ROBIN HOOD by Kaye Umansky

Home , Little John, Long Live Robin Hood, Merry Men, Outlaw (novel), Robin Hood (ballet), The Arrows of Robin Hood

AN A&C BLACK MUSICAL FOR SCHOOLS WHITEBOARD LYRIC DISPLAYS click on the song titles below to navigate through the document

What Once was Merrie He's Rich (Part 1) Englande / Twang! He's Rich (Part 2) The Sheriff of Nottingham The Arrow's in the Air (Part 1) Medieval Girls The Arrow's in the Air (Part 2) The Merry Men Rap Twang! Reprise Ambush Song Acknowledgements Time to be Hypnotised

All: And all the girls say, ‘Hey! There goes a boy What once was Merrie Englande is merrie now with style, no more. Got a hat with a feather and a real cute smile.’ King Richard has departed to fight a distant All the boys say, ‘Hey man! We can be like him, war. If we spend more time down at the gym!’ A land now doomed to silence where once glad voices rang. Chorus But have no fear! For who comes here, He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang!... With his easy grin and his flash green gear? He can swing through the trees with the Chorus greatest of ease, He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang! Like an orang-utan! [Orang-utan!] He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang-a-lang! He wore a suit of lovely Lincoln Green, He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang! Like a medieval model in a magazine. He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang-a-lang! That dude called Robin Hood, He’s the guy who goes twang-a-lang! And he lived long ago with an arrow and bow, The guy who goes twang! In an outlaw gang! [What a gang!] He wore a suit of lovely Lincoln Green, So just sit back while we tell you what you need Like a medieval model in a magazine. to know, That dude called Robin Hood, About the dude in the wood with the arrow and He’s the guy who goes twang-a-lang! bow, The guy who goes twang! It’s a fact that a show should begin with a bang, But our show begins with a simple twang, oh yeah! Yes, our show begins with a simple twang!

BACK TO CONTENTS THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM

Chorus Sheriff: Badder! He’s the Sheriff of Nottingham, He’s an absolutely terrifying man. [Hiss! Boo!] He’s the Sheriff of Nottingham, He’s devising a very wicked plan. Chorus His fearsome reputation will be known He’s the Sheriff of Nottingham… throughout the nation, The horrifying things he’ll do will make you want Sheriff: That’ll do nicely! to hiss and boo. [Hiss! Boo!] [Hiss! Boo!] Sheriff: Music to my ears! He is dastardly and doomy, [Hiss! Boo!] Sheriff: [shouted] Ah, so go ahead and sue me! He will threaten you with axes, He will double up your taxes, You can whimper all you like, He will take away your money He’ll have your head upon a spike, boo-hoo! And your kiddies’ bread and honey too! [Hiss! Boo!] [Hiss! Boo! Hiss! Boo!] Sheriff: Bigger! He’s the Sheriff of Nottingham. [Hiss! Boo!] He’s the Sheriff of Nottingham. [Hiss! Boo!] [Hiss! Boo!] All: With a badge! He will make you bow and grovel, Then set fire to your hovel, Then go home to dine on shellfish, For he’s greedy and he’s selfish too! [Hiss! Boo!]

BACK TO CONTENTS MEDIEVAL GIRLS

Marionettes: Marion: We sit, we knit, we do a little painting, Not so. I know we’re always in the shadows, We do a lot of fiddling with our curls. Us girls are never featured in the tales. We lace our waists and practise dainty fainting; They say we’re just a boring bunch of saddos, There’s nothing else to do, because we’re girls. Who always take a back seat to the males.

