Anaïs Mitchell
When the Chips Are Down
[HERMES]
Songbird versus rattlesnake

[EURYDICE, spoken]
What is it?

[HERMES]
Eurydice was a hungry young girl

[HADES, spoken]
Your ticket

[HERMES]
And Hades gave her a choice to make
A ticket to the Underworld!

[FATES]
Life ain’t easy
Life ain’t fair
A girl’s gotta fight for her rightful share

What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down
What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down
Help yourself
To hell with the rest
Even the one who loves you best

What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down
What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down

[EURYDICE]
Oh, my aching heart...

[FATES]
What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down

Take if you can
Give if you must
Ain’t nobody but yourself to trust

What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down
What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down

Aim for the heart
Shoot to kill
If you don’t do it, then the other one will!
What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down
What you gonna do when the chips are down?
Now that the chips are down

And the first shall be first
And the last shall be last
Cast your eyes to heaven
You get a knife in the back!
Nobody’s righteous
Nobody’s proud!
Nobody’s innocent
Now that the chips are down

Now that the-
Now that the-
Now that the-
Now that the-
Now that the chips are down!