[Intro — warped carousel organ, slow creaking rotation] Step up, step up Pick your horse One ride only No refunds, of course [Children, distant] Merrily we go... [Verse 1] There was a boy named Henry With a hole in his shoe He climbed on the black horse Like a brave boy would do He wanted to be older He wanted to be tall He wanted his father's coat He wanted it all The bell gave a shiver The horses took flight Henry laughed once Then vanished from sight When the ride came around There stood a man Six feet tall With a cigarette in his hand His mother screamed "Henry, come home!" He looked at her face Like he'd never known [Chorus] Merrily we go Merrily we go Round and round Watch the years roll Merrily we go Merrily we go What you wish for Is what you owe [Verse 2] Then there was Mrs. Bell With the silver in her hair She climbed on the white horse And whispered a prayer "Make me young again Make me seventeen Give me back the face I had in my dreams" The music got faster The lights turned blue Her wrinkles disappeared One by one, two by two Her hands became smooth Her eyes became bright Her dress fit her body Like it did that night She stepped off smiling A beautiful girl Then she saw her husband And didn't know the world He was seventy years old. She was seventeen. [Chorus] Merrily we go Merrily we go Round and round Watch the years roll Merrily we go Merrily we go You can have yesterday But yesterday takes its toll [Verse 3] A father climbed aboard With his son at his side Said, "Just one more turn, boy Enjoy the ride" The son wanted manhood The father wanted youth The carnival listened And gave them both truth The boy grew older His shoulders grew wide His father's face softened His teeth fell aside Round and round The horses flew The boy became thirty. The father became two. [Band drops] The father started crying. The son didn't know why. He picked up the child And carried him home While the carousel laughed All alone. [Children, whispering] Merrily we go... [Verse 4] Then the people got greedy And lined up in rows "I'll take ten years." "I'll take twenty." "How much for my soul?" The carnival keeper Just smiled at the crowd "Age is a number." "Say it out loud." They climbed on the horses They pulled on the reins They came off different But nobody complained One came off handsome One came off thin One came off beautiful One came off young again One came off laughing. One came off dead. One came off crying, "Put me back instead." [Chorus — darker, faster] Merrily we go Merrily we go Round and round Watch the years roll Merrily we go Merrily we go You get what you wanted You just don't get to choose [Bridge — carousel slows] The horses don't stop. The horses don't sleep. The horses remember The promises you keep. You wanted tomorrow. You wanted before. You wanted the person You weren't anymore. [Male lead, almost whispered] And every time around... you leave something behind. [Carousel accelerates] [Final Chorus — manic] MERRILY WE GO! MERRILY WE GO! ROUND AND ROUND! WATCH THE YEARS ROLL! MERRILY WE GO! MERRILY WE GO! YOUNG GET OLDER! OLD GET YOUNG! MERRILY WE GO! MERRILY WE GO! WHO ARE YOU NOW? WHO ARE YOU NOW? MERRILY WE GO! MERRILY WE GO! [Music suddenly cuts] [Silence] [Small child's voice] Daddy? [Pause] Daddy, why don't you know me? [Carousel begins turning again] [Children, very softly] Merrily we go... Merrily we go... Merrily we go...
