer is asking to be led to salvation through divine intervention.


Take my love
The singer is offering the person in front of them their love without seeking anything in return.


For love is everlasting
The singer is declaring that true love never dies.


And remember The truth that once was spoken
The artist is urging the person in front of them to remember an important truth.


To love another person is to see the face of God!
The artist is saying that seeing and loving another person is akin to seeing the face of God.


Do you hear the people sing?
The singer is asking the person they're leading if they can hear people singing.


Lost in the valley of the night
The singers are lost and wandering in darkness and despair.


It is the music of a people
The singer is describing the music as the sound of a group of people.


Who are climbing to the light
The people are moving towards a better life or a better future.


For the wretched of the Earth
The singer is talking about people who are powerless and struggling in their lives.


There is a flame that never dies
Despite their struggles, the singer is saying there is still hope and inspiration, a fire that never goes out.


Even the darkest night will end
The singer is telling the listener that even the darkest of times has an end.


And the sun will rise
The singer is likening hope to a rising sun, a new Dawn.


They will live again in freedom
The singer is saying that people will once again be free to live as they choose.


In the garden of the Lord
The singer is alluding to a place of rest, where people can live out their days in peace.


They will walk behind the ploughshare
The singer is talking about people who will once again engage in a simple, peaceful life.


They will put away the sword
The singer is saying that people will stop fighting each other and will choose peace.


The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward
The stronghold of oppression and suffering will finally be crushed, and everyone's deserved reward will come to them.


Will you join in our crusade?
The singer is rallying people to come together and fight for freedom.


Who will be strong and stand with me?
The artist is calling on others to join them in their fight for justice.


Somewhere beyond the barricade
The artist is calling on people to look beyond the barriers that constrain them.


Is there a world you long to see?
The artist is asking if those people are hopeful and ambitious enough to envision a better world.


Do you hear the people sing?
The singer is still trying to rally people together and is asking again if they can hear people singing.


Say, do you hear the distant drums?
The artist is trying to invoke a sense of grandeur by invoking the sound of drums.


It is the future that they bring
The singer is saying that the march of progress is coming and people are on the cusp of a better future.


When tomorrow comes!
The singer is eagerly hopeful and urging people to stay the course and wait for tomorrow.


Aah, aah, aah
An interjection that doesn't convey meaning in itself; it can express excitement, pain or other emotions.


Tomorrow comes!
The singer repeats this line as a final rallying cry for hope and progress.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alain Albert Boublil, Claude Michel Schonberg, Richard E. Maltby

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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