Prologue
Tom Aldredge and Company Lyrics
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I wish
In a far-off kingdom
More than anything
Lived a fair maiden (more than mine)
A sad young lad
I wish
And a childless baker
I wish
With his wife
More than anything
More than the moon
I wish
The King is giving a Festival
More than life
I wish
I wish to go to the Festival
More than riches
And the ball
I wish my cow would give us some milk
More than anything
I wish we had a child
I want a child
I wish to go to the Festival
I wish you'd give us some milk or even cheese (I wish we might have a child)
I wish
You wish to go to the Festival?
The poor girl's mother had died
You, Cinderella, the Festival?
You wish to go to the Festival?
The Festival!
The King's Festival?
And her father had taken for his new wife
The Festival
A woman with two daughters of her own
Look at your nails, look at your dress!
People would laugh at you nevertheless
I still want to go to the Festival
And dance before the Prince
All three were beautiful of face, but vile and black of heart
Jack, on the other hand, had no father, and his mother
I wish
Well, she was not quite beautiful
I wish my son were not a fool
I wish my house was not a mess
I wish the cow was full of milk
I wish the walls was full of gold
I wish a lot of things
Why, come in, little girl
I wish
It's not for me
It's for my Granny in the woods
A loaf of bread, please
To bring my poor old hungry granny in the woods
Just a loaf of bread, please
Cinderella's Stepmother had a surprise for her
I have emptied a pot of lentils into the ashes for you
If you have picked them out again in two hours' time
You shall go to the ball with us
And perhaps a sticky bun?
Or four?
Birds in the sky
Birds in the eaves, in the leaves, in the fields
In the castles and ponds
And a few of those pies please
Come, little birds
Down from the eaves and the leaves
Over fields out of castles and ponds
No, squeeze, pal (ahh)
Quick, little birds, flick through the ashes
Pick and peck, but swiftly sift through the ashes into the pot
Listen well, son, Milky-White must be taken to market
But, mother, no, he's the best cow
Look at her
There are bugs on her dugs
There are flies in her eyes
There's a lump on her rump
Big enough to be a hump
But (Son)
We've no time to sit and dither
While her wither's wither with her
And no one keeps a cow for a friend!
Sometimes I fear your touched
Into the woods, it's time to go
I hate to leave, I have to, though
Into the woods, it's time, and so
I must begin my journey
Into the woods and through the trees
To where I am expected ma'am
Into the woods, to Grandmother's house
Into the woods, to Grandmother's house
You're certain of your way?
The way is clear
The light is good
I have no fear
Nor no one should
The woods are just trees
The trees are just wood
I sort of hate to ask it
But do you have a basket?
Into the woods and down the dell
The path is straight, I know it well
Into the woods and who can tell
What's waiting on the journey?
Into the woods to bring some bread
To Granny who is sick in bed
Never can tell what lies ahead
For all that I know she's already dead
But into the woods
Into the woods
Into the woods, to Grandmother's house
And home before dark
Fly, birds
Back to the sky
Back to the eaves and the leaves
And the fields and the
Hurry up and do my hair, Cinderella!
Are you really wearing that?
Here, I found a little tear, Cinderella
Can't you hide it with a hat?
You look beautiful
I know
She means me
Put it in a twist
Who will be there?
Mother said be good, father said be nice
That was always their advice
So be nice, Cinderella
Good, Cinderella
Nice, good, good, nice (tighter!)
What's the good of being good if everyone is blind
And you're always left behind?
Never mind, Cinderella, kind Cinderella
Nice, good, nice, kind, good, nice
Ow, not that tight!
Sorry
Clod
Who might that be?
It's the witch from next door
The old enchantress told the couple she had placed a spell on their house
What spell?
In the past
When your mother was with child
She developed an unusual appetite
She took one look at my beautiful garden
And told your father that what she wanted
More than anything in the world was
Greens, greens and nothing but greens
Parsley, peppers, cabbages and celery
Asparagus and watercress and fiddleferns and lettuce
He said, "All right", but it wasn't, quite
'Cause I caught him in the autumn in my garden one night!
He was robbing me
Raping me
Rooting through my rutabaga
Raiding my arugula and
Ripping up my rampion
My champion! My favorite!
I should have laid a spell on him right there
Could've turned him into stone or a dog or a chair
But I let him have the rampion, I'd lots to spare
In return, however, I said, "Fair is fair
You can let me have the baby that your wife will bear
And we'll call it square"
I had a brother?
No, but you had a sister
But the witch refused to tell him anymore of his sister
Not even that her name was „Rapunzel“
I thought I had been more than reasonable
But how was I to know
What your father had also hidden in his pocket?
What?
Beans (beans?) the special beans
I let him go, I didn't know he'd stolen my beans!
I was watching him crawl back over the wall!
Then bang! Crash! The lightning flash!
And well, that's another story, never mind
Anyway, at last the big day came
I made my claim
"Oh, don't take away the baby", they shrieked and screeched
But I did and I hid her where she'll never be reached
Your father cried and your mother died
When for extra measure I admit it was a pleasure
I said, "Sorry, I'm still not mollified"
And I laid a little spell on them
You, too, son
That your family tree would always be a barren one
So there's no more fuss and there's no more scenes
And my garden thrives, you should see my nectarines!
