Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Music: Stephen Sondheim
I was standing on the beach
Near the cliffs
At Oshima.
I was spreading out the nets
For the morning sun
It was early in July
And the day was getting hot,
And I stopped to wipe my eyes,
And by accident I turned
And looked out to sea ...
And there came,
Breaking through the mist,
Roaring through the sea,
Four black dragons,
Spitting fire.
And I ran,
Cursing through the fields,
Calling the alarm,
Shouting to the world,
"Four black dragons,
Spitting fire!"
And the earth trembled,
And the sky cracked,
And I thought it was the end of the world
I was rifling through the house,
Of some priests
In Uraga.
It was only after dawn,
They were sleeping still.
I had finished with the silks,
I was hunting for the gold,
When I heard them getting up,
So I bolted through a door
Which looked out to sea ...
And there came ...
And there came ...
Breaking through the mist ...
Boiling through the mist ...
Roaring through the sea ...
Rising from the sea ?
Four black dragons ?
Four volcanoes ?
Spitting fire ?
Spitting fire!
And I ran ?
And I ran ?
Cursing down the halls ?
Cursing through the fields ?
Shouting to the priests ?
Shouting to the world ?
"Notify the gods!
Four black dragons,
Spitting fire!"
And the feet pattered
And the men came down to stare,
And the women started screaming
Like the gulls.
Hai! Hai!
And the crowded into temples
And they flapped about the square ?
Hai! ?
Like the gulls.
Hai! Hai! Hai!
Four black dragons,
Spitting fire!
Then the hooves clattered
And the warriors were there,
Diving quickly through the panic
Like the gulls.
Hai! Hai!
And the swords were things of beauty
As they glided through the air ?
Hai!
Like the gulls.
Hai! Hai! Hai!
Four black dragons,
Spitting fire!
And the sun darkened (I had seen)
And the sea bubbled (Dragons before)
And the earth trembled (Never so many)
And the sky cracked (Never like these)
And I thought it was the end
Of the world!
And it was.