Carrying The Banner

That's my cigar
You'll steal anudder
Hey, bummers, we got work to do
Since when did you become me mudder?
Ah, stop yer bawling!

Hey! Who ast you??
Try Bottle Alley or the harbor
Try Central Park, it's guaranteed
Try any banker, bum, or barber
They almost all knows how to read!
I smell money
You smell foul!
Met this girl last night
Move your elbow!
Pass the towel!
For a buck, I might!

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 washing dishes
What a fine life
Carrying the banner home-free all!

It takes a smile as sweet as butter
The kind that ladies can't resist
It takes an orphan with a stutter
Who ain't afraid ta use his
Fist!

Summer stinks and winter's waiting
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.

I'm no snoozer
Sitting makes me antsy
I likes living chancy.

Harlem tah Delancey
What a fine life
Carrying the banner through the slums.

Blessed children
Though you wander lost and depraved
Jesus loves you
You shall be saved!

Patrick, darling
Since you left me I am undone
Mother loves you!
God, save my son!

Just gimme half a cup
Something ta wake me up
I gotta find an angle
I gotta sell more papes.

Papers is all I got
Wish I could catch a breeze
Sure hope the headline's hot
All I can catch is fleas
God, help me if it's not!
Somebody help me, please.

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.

Look! They're puttin' up the headline
You 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?

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?
We need a good assassination!
We need an earthquake or a war!

How 'bout a crooked politician?
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.

Still we'll be out there
Carrying the banner man to man!
We'll be out there
Soakin' 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.

Look, they're puttin' up the headline
They call that a headline?
The idiot who wrote it
Must be workin' for the Sun!
Did ya 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
Meet 'cha 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.

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
Go!

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
Now a dozen'll 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!
Go!