Would you like to dance around the world with me?

Into the Woods Song

I was listening to my new (used) iPod (which is awesome, btw), and this song came on. As I listened to the lyrics, I realized (1) how good of a song it is, (2) the very pertinent and good messages it relays, and (3) how fitting it is for this fall (except for the child and husband part). So I know a lot of times when people post lyrics, I don't really read them, but I promise if you read the song (or IM me at biffbabe for the mp3), you'll be glad you did. And if you want the Cliff's Notes version, look at the bolded sections.

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Anything can happen in the woods.
May I kiss you-?
Any moment we could be crushed.

BAKER'S WIFE
uh-

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Don't feel rushed.

BAKER'S WIFE
This is ridiculous,
What am I doing here?
I'm in the wrong story.

Wait one moment, please! We can't do this!

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Of course, you're right. How foolish.

Foolishness can happen in the woods.
Once again, please-
Let your hesitations be hushed.
Any moment, big or small,
Is a moment, after all.
Seize the moment, skies may fall
Any moment.

Days are made of moments,
All are worth exploring.
Many kinds of moments-
None is worth ignoring.
All we have are moments,
Memories for storing.
One would be so boring...

BAKER'S WIFE
But this is not right!

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Right and wrong don't matter in the woods,
Only feelings.
Let us meet the moment unblushed.
Life is often so unpleasant-
You must know that, as a peasant-
Best to take the moment present
As a present for the moment.

I must leave you.

BAKER'S WIFE
Why?

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
The Giant.

BAKER'S WIFE
Will we find each other in the woods again?

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
This was just a moment in the woods.
Our moment,
Shimmering and lovely and sad.
Leave the moment, just be glad
For the moment that we had.
Every moment is of moment
When you're in the woods...

Goodbye.

BAKER'S WIFE
What was that?

Was that me?
Was that him?
Did a Prince really kiss me?
And kiss me?
And kiss me?
And did I kiss him back?

Was it wrong?
Am I mad?
Is that all?
Does he miss me?
Was he suddenly
Getting bored with me?

Wake up! Stop dreaming.
Stop prancing about the woods.
It's not besseming.
What is it about the woods?

Back to life, back to sense,
Back to child, back to husband,
You can't live in the woods.
There are vows, there are ties,
There are needs, there are standards,
There are shouldn'ts and shoulds.

Why not both instead?
There's the answer, if you're clever:
have a child for warmth,
And a Baker for bread,
And a Prince for whatever-
Never!
It's these woods.

Face the facts, find the boy,
Join the group, stop the Giant-
Just get out of these woods.
Was that him? yes it was.
Was that me? No it wasn't,
Just a trick of the woods.

Just a moment,
One peculiar passing moment...
Must it all be either less or more,
Either plain or grand?
Is it always "or"?
Is it never "and"?
That's what woods are for:
For those moments in the woods...

Oh, if life were made of moments,
Even now and then a bad one-!
But if life were only moments,
Then you'd never know you had one.

First a Witch, then a child,
Then a Prince, then a moment-
Who can live in the woods?
And to get what you wish,
Only just for a moment-
These are dangerous woods...

Let the moment go...
Don't forget it for a moment, though.
Just remembering you've had and "and",
When you're back to "or",
Makes the "or" mean more
Than it did before.
Now I understand-

And it's time to leave the woods.

posted by Biff @ 5:48 PM