Carrying the Banner

Carrying the Banner is a large dance number that features Jack and the other Newsies.

## Plot

Carrying the Banner takes place immediately following Santa Fe (Prologue). In it, the Newsies sing about the woes of of their lives as Newsies. During the song, the Newsies travel through Downtown Manhattan from the Newsboys Lodge to the front gate of the World, eventually making their way to Newsies Square. Along the way, they meet some Nuns, who distribute breakfast to the Newsies.

## Lyrics

**Race**

*Hey!*

That's my cigar!

**Albert**

You'll steal another

**Specs**

Hey look, it's bath time at the zoo

**Henry**

I'd thought that I'd surprise me mother

**Albert**

*If you can find her*

**Newsies**

*Who asked you?*

*[dialogue]*

**Race**

From bottle alley to the harbor

There's easy pickin's guaranteed

**Finch**

Try any banker, bum, or barber

They almost all knows how to read

**Jack**

It's a crooked game we're playin'

One we'll never lose

Long as suckers don't mind payin'

Just to get bad news!

**Newsies**

Ain't it a fine life

Carrying the banner though it all

A mighty fine life

Carrying the banner tough and tall

When that bell rings

We goes where we wishes

We's as free as fishes

Sure beats washin' dishes

What a fine life

Carrying the banner home free all

*[dialogue]*

**Crutchie**

It takes a smile that spreads like butter

The kind that turns a ladies head

**Race**

It takes an orphan with a stutter

**Finch**

Who's also blind

**Albert**

And mute

**Elmer**

And dead!

**Jack, Crutchie**

Summer stinks and winter's freezin'

When you works outdoors

**Jack, Crutchie, Buttons, Splasher, Tommy Boy**

Start out sweatin', end up sneezin'

**Newsies**

In between it pours!

Still it's a fine life (still it's a fine life)

Carrying the banner (carrying the banner)

With me chums (with me chums)

A bunch o' big shots (a bunch o' big shots)

Tossin' out a freebie to the bums (Tossin' out a freebie...)

**Finch**

Hey! What's the hold up?

Waitin' makes me antsy

I likes living chancey

**Newsies**

Harlem to Delancy

What a fine life

Carrying the banner through the...

**Nuns**

Blessed children

Though you wander

Lost and depraved

Jesus loves you

You shall be saved

*[dialouge]*

 Concrete doughnuts
 Sprinkled with mold
 Just two years old

*(simultaneously with Race and Nuns)*

**Elmer**

Just give me half a cup

**Henry**

Something to wake me up

**Romeo**

I gotta find an angle

**Tommy Boy**

It's getting bad out there

**Mush**

Papers is all I got

**Specs**

It's eighty-eight degrees

**Jo Jo**

Jack says to change my spot

**Albert**

Wish I could catch a breeze

**Finch**

Maybe it's worth a shot

**Buttons**

All I can catch is fleas

**Jack**

If I hate the headline

I'll make up a headline

**Jack, Crutchie**

And I'll say anything I have'ta

**Jack, Crutchie, Race, Romeo**

'Cause at two for a penny

If I take too many

Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta'

 I smells me a headline
 Papes are gonna sell like we
 Bet'cha dinner it's a doozy
 'Bout a pistol-packin' floozy
 Who knows how to make a
 Newsie's day!

**Newsies**

You wanna move the next edition?

Give us an earthquake or a war

**Elmer**

How 'bout a crooked politician?

**Newsies**

Ya nitwit, that ain't news no more!

Uptown to Grand Central Station

Down to City Hall

We improves our articulation

Walkin' till we fall

*[dialogue]*

**Newsies**

We'll all be out there

Carrying the banner man to man

We're always out there

Soakin' every sucker that we can

Here's the headline:

"Newsies on a Mission!"

Kill the competition!

Sell the next edition!

We'll all be out there

Carrying the banner!

See us out there

Carrying the banner!

Always out there

Carrying the banner!

Ah, ah, ah

Go!

## Carrying the Banner

### Location

Newsboys Lodge, Downtown Manhattan, Newsies Square

## Created By

### Lyricist

Jack Feldmen

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