Chorus Chorus (all): We’re girls, medieval girls, We’re girls, medieval girls, The ones who all the history books don’t mention. The ones who all the history books don’t mention. We’re girls, medieval girls, We’re girls, medieval girls, The boys get all the action and attention. The boys get all the action and attention. We’re expected to be meek, we’re expected not Marion: to speak, It really makes me mad, yes, it really makes me sad, For our role is just to curtsey and obey. That the guys get all the honour and the glory. We’re required to be dumb, we are underneath the thumb, All: And we never ever get to have a say. It’s time to make some noise, We’re girls, just girls, medieval girls. We are up there with the boys And entitled to a mention in the story. And so, we sit, we knit, we do a little painting, We’re girls, just girls, medieval girls. We do a lot of fiddling with our curls, We lace our waists and practise dainty fainting, And so, although we hardly get a look-in, There’s nothing else to do, because we’re girls. As the world’s recorded history unfurls, There’s more to us than washing up and cooking, Marion: Not so! It’s time to take a stand for all the girls! Marionettes: Not so? Chorus Marion: Not so! We’re girls, medieval girls,... We’re girls, just girls, medieval girls!

BACK TO CONTENTS THE MERRY MEN RAP

All [whispered]: Will [rapped]: Uh yeah! Yeah! Ohhh! Uh yeah! Yeah! Hey! I’m Will! ’Nuf said! I’m the Scarlet dude and I Uh yeah! Yeah! Ohhh! Uh yeah! Yeah! Hey! dress in red. Will [rapped]: Little John [rapped]: This is the den of the Mighty Merry Men, I’m John, big bloke. They call me little for a You are lookin’ at the chosen few. silly sort of joke. Little John [rapped]: Much [rapped]: If you’re gonna live rough, I’m Much! I bake! They call me the Miller and I Well you gotta be tough, make a great cake. With scars and the odd tattoo. All [sung]: Chorus Much [rapped]: So here we are... This world ain’t good, but we in the wood, Gotta plan that might succeed, All [rapped]: Will [rapped]: Little John, Little John. Uh yeah! Yeah! Little John, Little John. Ohhh! We take the loot from the guy in the suit, Will Scarlet. Uh yeah! Yeah! And we give it to the guy in need. Will Scarlet. Hey! Chorus All [sung]: Much, Much. Uh yeah! Yeah! So here we are, the Merry Men, we hope you Much, Much. Ohhh! like our crew, This is the den of the Mighty Merry Men, We work for Rob, do a real good job, the best You are lookin’ at the chosen few. that we can do, All [sung]: Chorus We’re big and strong, we right the wrong, we So here we are... live on forest stew, We laugh and sing like anything, All [rapped]: You are lookin’ at the chosen few. This is the den of the Mighty Merry Men, You are lookin’ at the chosen few. Much [rapped]: Now listen up and have some fun! Here come the names, one by one.

BACK TO CONTENTS AMBUSH SONG

Chorus 1 (Merry Men): Let the fight begin! We can’t wait for it! Wipe the floor with you, knock you round a bit!

Merry Men: Run along back to your mothers, Hide behind your baby brothers, We know our fighting is superior, And we can’t wait to knock you down!

Chorus 2 (Guards): Please don’t hurt us! Please don’t blame us! Wasn’t our fault, someone made us!

Guards: Though we come across as yobs, guv, Bear in mind there ain’t no jobs, guv. Oh please show us mercy, let us run away, And we’ll head for some far-off town.

Chorus 1 and 2 together.

Greensleeves instrumental.

Chorus 1 and 2 together.

BACK TO CONTENTS TIME TO BE HYPNOTISED

Mensa: Time now to close your eyes, time to be hypnotised. All now will be revealed, just keep your eyelids sealed.

Chorus I see you on a sunny day, in a meadow far away, Heading for a future where all will be well.

Warm wind and sky of blue, everyone loving you, Everyone cheering you, nobody jeering you.

Chorus I see you on a sunny day, in a meadow far away, Heading for a future where all will be well.

Now I can clearly see, a contest of archery. Here in your hand you hold, an arrow of solid gold.

I see you on a sunny day, in a meadow far away, Heading for the future and here ends my spell…

BACK TO CONTENTS HE’S RICH [PART 1]

All: Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich.

He’s rich! Prince John is rich! [Rich x 13] He’s stinking, stinking rich! His treasure chest is full to overflowing, He’s rich! Prince John is rich! [Rich x 13] He’s stinking, stinking rich! How rich he is, we have no way of knowing, He’s rich! Prince John is rich! [Rich x 5]

His gowns are trimmed with furry baby foxes, His crowns are always spilling out of boxes, He’s loads of gold and jewels by the score, But he’s always wanting more and more, He’s rich, he’s stinking rich!

Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich.

BACK TO CONTENTS HE’S RICH [PART 2]

All: Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich! Rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich, rich.

He’s rich! Prince John is rich! [Rich x 13] He’s stinking, stinking rich! You’ve never ever seen a man so greedy, He’s rich! Prince John is rich! [Rich x 13] He’s stinking, stinking rich! He doesn’t give a fig about the needy, He’s rich, Prince John is rich! [Rich x 5]

We disapprove of how he made his money, His ruthless methods aren’t the least bit funny, He’ll be expecting us to clap and cheer, But he’ll get a poor reception here, He’s rich! Prince John is rich! [Rich x 5]

We’re poor, poor, poor, [Rich x 5] We’re poor, poor, poor, [Rich x 8] We’re poor, poor, poor and he’s rich! He’s stinking rich!

BACK TO CONTENTS THE ARROW’S IN THE AIR [PART ONE]

All: Up a bit, down a bit, left a bit, aim for the bull’s-eye. Up a bit, down a bit, right a bit, This arrow’s gonna fly ~ fire!

Chorus The arrow’s in the air, the arrow’s in the air, We’ve got to duck and dodge it as it rises into orbit. The arrow’s in the air, the arrow’s in the air, It’s spinning round and round, and heading back to ground.

They have no skill, they have no style, They’ve missed the target by a mile, It’s very clear as you can see, They’re really, really bad at archery. Oh dear!

(repeat from beginning)

BACK TO CONTENTS THE ARROW’S IN THE AIR [PART TWO]

All: Up a bit, down a bit, left a bit, aim for the bull’s-eye. Up a bit, down a bit, right a bit, This arrow’s gonna fly ~ fire!

Chorus The arrow’s in the air, the arrow’s in the air, It’s flying straight and true, Which is what it’s s’posed to do. The arrow’s in the air, the arrow’s in the air, A perfect demonstration, we’re full of admiration.

It flies so true, it flies so high, accelerates across the sky, A perfect shot, it’s right on track, It lands on the target with a great big thwack!

BACK TO CONTENTS TWANG! (REPRISE)

Chorus (all): Chorus He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang! He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang!... He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang-a-lang! He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang! He can swing through the trees with the He’s the guy who goes twang! Twang-a-lang! greatest of ease, Like an orang-utan! [Orang-utan!] And he lived long ago with an arrow and bow He wore a suit of lovely Lincoln Green, In an outlaw gang! [What a gang!] Like a medieval model in a magazine, He wore a suit of lovely Lincoln Green, That dude called Robin Hood, Like a medieval model in a magazine, He’s the guy who goes twang-a-lang, That dude called Robin Hood, The guy who goes twang! He’s the guy who goes twang-a-lang, The guy who goes twang! So just sit back while we tell you what you need to know, And all the girls say, ‘Hey! There goes a boy with About the dude in the wood with the arrow and style, bow, Got a hat with a feather and a real cute smile’, It’s a fact that a show should end up with a bang, All the boys say, ‘Hey man! We can be like him, But our show ends with a simple twang, oh yeah! If we spend more time down at the gym!’ Yes, our show ends with a simple twang!

BACK TO CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First published 2013 by A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP ISBN 978-1-4081-9039-5

Text of Kaye Umansky’s Robin Hood © 2013 Kaye Umansky The Arrow’s in the Air (parts 1&2) lyrics © 2013 Stephen Chadwick. All other lyrics for Kaye Umanksy’s Robin Hood © 2013 Kaye Umansky Original songs, musical arrangements and incidental music © Stephen Chadwick Illustrations by Nick Price Edited by Stephanie Matthews, Design by Jocelyn Lucas

All rights reserved. Excepting whiteboard display for the purposes of rehearsal and performance within the purchasing educational establishment, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means ~ photographic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems ~ without the prior permission in writing of the publishers.

The complete performance pack of Kaye Umanksy’s Robin Hood is available from: www.bloomsbury.com/music

BACK TO CONTENTS