The time is near, so near Stirring the blood in their veins And yet, beware Don't let the wine go to your brains We need a sign to rally the people To call them to arms, to bring them in line Marius, wake up! What's wrong today? You look as if you've seen a ghost Some whine and say, what's going on? A ghost, you say, a ghost maybe She was just like a ghost to me One minute there, then she was gone I am a cock, I am a ghost Is Marius in love at last? I've never heard him ooh and aah You talk of battles to be won And here he comes, like Don Juan It is better than an opera It is time for us all to decide who we are Do we fight for the right to ignite the opera now? Have you asked of yourself what's the price you might pay? Is this simply a game for a rich young boy to play? The colours of the world are changing day by day Red, the blood of angry men Black, the dark of ages past Red, a world about to dawn Black, the night that ends at last Had you seen her today, you might know how it feels To be struck to the bone in a moment of breathless delight And had you been there today, you might also have known How the world may be changed in just one burst of light And what was right seems wrong And what was wrong seems right Red, I feel my soul on fire Black, my world, if she's not there Red, is the colour of desire Black, the colour of despair Marius, you're no longer a child I do not doubt you mean it well But now there is a higher call Who cares about your lonely son? We strive towards a larger goal Our little lives don't count at all Red, the blood of angry men Black, the dark of ages past Red, a world about to dawn Black, the night that ends at last Listen everybody! General Lamarck is dead Lamarck, his death is the hour of fate The people's man His death is the sign we await On his funeral day they will honour his name With a light of rebellion ablaze in their eyes In their candles of grief we will kindle our flame At the tomb of Lamarck shall our barricade rise The time is here Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts With a jubilant shout They will come one and all They will come when we call