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| "Look Down" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Composer | |
| Lyricist | |
| Performers |
Enjolras |
| Previous |
"Stars" (2012 film and 1985 London Production) |
| Next | |
"Look Down" (sometimes referred to as "Paris: 1832", or as "The Beggars" in the School Edition) involves one of the best known musical themes in the musical, imitating that which is first heard in the Work Song. It is important for the plot, introducing Gavroche, Enjolras, Marius, and the plight of the working poor. It also re-introduces the Thénardiers and their now grown-up daughter Éponine, who have lost their inn and have become destitute, and now resorted to a full crime. This song flows directly into "The Robbery."
The song is known as "Donnez, donnez" in the original French production, "Bonjour Paris" in the 1991 Paris revival, "París/Piedad" in the Spanish production, "Schaut her" in the German production and "Omlaag" in the Dutch production.
The lyrics were written by Herbert Kretzmer. In some versions Gavroche introduces Éponine by singing 'That's Éponine, she knows her wayabout, only a kid, but hard to scare. Do we care? Not a cuss. Long live us. Long live us!"
Lyrics[]
Beggars:
Look down, and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see
The sweepings of the streets
Look down, look down,
Upon your fellow man!
Gavroche:
How do you do? My name's Gavroche
These are my people, here's my patch
Not much to look at, nothing posh
Nothing that you'd call up to scratch
This is my school, my high society
Here in the slums of Saint Michel
We live on crumbs of humble piety
Tough on the teeth, but what the hell!
Think you're poor?
Think you're free?
Follow me, follow me!
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man
[An old beggar woman finds a young prostitute occupying her usual spot.]
Old Beggar Woman:
What you think you're at?
Hanging 'round me pitch?
If you're new around here, girl
You've got a lot to learn
Young Prostitute:
Listen you old bat,
Crazy bloody witch!
At least I give my customers
Some pleasure in return!
Old Beggar Woman:
I know what you give!
You give them all the pox!
Spread around your poison
Till they end up in a box!
Pimp:
Leave the poor old cow,
Move it, Madeleine
She used to be no better
Till the clap got to her brain
Beggars:
When's it gonna end?
When we gonna live?
Something's gotta happen now or
Something's gonna give...
It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
Enjolras:
Where are the leaders of the land?
Where are the swells who run this show?
Marius:
Only one man - and that's Lamarque
Speaks for the people here below!
Beggars:
See our children fed
Help us in our shame
Something for a crust of bread
In Holy Jesus' name
Urchin:
In the Lord's Holy name.
Beggars:
In his name, in his name, in his name...
Marius:
Lamarque is ill and fading fast!
Won't last the week out so they say!
Enjolras:
With all the anger in the land
How long before the judgement day?
Before we cut the fat ones down to size?
Before the barricades arise?
Gavroche:
Watch out for old Thénardier
All of his family is on the make
Once ran a hash-house down the way
Bit of a swine and no mistake
He's got a gang
The bleeding layabout
Even his daughter does her share
That's Éponine, she knows her way about
Only a kid, but hard to scare
Do we care?
Not a cuss!
Long live us, long live us!
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man!
Lyrics [10th Anniversary Concert][]
Beggars:
Look down, and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see
The sweepings of the streets
Look down, look down,
Upon your fellow man!
Gavroche:
How do you do? My name's Gavroche
These are my people, here's my patch
Not much to look at, nothing posh
Nothing that you'd call up to scratch
This is my school, my high society
Here in the slums of Saint Michel
We live on crumbs of humble piety
Tough on the teeth, but what the hell!
Think you're poor?
Think you're free?
Follow me, follow me!
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man
[An old beggar woman finds a young prostitute occupying her usual spot.]
Old Beggar Woman:
What you think you're at?
Hanging 'round me pitch?
If you're new around here, girl
You've got a lot to learn
Young Prostitute:
Listen you old bat,
Crazy bloody witch!
At least I give my customers
Some pleasure in return!
Old Beggar Woman:
I know what you give!
You give them all the pox!
Spread around your poison
Till they end up in a box!
Pimp:
Leave the poor old cow,
Move it, Madeleine
She used to be no better
Till the clap got to her brain
Beggars:
When's it gonna end?
When we gonna live?
Something's gotta happen now or
Something's gonna give...
It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
Enjolras:
Where are the leaders of the land?
Where are the swells who run this show?
Marius:
Only one man - and that's Lamarque
Speaks for the people here below!
Beggars:
See our children fed
Help us in our shame
Something for a crust of bread
In Holy Jesus' name
In the Lord's Holy name.
In his name, in his name, in his name...
Marius:
Lamarque is ill and fading fast!
Won't last the week out so they say!
Enjolras:
With all the anger in the land
How long before the judgement day?
Before we cut the fat ones down to size?
Before the barricades arise?
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man!
