Song Search

Anna

by Uzo Aduba

on Venice (Original Cast Recording) (2014)

[Anna]
La la la la la la la la la la
Ah ah ah ah
La la la la la

[Clown MC]
Meet Anna:
A woman with outsized dreams
The mother of the peace
The downside being
Someone so convicted in her beliefs
It can be hard to see
She was a hero to most
So -- pardon me
The world was at war but the country doesn't
Have to be
And she could say it masterfully
She said the

[Anna]
The world is at war but this country doesn't have
To be

[Clown MC]
People listened and believed

[Anna]
We could be decent
And generous
Don't let hate better us
Show the kids ahead of us
We can stand as one

Let our difference
Bind us
Don't let hatred blind us
No matter where you come from
Hold my hand because

[Anna & Women]
We we we
We can stand as one
Chant as one
We we we
We can stand as one
Chant as one

[Clown MC]
But then it's

[Men]
Boom! Look out below
People in the streets keep your doors closed

[Clown MC]
Nothing lasts forever -- or so the saying goes
Nothing lasts forever -- or so I'm told

On a rainy night
Anna walked home alone
A shortcut from work -- she knew she shouldn't go
But she was brave and oh so in control
When the enemies came she didn't even know
Her mistake --
The snakes
Had waited
For her -- coming home late
At the end of the day

[Men]
Her mistake --
The snakes
Had waited
For her -- coming home late
At the end of the day

[Clown MC]
The enemy that hated us from far away
Raped the woman that made us feel safe

[Men]
The enemies that hated us from far away
Raped the woman that made the country great

[Anna]
La la la la la la la la la la
Ah ah ah ah
La la la la la

[Clown MC]
Now did she fall?
Not at all
Did she let herself grieve?
Did she curse her beliefs
While she pounded the streets?

She had a son named Venice --

[Anna]
After the city of peace
An example to those who did not believe

[Clown MC]
And she knew that her son though born of a rape
Could prove to the world that peace could be made

[Anna]
Markos be decent and generous
Your brother is ahead of us
A vision of the best of us
That we can stand as one
Two worlds collide and fill his soul
With wisdom we will never know
Your brother will help your heart grow
And learn to live as one

[Clown MC]
This is the ballad of mismatched brothers
And their mother sings --

[Anna]
Ah ah ah ah
La la la la la

[Clown MC]
And while a war abroad raged on and on
Anna and the President sang a defiant song
She called a rally for the future of the nation
Anna stood and spoke with determination

[Anna]
We must steadfast and vigilant
Stand up for the innocent
They try to tear us down
But here and now we stand as one

To my boys at home
I love you
You'll never have to run to
Another place cause we are safe
You can be great because

[Anna & Women]
We we we
We can stand as one
Chant as one
We we we
We can stand as one
Chant as one

[Clown MC]
But then it's --

[Men]
Boom! Look out below
People in the streets keep your doors closed

[Clown MC]
Nothing lasts forever -- or so the saying goes
Nothing lasts forever -- or so I'm told

Anna stood before thousands of people in the
Square
Thousands of people and we stared
Right back at Anna as she sang her song
Suddenly the quiet before the storm

[Clown MC & Anna]
Anna looked up

[All]
And the crowd looked up
There's a cloud of dust
Coming straight for us

[Clown MC]
Terror on the streets on our faces dread
The children watched on TV as we covered our
Heads
Anna stood still as we all fled
A blink of an eye
And we all,
Well we all were dead

[All]
La la la la la la la la la la
Ah ah ah ah
La la la la la

La la la la la la la la la la
Ah ah ah ah
La la la la la

[Anna]
La la la la la la la la la la
Ah ah ah ah
La la la la la