Stephen Sondheim
Back to the Palace
[CINDERELLA]
When you're off in a palace
Where there's no one who knows you, you're whoever you say
When you're far from the malice
And the envy of those you see day after day
Far far away

And it gleams, and it glitz
And you're scared and excited
And you dance with a prince
And you haven't even been invited

And just when it's all as you've dreamed
You look up and it's real
And the glare, and the crowd
Like you're being swallowed
So you run to the woods
Where you cannot be followed
You run till you're back
Where you're safe
Where you'll never belong...
Home...

But you save what you wish
What you'd like is to live in between
Still there's more to be seen
To be tried, to decide...
Was mother right or wrong?
So it's back to the palace
To find out what you're feeling, and again he is there
And you dance, and they stare
Is it envy or malice
Or content they're concealing? And again there's the glare
And you run unaware

That he's played you a trick
Smearing pitch so you'll stick to the ground
You'll be found!
Now to free yourself quick
Or you're bound to be caught
Then it's when you're unstuck
That you're struck with a thought:

He must want you a lot
If he knew who you were, he might not
Only one thing to do
Leave a clue
Say a shoe
There's something you know now you never knew...