Second Broadway Revival Lyrics[]
Beggars:
Look down and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see the sweepings of the street
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man
Gavroche:
How do you do? My name's Gavroche
These are my people, here's my patch
Not much to look at, nothing posh
Nothing that you'd call up to scratch
This is the land that fought for liberty
Now when we fight, we fight for bread
Here is a thing about equality:
Everyone's equal when they're dead
Take your place
Take your chance
Vive la France, vive la France!
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down upon your fellow man
Enjolras:
Where are the leaders of the land?
Where are the swells who run this show?
Marius:
Only one man and that's Lamarque
Speaks for the people here below
Beggars:
See our children fed
Help us in our shame
Something for a crust of bread
In holy Jesus' name
Urchin:
In the lord's holy name
Beggars:
In his name, in his name, in his name
Marius:
Lamarque is ill and fading fast
Won't last the week out so they say
Enjolras:
With all the anger in the land
How long before the judgment day
Before we cut the fat ones down to size
Before the barricades arise
Gavroche:
Watch out for old Thénardier
All of his family is on the make
Once ran a hash-house down the way
Bit of a swine and no mistake
He's got a gang, the bleeding layabout
Even his daughter does her share
That's Éponine, she knows her way about
Only a kid, but hard to scare
Do we care? Not a cuss!
Long live us, long live us!
Beggars:
Look down and show
Some mercy if you can
Look down, look down
Upon your fellow man
In this version, the second verse of Gavroche's first part was changed to the movie's version of part of Gavroche's second part. The part with the Old Begger, The Prostitute, and The Pimp was removed.
2012 Film Lyrics[]
Beggars:
Look down, and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see
The sweepings of the streets
Look down, look down,
Upon your fellow man!
Gavroche:
How do you do? My name's Gavroche
These are my people, here's my patch
Not much to look at, nothing posh
Nothing that you'd call up to scratch
This is my school, my high society
Here in the slums of Saint Michel
We live on crumbs of humble piety
Tough on the teeth, but what the hell!
Think you're poor?
Think you're free?
Follow me, follow me!
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man
Gavroche:
There was a time we killed the King
We tried to change the world too fast
Now we have got another King
He is no better than the last
This is the land that fought for liberty
Now when we fight
We fight for bread
Here is a thing about equality:
Everyone's equal when they're dead
Take your place
Take your chance
Vive la France, vive la France!
All (Crowd, Enjolras, and Marius):
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man
Courfeyrac:
When's it gonna end?
All:
When we gonna live?
Joly:
Something's gotta happen now;
All:
Something's gonna give...
It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
It'll come, it'll come, it'll come
Enjoras:
Where are the leaders of the land?
Where is the king who runs this show?
Marius:
Only one man - General Lamarque
Speaks for the people here below.
Enjolras:
Lamarque is ill and fading fast!
Won't last the week out, so they say.
Marius:
With all the anger in the land
How long before the judgement day?
Enjolras:
Before we cut the fat ones down to size?
Death to the king, liberty to France!
All: Before the barricades arise!
2020 West End Lyric change
Beggars:
Look down and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see the sweepings of the street
Look down, look down, upon your fellow man
Gavroche:
How do you do? My name's Gavroche
These are my people, here's my patch
Not much to look at, nothing posh
Nothing that you'd call up to scratch
This is the land that fought for liberty
Now when we fight, we fight for bread
Here is a thing about equality:
Everyone's equal when they're dead
Take your place
Take your chance
Vive la France, vive la France!
Beggars:
Look down, and show some mercy if you can
Look down, look down upon your fellow man
Marius:
Where are the leaders of the land?
Where are the swells who run this show?
Enjolras:
Only one man and that's Lamarque
Speaks for the people here below
Beggars:
See our children fed
Help us in our shame
Something for a crust of bread
In holy Jesus' name
Urchin:
In the lord's holy name
Beggars:
In his name, in his name, in his name
Marius:
Lamarque is ill and fading fast
Feuilly:
Won't last the week out so they say
Enjolras:
With all the anger in the land
How long before the judgement day
Courfeyrac:
Before we cut the fat ones down to size
Enjolras:
Before the barricades arise
Gavroche:
Watch out for old Thénardier
All of his family is on the make
Once ran a hash-house down the way
Bit of a swine and no mistake
He's got a gang, the bleeding layabout
Even his daughter does her share
That's Éponine, she knows her way about
Only a kid, but hard to scare
Do we care? Not a cuss!
Long live us, long live us!
Beggars:
Look down and show
Some mercy if you can
Look down, look down
Upon your fellow man
Trivia[]
- The original London cast recording, the Broadway cast recording, and the 10th anniversary soundtrack all leave out the lyrics about Thenardier and Eponine.
- In the 2020 West End production, if the actor of Courfeyrac isn't able to perform for this song for whatever reason, the actor of Feuilly will sing Courfeyrac's line as well as his own
Videos[]
Les Misérables 13- Look Down
Les Misérables (Original London Cast) - Look Down
Les Miserables 10th Anniversary (HD) - Look Down (15 41)
Les Miserables (10th Anniversary Concert) - Look Down
Look Down (Beggars) Les Miserables FULL SCENE