Carrying the Banner

## Carrying the Banner

### Running time

* 6:15 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
* 5:08 (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

* The Bottom Line (2011 musical)

## Lyrics

>
> **RACETRACK**
>
> That's my cigar
>
>
>
> **SNIPESHOOTER**
>
> You'll steal another
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

>
> **KID BLINK**
>
> Hey, bummers
>
> We got work to do
>
>
>
> **SPECS**
>
> Since when did you become me mother?
>
>
>
> **CRUTCHY**
>
> Ah, stop your bawling!
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> Hey! Who asked you?
>
>
>
> **MUSH**
>
> Try Bottle Alley or the harbor
>
>
>
> **RACETRACK**
>
> Try Central Park, it's guaranteed
>
>
>
> **JACK**
>
> Try any banker, bum, or barber
>
>
>
> **SKITTERY**
>
> They almost all knows how to read!
>
>
>
> **KID BLINK**
>
> I smell money
>
>
>
> **CRUTCHY**
>
> You smell foul!
>
>
>
> **MUSH**
>
> Met this girl last night
>
>
>
> **CRUTCHY**
>
> Move your elbow!
>
>
>
> **RACETRACK**
>
> Pass the towel!
>
>
>
> **SKITTERY**
>
> For a buck, I might!
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> Ain't it a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner through it all?
>
> A mighty fine life
>
> Carrying the banner tough and tall
>
> Every morning
>
> 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!
>
>
>
> **JACK**
>
> It takes a smile as sweet as butter
>
>
>
> **CRUTCHY**
>
> The kind that ladies can't resist
>
>
>
> **RACETRACK**
>
> It takes an orphan with a stutter
>
>
>
> **JACK**
>
> Who ain't afraid to use his
>
>
>
> **KID BLINK**
>
> Fist!
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> Summer stinks and winter's waitin'
>
> Welcome to New Yawk!
>
> Boy, ain't nature fascinating
>
> When youse gotta walk?
>
> Still, it's a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner with me chums!
>
> A mighty fine life
>
> Blowing every nickel as it comes
>
>
>
> **CRUTCHY**
>
> I'm no snoozer
>
> Sittin' makes me antsy
>
> I likes livin' chancy
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> Harlem to Delancey
>
> What a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner through the slums
>
>
>
> **NUNS**
>
> Blessed children
>
> Though you wander lost and depraved
>
> Jesus loves you
>
> You shall be saved!
>
>
>
> **PATRICK'S MOTHER**
>
> Patrick darling
>
> Since you left me
>
> I am undone
>
> Mother ​loves you!
>
> God, save my son!
>
>
>
> (overlapping)
>
> **RACETRACK**
>
> Just gimme half a cup
>
>
>
> **KID BLINK**
>
> Something to wake me up
>
>
>
> **MUSH**
>
> I gotta find an angle
>
>
>
> **CRUTCHY**
>
> I gotta sell more papes
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 1**
>
> Papers is all I got
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 2**
>
> Wish I could catch a breeze
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 1**
>
> Sure hope the headline's hot
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 2**
>
> All I can catch is fleas
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 1**
>
> God, help me if it's not!
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 2**
>
> Somebody help me, please
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 1**
>
> If I hate the headlines
>
> I'll make up the headline
>
> And I'll say anything I hafta
>
> 'Cause at two for a penny
>
> If I take too many
>
> Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta
>
>
>
> (overlapping)
>
> Look! They're putting up a headline
>
> They call that a headline?
>
> I get better stories
>
> From the copper on the beat!
>
> I was gonna start at twenty
>
> Now a dozen'll be plenty
>
> Tell me, how'm I gonna make ends meet?
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 2** (overlapping)
>
> What's it say?
>
> That won't pay!
>
> So where's your spot?
>
> God, it's hot!
>
> Will ya tell me
>
> How'm I gonna make ends meet?
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> We need a good assassination!
>
> We need an earthquake or a war!
>
>
>
> **SNIPESHOOTER**
>
> How 'bout a crooked politician?
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> Hey, stupid
>
> That ain't news no more!
>
> Uptown to Grand Central Station
>
> Down to City Hall
>
> We improves our circulation
>
> Walking till we fall
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 1**
>
> Still we'll be out there
>
> Carrying the banner
>
> ​man to man!
>
> We'll be out there
>
> Soaking every sucker that we can!
>
> See the headline:
>
> Newsies on a mission!
>
> Kill the competition
>
> Sell the next edition
>
> While we're out there
>
> Carrying the banner is the—
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 2** (overlapping)
>
> Look, they're putting up a headline
>
> They call that a headline?
>
> The idiot who wrote it
>
> ​must be working for the Sun!
>
> Didja hear about the fire?
>
> Heard it killed old man Maguire!
>
> Heard the toll was even higher
>
> Why do I miss all the fun?
>
> Hitched it on a trolley
>
> Meetcha Forty-fourth and Second
>
> Little Italy's a secret
>
> Bleecker's further than I reckoned
>
> By the courthouse
>
> Near the stables
>
> On the corner someone beckoned and I—
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> It's a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner through it all
>
> A mighty fine life
>
> Carrying the banner ​tough and tall
>
> See the headline
>
> Newsies on a mission
>
> Kill the competition
>
> Sell the next edition
>
> What a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner!
>
> It's a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner
>
> It's a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner
>
> It's a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner
>
> It's a fine life
>
> Carrying the banner
>
> It's a—
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES GROUP 2** (overlapping)
>
> Would you look at that headline?
>
> You call that a headline?
>
> I get better stories
>
> ​from the copper on the beat!
>
> I was gonna start with twenty
>
> But a dozen will be plenty
>
> Would you tell me how'm I ever
>
> Gonna make ends meet?
>
> Hitched it on a trolley
>
> Meetcha Forty-fourth and Second
>
> Little Italy's a secret
>
> Bleecker's further than I reckoned
>
> By the courthouse
>
> Near the stables
>
> On the corner someone beckoned!
>
>
>
> Go get 'em, cowboy
>
> You got 'em now, boy
>
> Go get 'em, cowboy
>
> You got 'em now, boy
>
>
>
> **NEWSIES**
>
> Go!
>
>
>
>
>