Genre: Broadway Musical
Artist: Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Album: Into the Woods
The first time I heard this song and really paid attention to it was while I was in Nauvoo. We were originally going to perform the first act of "Into the Woods" and I was casted as Jack. My dad sent me the CD so I could learn the songs (we never even had a rehearsal, however). I was really touched by this song. In the play, the baker believes his father to be dead, only to discover at the end of the first act that he had actually abandoned his family in an attempt to run away from his guilt. Now, near the end of the second act, the baker also leaves his infant son to run away from his pain. He finds himself facing his father and the baker tells him he is through. "No more questions... tests... riddles... curses... no more feelings..." His father then tells him that, sure, running is fine and dandy, but unless you have a destination you will forever be lost. "Where are we to go? Where are we ever to go? Running away-we'll do it! Why sit around resigned? Trouble is, son, the farther you run, the more you feel undefined for what you have left undone and more, what you've left behind." When his father leaves, the baker cries out, "No more giants raging war! Can't we just pursue our lives with our children and our wives till that happy day arrives? How do you ignore all the witches, all the curses, all the wolves, all the lies, the false hopes, the goodbyes...all the wondering 'What even worse is still in store?'"
I sometimes feel the same way. Can't we ever just live the lives we want to? Can't we just be with our families and be untouched by the outside world? And yet, our world is full of devilish wolves, lies, and more that plague and attack our families. They even plague and attack our individual lives, trying to tear us from that which matters most. We fight daily to overcome these struggles and deceptions. But there comes a time when I grow weary of the same fight day after day and I also want to shout out, "No more!" Fortunately, I know that there will come a day when these things will be no more. How I long for that day! How I hope it will come soon!
Artist: Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Album: Into the Woods
The first time I heard this song and really paid attention to it was while I was in Nauvoo. We were originally going to perform the first act of "Into the Woods" and I was casted as Jack. My dad sent me the CD so I could learn the songs (we never even had a rehearsal, however). I was really touched by this song. In the play, the baker believes his father to be dead, only to discover at the end of the first act that he had actually abandoned his family in an attempt to run away from his guilt. Now, near the end of the second act, the baker also leaves his infant son to run away from his pain. He finds himself facing his father and the baker tells him he is through. "No more questions... tests... riddles... curses... no more feelings..." His father then tells him that, sure, running is fine and dandy, but unless you have a destination you will forever be lost. "Where are we to go? Where are we ever to go? Running away-we'll do it! Why sit around resigned? Trouble is, son, the farther you run, the more you feel undefined for what you have left undone and more, what you've left behind." When his father leaves, the baker cries out, "No more giants raging war! Can't we just pursue our lives with our children and our wives till that happy day arrives? How do you ignore all the witches, all the curses, all the wolves, all the lies, the false hopes, the goodbyes...all the wondering 'What even worse is still in store?'"
I sometimes feel the same way. Can't we ever just live the lives we want to? Can't we just be with our families and be untouched by the outside world? And yet, our world is full of devilish wolves, lies, and more that plague and attack our families. They even plague and attack our individual lives, trying to tear us from that which matters most. We fight daily to overcome these struggles and deceptions. But there comes a time when I grow weary of the same fight day after day and I also want to shout out, "No more!" Fortunately, I know that there will come a day when these things will be no more. How I long for that day! How I hope it will come soon!
