prologue
Newsies Lyrics


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Racetrack:
In 1899, the streets of New York City echoed with the voices of Newsies.
Peddeling the newspapers of Joseph Pulitizer,
William Randolph Hearst, and other giants of the newspaper world.
On every corner you saw 'em carrying the banner.
Bringing you the news for a penny a pape.

Poor orphans and runaways, the newsies were a ragged army, without a leader.
Until one day, all that changed.





Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Prologue" in Newsies is a summary of the state of New York City in 1899. It's a story about young newsboys who roamed the streets selling newspapers from the likes of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. These boys were orphans and runaways who had no place to go or anyone to look upon. They were lost until the day they decided to come together to make a change.


The song specifically narrates the struggles of these young boys who went through poverty and hardship. They were a "ragged army, without a leader" until they came together and formed a union to fight against Pulitzer and Hearst, who reduced their pay to keep their profits high. These boys carried the banner on every corner, bringing the news to people for a penny a paper, a price that was okay with people from diverse classes. The lyrics, therefore, highlight the boys' noble efforts to improve their situation and inspire others to join them to initiate a change.


Line by Line Meaning

In 1899, the streets of New York City echoed with the voices of Newsies.
In 1899, the streets of New York City were filled with the sounds of Newsies shouting out the news headlines.


Peddeling the newspapers of Joseph Pulitizer,
The Newsies sold copies of Joseph Pulitzer's newspapers to passersby.


William Randolph Hearst, and other giants of the newspaper world.
The Newsies also sold newspapers published by William Randolph Hearst and other major newspaper companies.


On every corner you saw 'em carrying the banner.
It was common to see Newsies on every street corner holding up signs or banners that advertised the newspapers they were selling.


Bringing you the news for a penny a pape.
The Newsies brought news to the people for only a penny per paper.


Poor orphans and runaways, the newsies were a ragged army, without a leader.
The Newsies were made up of underprivileged or abandoned children and teenagers who were disorganized and leaderless in their sales efforts.


Until one day, all that changed.
One day, something significant happened that altered the situation with the Newsies, and as a result, their futures underwent a transformation.




Contributed by Taylor S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@ya-xy8pj

Jack (spoken): Them streets down there, they sucked the life right outta my old man. Well they ain't doin' that to me.
Crutchie (spoken): But everyone wants to come to New York.
Jack (spoken): You keep your small life in the big city.
Give me a big life in a small town.
(sung): They say folks is dyin' to get here.
Me, I'm dyin' to get away,
to a little town out west
that's spankin' new.
And while I ain't never been there,
I can see it clear as day.
If you want, I bet'cha you could see it, too.
Close your eyes...
Come with me,
Where it's clean and green and pretty.
And they went and made a city outta clay.
Why, the minute that ya get there,
Folks'll walk right up and say,
"Welcome home, son, welcome home to Santa Fe!"
Plantin' crops,
Splittin' rails,
Swappin' tales around the fire,
'cept for Sunday when you lie around all day.
Soon your friends are more like family,
and they's beggin' you to stay!
Ain't that neat?
Livin' sweet
in Santa Fe.
(spoken): Hey, no one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fe. You just hop a Palomino, you'll ride in style!
Crutchie (spoken): Picture me, ridin' in style.
Jack (spoken): Hey, I bet a few months of clean air, you could toss that crutch for good!
Jack & Crutchie (sung): Santa Fe,
you can bet.
We won't let them bastids beat us.
We won't beg no one to treat us fair and square.
There's a life that's worth the livin',
and I'm gonna do my share.
Jack (sung): Work the land.
Chase the sun.
Jack & Crutchie (sung): Swim the whole Rio Grande just for fun!
Crutchie (sung): Watch me stand!
Watch me run...
Jack (spoken): Hey, hey...
(sung): Don't you know that we's a family?
Would I let you down?
No way.
Just hold on, kid,
till that train makes Santa Fe.



@gwenyth2744

Lyrics:
[Jack:]
Them streets down there, they sucked the life right outta my old man. Well they ain't doin' that to me

[Crutchie:]
But everyone wants to come to New York

[Jack:]
You keep your small life in the big city. Give me a big life in a small town

They say folks is dyin' to get here
Me, I'm dyin' to get away
To a little town out west
That's spankin' new

And while I ain't never been there
I can see it clear as day
If you want, I bet'cha you could see it, too

Close your eyes
Come with me
Where it's clean and green and pretty
And they went and made a city outta clay

Why, the minute that ya get there
Folks'll walk right up and say
"Welcome home, son
Welcome home to Santa Fe!"

Plantin' crops
Splittin' rails
Swappin' tales around the fire
'Cept for Sunday when you lie around all day

Soon your friends are more like family
And they's beggin' you to stay!
Ain't that neat? livin' sweet
In Santa Fe

Hey, no one worries about no gimp leg in Santa Fe. You just hop a palomino, you'll ride in style!

[Crutchie:]
Picture me, ridin' in style

[Jack:]
Hey, I bet a few months of clean air, you could toss that crutch for good!

[Jack & Crutchie:]
Santa Fe
You can bet
We won't let them bastards beat us
We won't beg no one to treat us fair and square
There's a life that's worth the livin'
And I'm gonna do my share

[Jack:]
Work the land, chase the sun

[Jack & Crutchie:]
Swim the whole Rio Grande just for fun!

[Crutchie:]
Watch me stand!
Watch me run...

[Jack:]
Hey, hey...

Don't you know that we's a family?
Would I let you down?
No way
Just hold on, kid
'Til that train makes Santa Fe



All comments from YouTube:

@hansolo6920

We all have a Jack Kelly inside us, just longing for our own Santa Fe. But at the end of the day, we're stuck in New York.

@potatochisponbroadway4600

Fuck you Hans Solo, I live in the frigin middle of nowhere and I want NewYork

@j03y_jinxx

That was beautiful.

@giuliag5560

That's deep, like woah

@jaydasmalls7467

Your're not wrong I wanna go somewhere where people won't judge me for who I am.

@izabellaperchikov4128

Han Solo i actually am a New Yorker and I also wish I could be in a sante foe kind of place

25 More Replies...

@BeMoreBroadway

At "watch me stand, watch me run", I legit started to cry...just because Crutchie sounds SO CLOSE to tears at that point.

@allisongarippo3269

Ikr I'm close to tears

@lilyheidtke3672

Howdy, I'm flowery. (And yes!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried.)

@bisexualaf3025

Is that flowy for a profile picture I see?

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