Jason Robert Brown

RILEY
You hear a rumblin’ and a rollin’?
It’s comin’ down from the North.
It’s comin’ up through the ground,
And it’s a funny ol’ sound,
‘Cause it’s a rumblin’ and a rollin’!

ANGELA
And I bet I know why –
See ‘em on the train,
See ‘em on the bus –
They never cared much about folks like us!

RILEY
But now they’re gonna pay attention.
Sure they gonna ask Why? Why? Why?

ANGELA
They gonna say “I don’t know what, I don’t know how!”

BOTH
Well, they’re gonna find out now.
They’re gonna pay attention.

RILEY
They’re gonna yell, “Set that man free!”

NEWT LEE
Well, they sure ain’t talkin’ ‘bout me.

ALL THREE
Now there’s a rumblin’ and a rollin’
Here comes the Yankee Brigade!

NEWT LEE
They gonna come through this town –
We better keep our heads down –

RILEY AND NEWT LEE
We better start mumblin’ and a-shufflin’

ALL THREE
We better polish our smiles.

CONLEY
Old Black Joe at your service,
Won’t do nothin’ that’ll make you nervous.
Won’t do nothin’ worth a look or a mention

ALL FOUR
And they won’t never pay attention!

CONLEY
They’ll never say, “My! My! My!”

RILEY
They gonna say, “Bring me my boots!”

ANGELA
“Bring me my tea!”

NEWT LEE
I betcha thought the slaves were free…

ANGELA
Mister Frank, good for you.
Lotta folks comin’ to get you through.
Mister Frank, ain’t that grand?
Lotta folks comin’ to take a stand.
Mister Frank, knock on wood.
Ain’t gonna do you no goddamn good!

CONLEY
I can tell you this, as a matter of fact,
That the local hotels wouldn’t be so packed
If a little black girl had gotten attacked.

NEWT LEE, RILEY, AND ANGELA
Go on, go on, go on, go on…

RILEY
They comin’, they comin’ now, yessirree!

NEWT LEE
‘Cause a white man gonna get hung, you see.

CONLEY, RILEY and NEWT LEE
There’s a black man swingin’ in ev’ry tree

ALL FOUR
But they don’t never pay attention!

ANGELA
Oh, no…

CONLEY
Hell…

ALL FOUR
They never say, “Why? Why? Why?”

RILEY
But if a Yankee boy flies…

CONLEY
Surprise!

ANGELA AND CONLEY
Surprise!

ANGELA, CONLEY and NEWT LEE
Surprise!

ALL FOUR
They gonna pay attention!
They gonna yell “Set that man free!”

CONLEY
(singing a snatch of “Camptown Races” as he goes back to his nap)
De de de de de de de de…

NEWT LEE, RILEY and ANGELA
Oh, there’s gonna be a rumblin’ and a rollin’, yeah…
There’s gonna be a rumblin’ and a rollin, yeah…