Grand Grand Freedom

THE FRIEND
Dust and contempt
is the music you long for
all these poor themes
hypnotize your strength
devitalise your real fight

selfish and vain
is the passion you die for
passive and useless
this commitment will destroy your life
so many convictions
ruined for a few notes
few notes of beauty
drowned by a few bars of music
what is the weight of all that?

proudness and whim
is the woman you long for
you lie down on the stairs
of the altar of the high class

the music of the rich
makes you destitute
out of dignity

DIONYSOS
Dignified dignity
the dignity to dig your grave
brave worker
dig your hole
day after day

THE FRIEND
Grand grand freedom
in a grand style manner

TOGETHER
Don't be so obstinate

DIONYSOS
Grand grand piano
violins and cellos

THE FRIEND
Music will never change history
rebellions of velvet and silk

TOGETHER
Narrow-minded, pleasure impediments
my only friend you should understand me

DIONYSOS
Trills and vibratos
baritones and sopranos
dangerous wisdom or naïve escapism

At the other end of the street a group of workers arrives. The Friend joins them.

THE WORKERS
We are the workers in the heart of this planet

THE WORKERS AND THE FRIEND
Guevara and Gramsci and Saint-Just

DIONYSOS
and Mozart

THE WORKERS AND THE FRIEND
Rosa Lux, Zapata, Spartacus

DIONYSOS
and Mozart

THE WORKERS AND THE FRIEND
and Karl Marx and John Brown, Mayakovsky

DIONYSOS
and Mozart

THE WORKERS AND THE FRIEND

We are the workers in the heart of this planet

ALL
and Verdi and Kurt Weill, Stravinsky
and Mozart
Honegger, Shostakovich and Clément
and Mozart

Grand Grand Freedom (unreleased cover)
Words by	Muriel Teodori
Music by	Steve Nieve
Performed by	Ron Sexsmith, Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve, The Brodsky Quartet & Ned Rothenberg
Note	Grand Grand Freedom was sung by Ron Sexsmith and Elvis in the 2000-06-09 performance of Welcome To The Voice. The studio recording of the opera released in 2007 features Elvis in a different role, so he does not perform this song. In the studio recording, the role of The Friend was taken by Robert Wyatt and the role of Dionysos was taken by Sting.