Balancing Act
Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Music by Alan Menken
CLOPIN
Welcome to Paris
Parasites and rubble
Though there’s still our share of trouble we attract
Whereas our wretched race is
Banned or killed in other other places
Here we have a sort of silent pact
And life is like
A balancing act!
GYPSIES
Welcome to Paris
Parasites and rubble
We have rules here
Learn them on the double
CLOPIN
We Gypsies here in Paris
Have our specified roles to play
GYPSIES
We Gypsies here in Paris
Have our specified roles to play
CLOPIN
And if we play them nice enough
Then maybe they’ll let us stay
GYPSIES
And if we play them nice enough
Then maybe we’ll stay
CLOPIN
First there is the beggar
So forlorn and forsaken
Next the street-performer they acclaim
GYPSIES
Make one of those your aim
CLOPIN
Last but never least
There is the scapegoat who they can blame
For all their troubles
And we try to keep the times
We’re pitied or petted
Greater than the times we are attacked
FEMALE GYPSIES
Sometimes we’re spared...
MALE GYPSIES
Sometimes we’re smacked...
CLOPIN
It’s a balancing act!
Alright, let’s get organized. Beggars first! Good, good. Even more pathetic
as usual. Now, we need musicians, we need fortune tellers, we need... ahh,
what have we here? And what is this beauty’s name?
ESMERALDA
Esmeralda.
CLOPIN
And how are you going to earn your keep, Esmeralda?
ESMERALDA
I dance.
CLOPIN
Dance. Good.
Welcome to Paris, Esmeralda
The way you move
Is made to make men fall
MALE GYPSIES
Esmeralda...
CLOPIN
A girl who looks like Esmeralda
Is sure to prove
An asset to us all
GYPSY WOMAN
Asset, hah! She’s the reason we got kicked out of Frankfurt!
CLOPIN
Oh really? Caught stealing were you?
GYPSY WOMAN
She hit a soldier.
CLOPIN
Yes yes, none of us love a soldier. But Esmeralda, you just worry about yourself
here. Otherwise you’ll soon be on your way to the next town. Understood?
ESMERALDA
Yes.
GYPSIES
Welcome to Paris, wretched refuge
ESMERALDA
Can it be
At last I’ll find a home
GYPSIES
This is our home now...
ESMERALDA
And end to all my years of roaming
GYPSIES
We’ll have a home...
ESMERALDA
I’ll hold my tongue
GYPSIES
At last a home...
ESMERALDA
Control my temper
GYPSIES
And in this home
ALL
We’ll use our wiles and wits and talents
As we try to keep on balancing forever
CLOPIN
And when this day is done
We should have plenty to celebrate
ESMERALDA & GYPSIES
And when this day is done
There will be plenty to celebrate
CLOPIN
Unless of course it’s one
When they decide to display their hate
ESMERALDA & GYPSIES
Dear God, don’t make it one
Where they display their hate
CLOPIN
Well, no point in worrying
It’s time to get out there
And do our level best to keep intact
ESMERALDA & GYPSIES
We’ll do our best to keep intact
ALL
Our balancing act
ESMERALDA & GYPSIES
Welcome to Paris
All that we desire
Is a home here
Dancing on a wire
CLOPIN
It’s a balancing act
ESMERALDA & GYPSIES
And we’re ready
To accept the fact:
Living here is like
A balancing act!
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