Lady Lazarus - Sylvia Plath

French chanson, dark cabaret, vaudeville

+ Show full styles

V5.5

[Verse 1: Fast and Theatrical]
(The female vocalist sings with a sharp, mocking, and theatrical flair, matching the bouncy piano)
I have done it again.
One year in every ten
I manage it—
A sort of walking miracle, my skin
Bright as a Nazi lampshade,
My right foot
A paperweight,
My face a featureless, fine
Jew linen.

[Verse 2: The Unveiling]
Peel off the napkin
O my enemy.
Do I terrify?—
The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth?
The sour breath
Will vanish in a day.
Soon, soon the flesh
The grave cave ate will be
At home on me
And I a smiling woman.

[Chorus 1: The Spectacle]
(The silver Chatzotzerot trumpets enter with a bright, fanfare-like melody, contrasting with the dark lyrics)
I am only thirty.
And like the cat I have nine times to die.
This is Number Three.
What a trash
To annihilate each decade.

[Verse 3: The Crowd]
(The piano becomes more frantic. The bassline walks rapidly)
What a million filaments.
The peanut-crunching crowd
Shoves in to see
Them unwrap me hand and foot—
The big strip tease.
Gentlemen, ladies
These are my hands
My knees.
I may be skin and bone,
Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman.

[Verse 4: The History]
The first time it happened I was ten.
It was an accident.
The second time I meant
To last it out and not come back at all.
I rocked shut
As a seashell.
They had to call and call
And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls.

[Chorus 2: The Art]
(The Shofar sounds a short, alarming blast. The vocalist drops the tempo slightly for a dramatic, spoken-word delivery, before jumping back into the fast pace)
Dying
Is an art, like everything else.
I do it exceptionally well.
I do it so it feels like hell.
I do it so it feels real.
I guess you could say I’ve a call.

[Verse 5: The Comeback]
It’s easy enough to do it in a cell.
It’s easy enough to do it and stay put.
It’s the theatrical
Comeback in broad day
To the same place, the same face, the same brute
Amused shout:
‘A miracle!’
That knocks me out.

[Bridge: The Transaction]
(The music strips back to just a stomping drum beat and a dissonant trumpet note. The vocal is highly rhythmic and biting)
There is a charge
For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge
For the hearing of my heart—
It really goes.
And there is a charge, a very large charge
For a word or a touch
Or a bit of blood
Or a piece of my hair or my clothes.

[Verse 6: The Confrontation]
(The frantic cabaret piano returns, faster than before)
So, so, Herr Doktor.
So, Herr Enemy.
I am your opus,
I am your valuable,
The pure gold baby
That melts to a shriek.
I turn and burn.
Do not think I underestimate your great concern.

[Pre-Climax: The Ash]
(The rhythm becomes a heavy, marching stomp. The Chatzotzerot play a harsh, warning melody)
Ash, ash—
You poke and stir.
Flesh, bone, there is nothing there--
A cake of soap,
A wedding ring,
A gold filling.

[Climax: The Warning]
(The Shofar wails loudly in the background. The vocalist practically screams the words over a chaotic, swirling circus of sound)
Herr God, Herr Lucifer
Beware
Beware.

[Outro: The Rebirth]
(The fast rhythm suddenly stops. A single, triumphant Chatzotzerot fanfare plays. The vocalist delivers the final lines with chilling, airy calmness)
Out of the ash
I rise with my red hair
And I eat men like air.

[Ending]
(A final, devastating Shofar blast that echoes out into total silence.)
[End]

3602/7500

[Intro: The Awakening] (The track opens with a jarring, raw blast from an ancient Shofar. Immediately, a fast, bouncy, and slightly sinister cabaret piano kicks in with a rapid 2/4 rhythm. A crisp snare drum sets a driving, theatrical pace.) [Verse 1: Fast and Theatrical] (The female vocalist sings with a sharp, mocking, and theatrical flair, matching the bouncy piano) I have done it again. One year in every ten I manage it— A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, My right foot A paperweight, My face a featureless, fine Jew linen. [Verse 2: The Unveiling] Peel off the napkin O my enemy. Do I terrify?— The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth? The sour breath Will vanish in a day. Soon, soon the flesh The grave cave ate will be At home on me And I a smiling woman. [Chorus 1: The Spectacle] (The silver Chatzotzerot trumpets enter with a bright, fanfare-like melody, contrasting with the dark lyrics) I am only thirty. And like the cat I have nine times to die. This is Number Three. What a trash To annihilate each decade. [Verse 3: The Crowd] (The piano becomes more frantic. The bassline walks rapidly) What a million filaments. The peanut-crunching crowd Shoves in to see Them unwrap me hand and foot— The big strip tease. Gentlemen, ladies These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. [Verse 4: The History] The first time it happened I was ten. It was an accident. The second time I meant To last it out and not come back at all. I rocked shut As a seashell. They had to call and call And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls. [Chorus 2: The Art] (The Shofar sounds a short, alarming blast. The vocalist drops the tempo slightly for a dramatic, spoken-word delivery, before jumping back into the fast pace) Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I’ve a call. [Verse 5: The Comeback] It’s easy enough to do it in a cell. It’s easy enough to do it and stay put. It’s the theatrical Comeback in broad day To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout: ‘A miracle!’ That knocks me out. [Bridge: The Transaction] (The music strips back to just a stomping drum beat and a dissonant trumpet note. The vocal is highly rhythmic and biting) There is a charge For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge For the hearing of my heart— It really goes. And there is a charge, a very large charge For a word or a touch Or a bit of blood Or a piece of my hair or my clothes. [Verse 6: The Confrontation] (The frantic cabaret piano returns, faster than before) So, so, Herr Doktor. So, Herr Enemy. I am your opus, I am your valuable, The pure gold baby That melts to a shriek. I turn and burn. Do not think I underestimate your great concern. [Pre-Climax: The Ash] (The rhythm becomes a heavy, marching stomp. The Chatzotzerot play a harsh, warning melody) Ash, ash— You poke and stir. Flesh, bone, there is nothing there-- A cake of soap, A wedding ring, A gold filling. [Climax: The Warning] (The Shofar wails loudly in the background. The vocalist practically screams the words over a chaotic, swirling circus of sound) Herr God, Herr Lucifer Beware Beware. [Outro: The Rebirth] (The fast rhythm suddenly stops. A single, triumphant Chatzotzerot fanfare plays. The vocalist delivers the final lines with chilling, airy calmness) Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air. [Ending] (A final, devastating Shofar blast that echoes out into total silence.) [End]

0/500