Quartet by Lucy Simon Lyrics
ARCHIBALD:
Last night I dreamed I walked through the maze to Lily's garden
And saw Lily and Mary standing there. Mary standing right there
In Lily's garden. I turned away...I couldn't watch...I was afraid
NEVILLE:
Why won't he say what he wants?
Why must he speak in dreams?
Why can't he see what he wants?
To disappear, it seems!
He should send this haunted girl far away
Leave the house and lands to me!
ARCHIBALD:
I watched them walk around the garden
She stood tall, grown strong and bold
Then they turned and asked my pardon
I couldn't speak, my heart grown cold
NEVILLE:
Why can't he see what he wants?
He wants the past undone!
Why can't he know what he wants?
He's losing battles won
To have ever loved her
Never known how complete a loss can be
If she could disappear, he'd start again
And live like other men, he could be happy then
If she'd disappear, he could be free
Cut off from pain and loss
A bit like me
ROSE:
You can't marry this Archibald! He's a gloomy
Miserable cripple who hides himself away in
That horrible house! He can't believe you love
Him and neither can I!
LILY:
No one is asking for your approval, Rose!
ROSE:
Lily, if you don't care what happens to you, think
About your children. Do you want your children to
Be crippled as well?
LILY:
I will marry him!
NEVILLE: ROSE:
I can arrange what he wants, Don't do this!
He's left it all to me. Don't wed him!
Now he can have what he wants, Don't bed him!
Unfetted he will be, Don't do this
Set him free to wander Set him free
Through the world
Let him go
His lonely ways!
ARCHIBALD: LILY:
Then I longed to join them Now that
Know the peace they feel I love him
Their journey done. I will live
Then I woke once more For him
Without them, Live just to love him
Knew I must wander on and on
ROSE
I I won't forgive you!
Go Won't see you live there!!
Life to Lily, I swear
Find! I'll never see you!!
NEVILLE:
Just to disappear
Is to be free!
LILY:
Do what you will, then
I'll never leave him!
NEVILLE:
Cut off from
Pain-cut off from
Pain
I'll help him disappear!
He'll start again!
ROSE
Cut off from pain!
Cut off from pain!
Now you must leave him! LILY:
Yes, you must leave him! How can I leave him!
I'll never leave him, Nor e'er deceive him!
Yes, you must leave him! Rose
Lily, promise! I promised!
Yes, you must leave him, Never leave him
You must believe!
You must believe!
NEVILLE:
Disappear!
LILY: ROSE
I will wed and bear him children. Lily, think about the children
He will love me, love the children. Lily, think about the children
There's A Man (Transition)
There's a man who no one sees
There's a man who lives alone
There's a heart that beats in silence for
The life he's never known
Last night I dreamed I walked through the maze to Lily's garden
And saw Lily and Mary standing there. Mary standing right there
In Lily's garden. I turned away...I couldn't watch...I was afraid
NEVILLE:
Why won't he say what he wants?
Why must he speak in dreams?
Why can't he see what he wants?
To disappear, it seems!
He should send this haunted girl far away
Leave the house and lands to me!
ARCHIBALD:
I watched them walk around the garden
She stood tall, grown strong and bold
Then they turned and asked my pardon
I couldn't speak, my heart grown cold
NEVILLE:
Why can't he see what he wants?
He wants the past undone!
Why can't he know what he wants?
He's losing battles won
To have ever loved her
Never known how complete a loss can be
If she could disappear, he'd start again
And live like other men, he could be happy then
If she'd disappear, he could be free
Cut off from pain and loss
A bit like me
ROSE:
You can't marry this Archibald! He's a gloomy
Miserable cripple who hides himself away in
That horrible house! He can't believe you love
Him and neither can I!
LILY:
No one is asking for your approval, Rose!
ROSE:
Lily, if you don't care what happens to you, think
About your children. Do you want your children to
Be crippled as well?
LILY:
I will marry him!
NEVILLE: ROSE:
I can arrange what he wants, Don't do this!
He's left it all to me. Don't wed him!
Now he can have what he wants, Don't bed him!
Unfetted he will be, Don't do this
Set him free to wander Set him free
Through the world
Let him go
His lonely ways!
ARCHIBALD: LILY:
Then I longed to join them Now that
Know the peace they feel I love him
Their journey done. I will live
Then I woke once more For him
Without them, Live just to love him
Knew I must wander on and on
ROSE
I I won't forgive you!
Go Won't see you live there!!
Life to Lily, I swear
Find! I'll never see you!!
NEVILLE:
Just to disappear
Is to be free!
LILY:
Do what you will, then
I'll never leave him!
NEVILLE:
Cut off from
Pain-cut off from
Pain
I'll help him disappear!
He'll start again!
ROSE
Cut off from pain!
Cut off from pain!
Now you must leave him! LILY:
Yes, you must leave him! How can I leave him!
I'll never leave him, Nor e'er deceive him!
Yes, you must leave him! Rose
Lily, promise! I promised!
Yes, you must leave him, Never leave him
You must believe!
You must believe!
NEVILLE:
Disappear!
LILY: ROSE
I will wed and bear him children. Lily, think about the children
He will love me, love the children. Lily, think about the children
There's A Man (Transition)
There's a man who no one sees
There's a man who lives alone
There's a heart that beats in silence for
The life he's never known