Wedding Chorale: Beggars At The Feast

[Chorus]
Ring out the bells upon this day of days!
May all the angels of the Lord above
In jubilation sing their songs of praise!
And crown this blessed time with peace and love.

[Major Domo] The Baron and Baroness de Thénard wish to pay their respects to the groom!

[Thénardier]
I forget where we met
Was it not at the Chateau Lafarge
Where the Duke did that puke
Down the Duchess's de-coll-etage?

[Marius]
No, 'Baron de Thénard'
The circles I move in are humbler by far
Go away, Thénardier!
Do you think I don't know who you are?

[Mme. Thénardier]
He's not fooled
Told you so
Show M'sieur what you've come here to show
Tell the boy what you know!

[Marius]
When I look at you, I remember Eponine
She was more than you deserved, who gave her birth
But now she is with God and happier, I hope
Than here on earth!

[Thénardier]
So it goes, heaven knows
Life has dealt me some terrible blows.

[Mme. Thénardier]
You've got cash and a heart
You could give us a bit of a start!
We can prove, plain as ink
Your bride's father is not what you think.

[Thénardier]
There's a tale I could tell

[Mme. Thénardier]
Information we're willing to sell...

[Thénardier]
There's a man that he slew
I saw the corpse clear as I'm seeing you!
What I tell you is true!

[Mme. Thénardier]
Pity to disturb you at a feast like this
But five hundred francs surely wouldn't come amiss.

[Marius] In God's name say what you have to say.

[Thénardier] But first you pay!
What I saw, clear as light
Jean Valjean in the sewers that night
Had this corpse on his back
Hanging there like a bloody great sack
I was there, never fear
Even found me this fine souvenir! (the ring of Marius)

[Marius]
I know this! This was mine!
Surely this is some heavenly sign!

[Thénardier]
One thing more, mark this well
It was the night the barricades fell.

[Marius]
Then it's true, then I'm right
Jean Valjean was my savior that night!

As for you, take this too!
God forgive the things that we do
Come my love, come Cosette
This day's blessings are not over yet!

[Thenardier]
Ain't it a laugh
Ain't it a treat
Hob-nobbin' here
Among the elite
Here comes a prince
There goes a Jew
This one's a queer
But what can you do
Paris at my feet
Paris in the dust
And here I'm breaking bread
With the upper crust!

Beggar at the feast
Master of the dance
Life is easy pickings
If you take your chance
Everywhere you go
Law-abiding folk
Doing what is decent
But they're mostly broke!

Singing to the Lord on Sundays
Praying for the gifts He'll send.

[M. and Mme. Thenardier]
But we're the ones who take it
We're the ones who make it in the end
Watch the buggers dance
Watch 'em till they drop
Keep your wits about you
And you stand on top
Masters of the land
Always get our share
Clear away the barricades
And we're still there!

We know where the wind is blowing
Money is the stuff we smell
And when we're rich as Croesus
Jesus! Won't we see you all in hell!