Many years ago in Brachen
Joy would overflow in Brachen
Everything was bright here
Absolutely right here
Gerta spent a night here
In Brachen (life, du bist so schon)
Every single day in Brachen
Art was holding sway in Brachen
Writers that you met here
Couldn't wait to get here
Brahms wrote a quartet here
In Brachen (da di da da da)
Everyone was overjoyed here (hahahaha)
Everyone gainfully employed here (hahahaha)
As our economy grew
Our population grew, too
It was the happiest of places
Full of eager, smiling faces
Yo-de-la-da-dee-dee-dee (oom-pa-pa, oom-pa-pa)
Yo-de-la-ee-do (oom-pa-pa)
Yo-de-lai-de-lee-hee-hee (oom-pa-pa, oom-he-he)
Yo-de-la-la-la-la! (La la la la)
We all got rich during World War Two
And we couldn't sell our cuckoo clocks faster (cuckoo)
Then! All of a sudden, from out of the blue
We were faced with a terrible disaster (oh)
Our factories closed (ah)
Our economy died (ah)
And we found ourselves deeply in hock
Everything went wrong (wrong, wrong, wrong)
Something silenced the song (poor little song)
Of our dear little cuckoo clock (coo, coo)
Some mysterious blight
Made us poor overnight
There was hunger and strife (ah)
We had lost the joy of life
But wait! We haven't given up
We still have hope for our salvation
No, no, we haven't given up
Perhaps an angel
A Brachen angel
Will help the town she loves survive
Then out of the darkness of our darkest night (our darkest night)
Out of our deep despair
This angel will lead us back into the light
Help us, Claire Zachanassian!
Bless us, Claire Zachanassian
Give us your heart
Give us a hand
Show us you care (show us you, show us you care)
Madam Claire