Who Is This Child Lyrics

Who Is This Child lyrics

[BEETHOVEN]



WHO IS THIS CHILD

THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE

WHO IS THIS CHILD

THAT I'VE NOT SEEN TILL THIS DAY



WHO DARES TO FALL ASLEEP

OUTSIDE MY DOOR

IF WE SHOULD WAIT AWHILE

I'M SURE SHE'LL GO AWAY



TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS

WOULD SURELY NOT BE WISE

FOR IN THE FINAL WORD

SHE MEANS NOTHING TO ME



I LEARNED THE TRICK IS

THAT WE JUST AVOID HER EYES

AND THE QUESTION

WHAT SHE MEANS TO ...



WHAT IS THIS LIFE

THERE WILL BE OTHER LIVES

SOON TO ARRIVE

SURELY SOME WILL SURVIVE

SHE IS BUT ONE

AND THERE ARE MANY MORE

EACH THE SAME AS ANY OTHER



WHO IS THIS CHILD

WHAT DOES SHE MEAN TO ME

I CLOSE MY EYES

AND STILL HER FACE I SEE

SHE IS BUT ONE

HER KIND IS EVERYWHERE

CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S NO WAY I SHOULD CARE



I NEED A MOMENT NOW

I HAVE TO CLEAR MY MIND

THERE IS A LIMIT LORD

JUST TO BEING KIND



THERE IS NO WAY IN LIFE

THAT EACH CHILD CAN BE SAVED

SHOULD I BE LOOKING WITH REGRET

AT EVERY GRAVE



THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES

IN LIFE SHE SHOULD BE WARNED

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR

THIS CHILD BEING BORN



I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE

IN ANY KIND OF WAY

FOR EVERY CHILD THAT LIFE CAN GATHER



WHAT IS THIS LIFE

THERE WILL BE OTHER LIVES

SOON TO ARRIVE

SURELY SOME WILL SURVIVE



SHE IS BUT ONE

AND THERE ARE MANY MORE

COULD THIS ONE LIFE REALLY MATTER



WHO IS THIS CHILD

WHAT DOES SHE MEAN TO ME

I CLOSE MY EYES

AND STILL HER FACE I SEE

SHE IS BUT ONE

HER KIND IS EVERYWHERE

CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S NO WAY I SHOULD CARE



CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE NIGHT

CAN YOU FEEL THAT IT'S OUT THERE

IT'S THE ARCING OF A LIFE

AND IT'S HANGING IN THE AIR



THOUGH I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES

AND PRETEND THAT I DON'T KNOW

IN MY HEART

I JUST CAN'T LET IT GO



THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY FOR ME

A WAY THAT LEADS FROM THIS INSANITY

A WAY THAT LEADS FROM MY DESTRUCTION IN THIS WAY



CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE NIGHT

CAN YOU FEEL THAT IT'S OUT THERE

IT'S THE ARCING OF A LIFE

AND IT'S HANGING IN THE AIR



THOUGH I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES

AND PRETEND THAT I DON'T KNOW

IN MY HEART

I JUST CAN'T LET IT GO



[Despite his best efforts he cannot bring himself to leave the child to this
evil, and collapsing on the piano bench, he tells the devil that he has a deal.
Beethoven is now a totally broken man as the fact sinks in that he has lost both
his soul and his Tenth Symphony.]



[Mephistopheles dances with delight as he picks up the manuscript never
noticing Twist who sneaks over and whispers in Ludwig's ear, "How do you
know that Mephistopheles will keep his word?" Beethoven sits up and
repeats the question aloud. Mephistopheles, never looking up from examining his
prize, replies that Beethoven can draw up his own wording for a contract that
they will write on a page torn from the back of a bible. Beethoven glances
questioningly towards Fate who is still watching from the background. She nods
her head for even the shadows know that a contract written on such sacred paper
is unbreakable, even by the devil himself.]



[Beethoven, totally exhausted, mutters his consent but is unable to write the
words that will bring about the destruction of his beloved Tenth. Fate, sensing
his dilemma, offers to write down the agreement for him and he hands the paper
to her. As he stares out the window Fate writes,]



[It is agreed upon this night, March 26, 1827, between the undersigned, that
the music of the Tenth Symphony, composed by Ludwig von Beethoven, first born
son of Johann and Maria von Beethoven, of the city of Bonn, shall henceforth be
the property of Mephistopheles, Lord of Darkness and first fallen from the grace
of God. It is also understood that it is his intention to remove any signs of
this music from the memory of man for all eternity. In exchange for the
destruction of the aforementioned music it is also agreed that Mephistopheles
and all his minions will remove themselves from the life of the child presently
sleeping in the gutter directly across from the window of this room. This
removal of influence is to be commenced immediately upon signing and to be
enforced for all eternity.]

[_____________________ Ludwig Von Beethoven]

[_____________________ Mephistopheles]



[Mephistopheles reads the paper, signs it and pushes it in front of Beethoven.
Without even looking at the document the composer signs the paper. Immediately,
Mephistopheles reaches over the piano, seizes the Tenth's manuscript and thrusts
it over a lit candle. The papers are engulfed in a wall of flames. But when the
flames have died down the devil is stunned to find that not only does the
manuscript still exist, it is not even singed. Thrusting it back over the
candle it is once again engulfed in flames only to emerge unscathed.]



[Sensing that he has been tricked, he screams for an explanation but
Beethoven's expression tells him that he is as shocked at the turn of events as
the Devil himself. As Mephistopheles is glancing once more at the manuscript he
hears the sound of Twist giggling in the darkness.]



[When he demands to know what the dwarf is laughing at, Twist can hardly
conceal his delight as he explains that the composer's parents gave birth to a
son prior to the maestro's birth. They had named him Ludwig von Beethoven but
the child died within his first year. They then named their second son Ludwig
as well. Twist continues, "The man before you is that Ludwig Von
Beethoven, the second born son of Johann & Maria Von Beethoven. You have
purchased a Tenth Symphony of Ludwig Von Beethoven, first born of Johann &
Maria, if he ever writes one." Mephistopheles glares at Fate, who smiles
back at him demurely. Then, throwing the music back at Beethoven, he screams in
frustration and disappears in an explosion of smoke and flame.]



[Beethoven is surprised by Mephistopheles' rapid departure and asks if he is
not coming back to collect his soul. To which Fate replies that he never had
any claim to his soul.]



["But Mephistopheles said..."]



["He is the devil," Fate replies, "He lies."]



["But, there were times when I was rude and cruel to people,"
Beethoven stutters.]



["True, the frustration of your deafness did cause you at times to lash
out unfairly at others, but later you would always regret it and apologize. You
often went through great lengths to make amends for any hurts you had caused.
Believe me Ludwig, you have done well."]



[And with those words a warm feeling of peace spreads throughout Beethoven's
body and across his soul.]



[When he asks Fate what is to happen next, she gently tells him that it is time
for him to rest, for tonight he will dream a new dream within the gates of
paradise. And as the words weave their way into his soul, Beethoven lies down
on the couch near his piano and begins a new dream.]