Peter Friedman feat. Mike O'Carroll, Judy Kaye, Jim Corti & Ragtime Ensemble - Success Lyrics

Lyrics Success - Peter Friedman , Ragtime Ensemble



I promised you America
And little one, we're there!
(America!)
Our feet are on the solid ground
And hope is in the air!
(America!)
You'll soon be eating apple pie
From off a china plate
Pretty dresses, pretty dolls
Just wait!
For shining in your Tateh's eye
And just beyond this gate—
America!
Here in America
Anyone at all can succeed
(America! Here in America!)
Do what you do
And the world will come to you
Guranteed!
(America! We're in America!)
I may be just a maker of art
But here you can start with less
And make a success!
Step right up and have a silhouette made by
A real artist! With ordinary paper, a pair of scissors
And some glue I will give you a thing of such
Beauty! A life-like portrait of someone you love
Silhouettes of your favorite celebrity
Evelyn Nesbit. Hey look!
She's on her Vaudeville stage
Harry Houdini, he practically escapes
From the page
Only a nickel
Don't walk away!
Someday these will impress
When I'm a success!
(America, America)
Look at the silhouettes
Here in the tenements
Bent over sewing
Or dancing or arguing
Thouands of silhouettes
Thousands of stories to tell
Look at them, little one
Such opportunity!
Right on the corner of
Orchard and Rivington
We'll make our silhouettes
Think how they'll sell
We'll join the parade
Of Americans all doing well!
Success!
Success!
I'm J.P. Morgan, my friends
The wealthiest man on this earth!
Success!
You immigrants, look up to me
And you'll see what money is worth!
Success!
One day your immigrant sweat
Might get you the whole U.S.!
And if you're trapped
And failure seems imminent
Think of Houdini
That fabulous immigrant!
Break those chains with all you possess!
This is America!
This is the land of success!
Success!
The angry, fetid tenements
Of the Lower East Side
Were worse than anything Tateh and his wife had
Suffered in Latvia
The Little Girl was often sick now
Tateh wrapped her in his prayer shawl
What rabbi would disapprove?
America!
America!
Look at my daughter, God
Why have you brought us here?
How can I feed her or clothe
Or protect her here?
Where's the America
We were supposed to get?
Was it a silhouette?
Hey, mister
Here in America
Anything you want, you can be!
Sucker, step up
And I'll cut you out your own guarantee!
Come see the artist!
Big shot, oh yes!
Red, white and blue!
Hooray and God bless!
I'm a success!
I'm a success!
Success!
Success!
If you're trapped
And failure seems imminent
Think of Houdini
That fabulous immigrant!
Break those chains with all you possess!
I promised you America
And little one
We will find it!



Writer(s): Bill Bottrell, Linda Perry


Peter Friedman feat. Mike O'Carroll, Judy Kaye, Jim Corti & Ragtime Ensemble - Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)l

1 Prologue: Ragtime
2 Goodbye, My Love
3 Journey On
4 The Crime of the Century
5 What Kind of Woman
6 A Shtetl Iz Amereke
7 Success
8 His Name Was Coalhouse Walker
9 Gettin' Ready Rag
10 Henry Ford
11 Nothing Like the City
12 Your Daddy's Son
13 The Courtship
14 New Music
15 Wheels of a Dream
16 The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square
17 Gliding
18 The Trashing of the Car
19 Justice
20 President
21 Till We Reach That Day
22 Entr'acte
23 Harry Houdini, Master Escapist
24 Coalhouse's Soliloquy
25 Coalhouse Demands
26 What a Game
27 Fire in the City
28 Atlantic City
29 Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc.
30 Our Children
31 Harlem Nightclub
32 Sarah Brown Eyes
33 He Wanted to Say
34 Back to Before
35 Look What You've Done
36 Make Them Hear You
37 Epilogue: Ragtime (Reprise) / Wheels of a Dream (Reprise)



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