Newsies Original Broadway Cast
Once and For All
[JACK]
There's change coming once and for all
You makes the front page and man, you is major news

[JACK & DAVEY]
Tomorrow they'll see what we are

[JACK, DAVEY, & KATHERINE]
And sure as a star, we ain't come this far...
To lose

[RACE]
Here they come!

[ENSEMBLE]
This is the story we needed to write
As we kept out of sight, but no more
In a few hours by dawns early light
We'll be ready to fight us a war
This time we're in it to stay
Talk about seizing the day

[JACK]
Write it in ink or in blood
It's the same either way
They're gonna damn well pay!
[ENSEMBLE]
See old man Pulitzer snug in his bed
He don't care if we're dead or alive
Three satin pillows are under his head
While we's begging for bread to survive
Joe, you can stop counting sheep
We're gonna sing ya to sleep
You've got your thugs with their sticks and their slugs
Yeah! But we got a promise to keep!

[JACK]
Once and for all if they don't find their manners
We'll bleed 'em!

[ENSEMBLE]
Bleed 'em!

[RACE]
Once and for all we won't carry no banners that don't spell freedom!

[ENSEMBLE]
Finally we's raising the stakes
This time whatever it takes!
This time the union awakes, once and for all!

[JACK]
Come on, boys!
[ENSEMBLE]
Yeah!
This is for kids shining shoes on the street
With no shoes on their feet everyday
This is for guys sweating blood in the shops
While their bosses and cops look away

I'm seeing kids standing tall
Glaring and raring to brawl
Armies of guys who are sick of the lies
Getting ready to rise to the call!

Once and for all there'll be blood on the wall if they doubt us
They think they're running this town
But this town will shut down without us

Ten thousand kids in the square
(Ten thousand kids in the square)
Ten thousand fists in the air!
(Ten thousand fists)
Joe, you is gonna play fair, once and for all!

Once and for all! (Once and for all)
Once and for all!! (Once and for all)
Once and for all!!! (Once and for all)
There's change coming once and for all
You're getting too old, too weak to keep holding on
A new world is gunning for you, and Joe, we is too!
'Til once and for all you're gone!

[DAVEY]
Once and for all!

[JACK]
Once and for all!!

[ENSEMBLE]
Once and for all!

[ALL]
Once and for all!