But I'm telling you the same I tell kings and queens
„Don't ever never ever mess around with my greens!“
Especially the beans
Now listen to me, Jack
Lead Milky-White to market and fetch the best price you can
Are you listening to me?
Jack, Jack, Jack
Head in a sack
The house is getting colder
This is not the time for dreaming
Chimney stack
Starting to crack
The mice are getting bolder
The floor's gone slack
Your mother's getting older
Your father's not back
And you can't just sit here dreaming pretty dreams
To wish and wait from day to day
Will never keep the wolves away
So into the woods, the time is now
We have to live, I don't care how
Into the woods to sell the cow
You must begin the journey
Straight to the woods and don't delay
We have to face the marketplace
Into the woods to journey's end
Into the woods to sell a friend
Meanwhile, the Witch, for purposes of her own
Explained how the Baker might lift the spell
You wish to have the curse reversed?
I'll need a certain potion first
Go to the wood and bring me back
One, the cow as white as milk
Two, the cape as red as blood
Three, the hair as yellow as corn
Four, the slipper as pure as gold
Bring me these before the chime of midnight
In three day's time
And you shall have, I guarantee
A child as perfect as child can be
Go to the wood!
Ladies
Our carriage waits
Now may I go to the Festival?
The Festival!
Darling, those nails! Darling, those clothes!
Lentils are one thing but, darling, with those
You'd make us the fools of the Festival
And mortify the Prince!
(Your carriage is waiting) we must be gone!
Goodnight, Father
I wish
Look what I found in father's hunting jacket
Six beans, we'll take them with us
No, the spell is on my house
Only I can lift the spell
The spell is on my house (no, no, the spell is on our house)
No (we must lift the spell)
You are not to come and that is final, no
What am I to return with?
You don't remember?
The cow as white as milk
The cape as red as blood
The hair as yellow as corn
The slipper as pure as gold
The cow as white as milk
The cape as red as blood (and so the Baker, reluctantly, set off)
To meet the enchantresses demands
As for Cinderella
I still wish to go to the Festival (the cow as white as milk)
But how am I ever to get to the Festival? (the cape as red as blood)
(The hair as yellow as corn) I know! I'll visit Mother's grave
The grave at the hazel tree and tell her I just want to go to the King's Festival
Into the woods, it's time to go
It may be all in vain, I know
Into the woods but even so
I have to take the journey
Into the woods, the path is straight
I know it well but who can tell
Into the woods to lift the spell
Into the woods to visit Mother
Into the woods to fetch the things
To make the potion
To got to the Festival
Into the woods without regret
The choice is made, the task is set
Into the woods but not forgetting why I'm on the journey
Into the woods to get my wish
I don't care how the time is now
Into the woods to sell the cow
Into the woods to get the money
Into the woods to lift the spell
To make the potion
To go to the Festival
Into the woods to Grandmother's house
Into the woods to Grandmother's house
The way is clear
The light is good
I have no fear
Nor no one should
The woods are just trees
The trees are just wood
No need to be afraid there
There's something in the glade there
Into the woods without delay
But careful not to lose the way
Into the woods who knows what may be lurking on the journey?
Into the woods to get the thing that makes it worth the journeying
Into the woods to see the King
To sell the cow
To make the potion
To see, to sell, to get, to bring, to make, to lift, to go to the Festival!
Into the woods!
Into the woods!
Into the woods then out of the woods
And home before dark!
The song "Prologue: Into The Woods" is the opening song of the Broadway musical "Into The Woods". It sets up the background of the characters and their wishes. The song starts with a fairy tale-like introduction, telling the audience that this is a story that takes place in a far-off kingdom, where a fair maiden, a sad young lad, and a childless Baker and his wife wish for more in their lives. The song progresses to introduce other beloved fairy tale characters, such as Cinderella, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk and the Witch.
The song uses repetition of the phrase "I wish" to introduce the characters and their desires. Each character has a wish for something that is more important than anything else in their lives. Cinderella wishes to go to the Festival, Jack wishes for a better life, and the Baker wishes for a child. The Witch is introduced as an antagonist who has cursed the Baker and his wife with infertility. The lyrics also show the interactions between the characters and their stories, such as the Witch explaining the story of Rapunzel.
Overall, the song introduces the audience to the various characters and their motivations, setting up the story for the rest of the musical.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time
In a time long ago
I wish
I desire deeply
In a far-off kingdom
In a distant land ruled by a king
More than anything
Above all else
Lived a fair maiden (more than mine)
Resided a beautiful young woman (more beautiful than any)
A sad young lad
A young boy who feels sorrow
And a childless baker
And a baker who is unable to have children
With his wife
Alongside his spouse
More than life
More than their own lives
More than the moon
More than the celestial body that illuminates the night sky
The King is giving a Festival
The King is hosting a grand celebration
I wish my cow would give us some milk
I hope that our cow will provide us with milk
I want a child
I desire to have a child
You wish to go to the Festival?
