It was several days before Christmas...... It was several days before Christmas.
The sisters sat about the parlour and grumbled about their fate.
Meg, the oldest and most romantic said, "It's not fair some girls have pretty things while we have nothing."
"And it won't be Christmas without presents!" said Amy, with her usual pout.
"And we haven't got Father to read to us," said Jo, who yearned to travel and write great books.
Only Beth, sitting contented said in a tone so sweet even angels would have listened...
"But we've got each other."
I'm not sure how many people know, but in 2005 Little Women was made into a musical, starring Sutton Foster as Jo March.
At the end of the musical there is a song called "The Fire Within Me"
It is after Beth's death, and Jo is grieving, finding it very hard not only to continue with life, but to find anything to write about.
I know that the March sisters are just fictional characters, but these sisters, in particularly Jo March, really resonates with me. Jo is just so driven, headstrong, and determined - she won't let anything or anyone stand in her way.
So after she loses Beth, the audience is revealed to this whole other side to Jo. For once in her life she doesn't feel like she can just reach up and re-arrange the stars.
The first time I saw this musical I cried in this scene. Especially when Jo begins to write the book of her and her sisters. It's just a moment of realisation, a moment of warmth, as she understands that Beth's memory can live forever in her heart, and in the heart of her readers.
Again, I have seen a recording of Sutton Foster performing this, as she originated the role of Jo March on Broadway. And yes, I am a little bias towards Sutton Foster (who can blame me, she is phenomanal...), but throughout this entire song, I had shivers, smiles and tears. It is truly incredible.
So there it is, the song that makes me cry, every time I see it performed, without fail.
Here's the lyrics (they are a little different to the link... but they are correct to the sountrack); check out the link below watch the amazing Sutton Foster perform what can only be described as utter brilliance.
(note: at the beginning it's black, something must have gone wrong with the filming? but it comes back in at 1:21. besides, you can just hear the emotion in her voice!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66VhH-V_mM
The Fire Within Me
How do I go on?
Just an empty room
All I have are memories I need a task to do
Someone give me a task to do I need a....
I thought that somehow we would always have forever
I thought the promises we made would have a different end
I thought the love we shared would keep us as we were
It was the fire within me
We dreamed and plotted with abandon in this attic
When we were gathered here the room became our citadel
We were amazing then my sisters and I
They were the fire within me
In this room I knew we were alive
Nothing was too painful to survive
We faced the world together
The four of us forever side by side
Everything I promised was for them
I was theirs no matter where or when
How can that be lost forever
How when I gave everything with all my heart
(spoken):
It was several days before Christmas.
It was several days before Christmas.
The sisters sat about the parlour and grumbled about their fate.
Meg, the oldest and most romantic said,
"It's not fair some girls have pretty things while we have nothing."
"And it won't be Christmas without presents," said Amy with her usual pout.
"And we haven't got father to read to us,"
said Jo who yearned to travel and write great books.
Only Beth, sitting contented said, in a tone so sweet,
even angels would have listened,
"But we've got each other."
Everything I promised them is here
All of us we used to be
We will always have each other
They will always be the fire in my heart
Here I go, and there's no turning back
My great adventure has begun I may be small
But I've got giant plans
To shine as brightly as the sun
Here in all the smallest details of the past
Here in this attic suddenly life is something vast
The four of us forever here at last
As unexpected as can be
Astonishing
and remember, as Jo sings at the end of the musical -
sometimes when you dream,
your dreams come true in extraordinary ways,
suddenly a day can be so amazing.
and sometimes when you yearn, you burn the air.
and then you are not the same.and the world is astonishing.
oh crap, now i'm crying!!
xx
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