SCENE 1: [Super-Titled: “SCENE 1 LAST TOUR – 1960-61”]
ROBESON:
Ahhh – to sing for workers again – workers building the great Sydney Opera House, a perfect to return to the stage after ten years of being silenced for my thoughts, but on we go cause there’s work to be done, lots of work.
[sings Joe Hill.]
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me.
Says I, “But Joe, you’re ten years dead” “I never died”, says he
“I never died”, says he.
“In Salt Lake City, Joe”, says I, him standing by my bed,
“They framed you on a murder charge.”
Says Joe, “But I ain’t dead”, says Joe, “but I ain’t dead.”
And standing there as big as life and smiling with his eyes,
says Joe, “What they can never kill went on to organize,
Went on to organize.”
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night alive as you and me.
Says I, “But Joe, you’re ten years dead.” “I never died,” says he.
“I never died,” says he, “I never died says he.”
CHORUS:
Who are you?
A singer?
actor?
athlete?
activist?
socialist?
husband?
father?
worker?
writer?
thinker?
Negro?
ROBESON:
Here I Stand as an American Negro!
I speak as an American Negro!
I have dedicated my life to winning full freedom,
and nothing less than full freedom, for my people in America.
CHORUS:
Go Down Moses, way down in Egypt land
ROBESON:
I am an American Negro!
I have sought to present my ideas
about a subject that is infinitely more important than any other personal story –
the struggle of my people for freedom.
CHORUS:
“Go Down Moses way down in Egypt land, Go
ROBESON:
Neither the promise of gain nor the threat of loss
has ever moved me from my convictions.
I only hope that I can see them realized
in the lives of those they are intended to serve,
those I hope to deliver.
Change a word, change the world…
fighting for the freedom of my people.
But in Moscow—last stop on my tour—I realized, sadly, I haven’t been successful—
haven’t fulfilled my promise, haven’t been equal to my task.
ROBESON:
(shift in mood – profoundly depressed that, late in his career, he has not done enough for his causes, enough for his people)
I am not worthy, I am not worthy, here I stand, I am not worthy—the tallest tree in the forest, but unworthy, I am not worthy. If I can’t make things better, if I can’t help my people, if I can’t change things, if I can’t make things better, if I can’t help my people, if I can’t change things, I am not worthy, not worthy, unworthy of the cause, unworthy, unworthy, I am unworthy if I can’t make things better to help my people, to mend my people—I am unworthy.
CHORUS: (staggered, incredulous at the fall of a hero)
How did this happen to you?
Who did this to you?
How did this happen?
Who did this?
Who…?
Who…?
How!?
Who did this to you?
ROBESON:
I did… I have failed
CHORUS:
We remember our tallest tree.
You showed us—you would be our tallest tree,
our tallest tree.
SCENE 2: [Super-Titled: “SCENE 2 ‘Our tallest Tree’ 1920-1950”
CHORUS 1: He lifts us,
CHORUS 2: How—
CHORUS 1: he touches
CHORUS 2: we gotta know—
CHORUS 1: every pain,
CHORUS 2: how
CHORUS 1: every joy
CHORUS 2: can a negro
CHORUS 1: with his voice
CHORUS 1/2: do all this?
CHORUS 1: He tells a story with his voice,
CHORUS 1/2: He holds our story in his voice.
ROBESON:
Who am I?
I am a singer of the folksongs of my people,
songs of love and longing,
songs of trial and triumph,
songs of flight and the stubborn fight
of my people, of all people.
I’m like you, you’re like me,
divided, we’ll never be free -
we’ll never be free.
I sing
for the Welshman toiling in the dark,
for the patriot fighting in fascist Spain,
for the worker who is struggling to make ends meet,
For the Black girl trying to go to school, who’s stopped,
stopped with her dreams at the door.
I’m like you, you’re like me,
divided, we’ll never be free
we’ll never be free.
Who am I?
An actor
Eugene O’Neill, William Shakespeare,
Made the people laugh, made the people cry,
Made the people wonder and ask themselves why…
So who am I, you ask?
I am an activist for freedom,
freedom from prejudice, from inequity,
freedom from oppression,
freedom from poverty,
freedom for our people
It’s time to speak up,
and speak the truth.
Change the words, change the world.
I’m like you, you’re like me,
divided, we’ll never be free,
we’ll never be free, divided we'll never be free.
Change the words, change the world.
I’m like you, you’re like me.
And so, I changed the flow of Old Man River.
I’m not tired of living or scared of dying.
I’ll keep fightin’ till I’m dyin’….
Change the words, change the world.
SCENE 3: [Super-Titled: “SCENE 3 ‘I Am Here Because…’ 1950s”]
CHORUS:
Know your place, play your part.
Who do you think you are, Negro?
ROBESON:
I was Othello, Moor of Venice,
“I have done the state some service,
and they know it…’
CHORUS:
Stirring the hopes of the poor?
ROBESON:
“When you shall these deeds relate, speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate…”
CHORUS:
An enemy of the State. We know who you are.
You a rebel and a menace…
ROBESON:
“… you must speak of one who loved not wisely, but too well!”
CHORUS:
And who do you love too well, Mr. Robeson??
ROBESON:
The worker, the poor, the black…
people robbed of justice and equality,
human dignity and fulfillment.
CHORUS:
Even in Russia?
ROBESON:
In Russia, for the first time, I felt like a full human being,
no color prejudice, like in Mississippi, no color prejudice like in Washington…
It was the first time I felt like a human being where I did not feel the pressure of
color as I do in this Senate committee today.
CHORUS:
Why do you not stay in Russia?
ROBESON:
Why? Because my father was a slave,
and my people, my people died to build this country.
I’m gonna stay right here! Stay and have a part in it,
just like you.
And no fascist-minded people will drive me from it.
CHORUS:
You are here because you are promoting the Communist cause.
ROBESON:
I am here because I am opposing the Neo-Fascist cause.
You and your forebears are responsible for millions and millions of black people
dying in slave ships and on the plantations.
Nothing could know more about slavery than this society, I assure you.
CHORUS:
The hearing is now adjourned.
ROBESON:
I think it should be.
CHORUS:
Know your place.
ROBESON:
Can I read my statement now?
CHORUS:
No! The meeting is now adjourned!
ROBESON:
It should be.
CHORUS:
Know your place.
SCENE 4: [Super-Titled: “SCENE 4 Apotheosis”]
ROBESON:
It’s all about power.
They took away my stage
Tried to muzzle me and cut me short,
(I know I’ve been changed.)
But silence doesn’t suit me, I know.
(The angels in heaven done signed my name.)
Power is what it’s all about.
I couldn’t sing, but I could react,
Here I Stand -- and will forever stand;
for liberty and justice we must act..
(I know I’ve been changed)
CHORUS: (Spiritual)
Oooo…
ROBESON:
I know I’ve been changed.
I know I’ve been changed.
I know I’ve been changed.
ROBESON AND CHORUS:
The angels in heaven done signed my name.
ROBESON:
If you don’t believe I’ve been redeemed
ROBESON and CHORUS:
The angels in heaven done signed my name.
ROBESON:
Well, if you follow me down to that ol’ Jordon stream.
ROBESON AND CHORUS:
The angels in heaven done signed my name.
I know I’ve been changed.
I know I’ve been changed good lord,
I know I’ve been changed.
The angels in heaven done signed my name.
ROBESON:
The angels in heaven done signed my name, sing it with me…
CHORUS AND AUDIENCE: (ROBESON signals to audience to join in singing)
The angels in heaven done signed my name. (X6)
ROBESON:
The angels in heaven done signed my name.
END