Do you also desire to attend the Festival?
The poor girl's mother had died
The mother of the impoverished girl had passed away
You, Cinderella, the Festival?
You, Cinderella, want to go to the Festival?
And her father had taken for his new wife
And her father had married another woman
Look at your nails, look at your dress!
Examine your nails, observe your attire!
People would laugh at you nevertheless
Regardless, people would still mock you
And dance before the Prince
And perform a dance in front of the Prince
All three were beautiful of face, but vile and black of heart
All three possessed physical beauty, but harbored wicked and malicious intentions
Jack, on the other hand, had no father, and his mother
In contrast, Jack had no father, only his mother
Well, she was not quite beautiful
Well, she lacked the conventional standards of beauty
I wish my son were not a fool
I desire my son to be less foolish
I wish my house was not a mess
I desire for my house to be tidy
I wish the cow was full of milk
I hope that the cow is filled with milk
I wish the walls was full of gold
I long for the walls to be adorned with gold
Who will be there?
Who will be in attendance?
Mother said be good, father said be nice
Mother instructed to behave well, father advised to be kind
What's the good of being good if everyone is blind
What is the benefit of being virtuous if no one recognizes it
Never mind, Cinderella, kind Cinderella
Disregard it, Cinderella, compassionate Cinderella
Good, Cinderella
Well-behaved, Cinderella
Nice, good, good, nice (tighter!)
Pleasant, well-behaved, well-behaved, pleasant (tighten the clothing!)
Darling, those nails! Darling, those clothes!
Dearest, your nails! Dearest, your attire!
Lentils are one thing but, darling, with those
Lentils are acceptable, but, dearest, with that appearance
You'd make us the fools of the Festival
You would cause us to be ridiculed at the Festival
And mortify the Prince!
And embarrass the Prince!
The old enchantress told the couple she had placed a spell on their house
The elderly sorceress informed the couple about the spell she had cast upon their home
What spell?
What kind of spell?
In the past
Previously
When your mother was with child
When your mother was pregnant
She developed an unusual appetite
She had a peculiar craving for food
Greens, greens and nothing but greens
Leafy vegetables, only leafy vegetables
Parsley, peppers, cabbages and celery
Parsley, peppers, cabbage, and celery
Asparagus and watercress and fiddleferns and lettuce
Asparagus, watercress, ferns, and lettuce
He was robbing me
He was stealing from me
But I let him have the rampion, I'd lots to spare
But I allowed him to take the rampion, as I had an abundance of it
In return, however, I said, "Fair is fair
In exchange, I stated, "It is only fair
Your father cried and your mother died
Your father wept and your mother perished
I laid a little spell on them
I cast a small enchantment on them
That your family tree would always be a barren one
So that your lineage would never bear fruit
Don't ever never ever mess around with my greens!
Do not, under any circumstances, tamper with my vegetables!
Now listen to me, Jack
Pay attention to me, Jack
Lead Milky-White to market and fetch the best price you can
Take Milky-White to the market and sell her for the highest possible price
Are you listening to me?
Are you paying attention to what I'm saying?
The house is getting colder
The temperature inside the house is decreasing
This is not the time for dreaming
This is not the appropriate moment for indulging in fantasies
The mice are getting bolder
The mice are becoming braver
Your mother's getting older
Your mother is aging
Your father's not back
Your father has not returned
And you can't just sit here dreaming pretty dreams
And you cannot simply sit here fantasizing
To wish and wait from day to day
To hope and wait with each passing day
Will never keep the wolves away
Will not prevent the wolves from approaching
So into the woods, the time is now
Therefore, it is time to venture into the woods
We have to live, I don't care how
We must survive, regardless of the means
Into the woods to sell the cow
Into the woods to trade the cow
We have to face the marketplace
We must confront the market
Into the woods to journey's end
Into the woods to reach the destination
Into the woods to bring some bread
Into the woods to acquire bread
For all that I know she's already dead
It is possible that she is already deceased
But into the woods
Nevertheless, into the woods
To get the money
To obtain the funds
To lift the spell
To break the enchantment
To make the potion
To concoct the elixir
To go to the Festival
To attend the Festival
How am I ever to get to the Festival?
How will I ever be able to reach the Festival?
I know! I'll visit Mother's grave
I know! I will go to Mother's burial site
And tell her I just want to go to the King's Festival
And inform her that I only desire to attend the King's Festival
It may be all in vain, I know
It might all be futile, I understand
But I have to take the journey
But I must embark on the expedition
The choice is made, the task is set
The decision has been made, the objective is determined
But not forgetting why I'm on the journey
But not losing sight of the purpose of the quest
To fetch the things
To retrieve the items
To make the potion
To create the elixir
To see, to sell, to get, to bring, to make, to lift, to go to the Festival!
To witness, to trade, to obtain, to carry, to create, to break, to attend the Festival!
Into the woods!
Into the woods!
And out of the woods
And out of the woods
And home before dark!
And return home prior to darkness!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind