Nathan Lane
Hymn to Dionysos
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Dionysos
We are come to praise you
For the wondrous blessing, the taste of wine
Evoe!
Alalai! Alalai!
Evoe!
Alalalalalalai!
Dionysos
We are come to thank you
For the gentle tendrils that intertwine
To produce the grapes that produce the wine
Evoe!
Alalai! Alalai!
Evoe!
Alalalalalalai!
Out of wine comes truth
Out of truth the vision clears
And with vision soon appears
A grand design
From the grand design
You can understand the world
And when you understand the world
You need a lot more wine
Dionysos
We are come to join you
In a shout of joy at the only shrine
Where you come benighted and leave benign
For that endless blessing, the taste of wine
Evoe!
Alalai! Alalai!
Evoe!
Alalalalalalai!
Evoe!
Wine makes the passions sing
Wine leads the feet to dance
Wine answers every question
Pour the wine!
Wine takes away the sting
Wine gives the heart its chance
Wine aids the indigestion
Pour the wine!
See the curmudgeon smile
Hear the insomniac snore
Look at the coward roar
All from the vine
Pour the wine!
Wine lends a sense of style
Wine gets the spirit to soar
Wine makes you thirsty -- pour more wine!
More wine!
Wine helps the edges blur
Wine lets the mind escape
Wine settles all dissension
Pour the wine!
Wine makes the blood to stir
Wine leads to friendly rape
Wine eases tension --
What an invention is wine!
Pour the wine!
Glory be to wine!
[DIONYSOS]
Dionysos
They are come to praise me
For the great discovery of them all
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Evoe!
[DIONYSOS]
Alalai! Alalai!
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Evoe!
[DIONYSOS]
Alalalalalalai!
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Dionysos...
[DIONYSOS]
Red or white or pink
It's the thing to drink --
[THE DIONYSIANS]
We are come to thank you...
We are come to praise...
[DIONYSOS]
Evoe!
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Evoe!
Alalalalalalai!
[DIONYSOS]
Woo-hoo -- it's getting a little hot
[XANTHIAS]
Well, this is Hades
[DIONYSOS]
I'm sorry, have we met?
[XANTHIAS]
I'm Xanthias!
[DIONYSOS]
Oh right. Want some wine?
Alalalalalalalalalalalalalalai!
[WOMEN]
Alalalalalalalalalalalalalalai!
Lalalalalalalalalalalalai!
Lalalalalalalalalalalalai!
[MEN]
Dionysos
Dionysos
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Alalalalalalalalalalalalalalai!
Lalalalalalalalalalalalai!
[MEN]
Dionysos!
Dionysos!
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Evoe!
Alalai, alalai!
Evoe!
Alalalalalalai!
Alalalalalalalalalalalalalalai!
Lalalalalalalalalalalalai!
Dionysos!
We are come to praise you
For the mind's escape
For the friendly rape
We are come to praise
We are come to praise by the fading light
To exalt your name in the sacred rite
[DIONYSOS]
Which begins at five
And goes on all night!
Evoe!
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Evoe!
[DIONYSOS]
Evoe!
[THE DIONYSIANS]
Evoe!
[ALL]
Evoe!
Alalai!