Back to Gregg Writes.

"What Is Your Crime?"
"Black Heart"

I've written fifteen songs for the first act and a number for the second act as well. It's going to take me awhile to rearrange them for quicktime musical instruments and to get them onto this site. Check back every now and then to see if I've uploaded more songs.

Copyright 1989, 1991, 1996 by Gregg Butterfield. Book, Lyrics, and Music.
This notic pertains to all parts of The Ship, including, but not limited to, book, lyrics, music, arrangements, midi files and score files.
Permission is granted to make one printed copy for personal/non-commercial use only.
Permission is granted to make one copy and one backup copy on electronic storage media, for personal/non-commercial use only, as long as these electronically stored copies are accessible to a single personal computer only, and are not accesible from a network of any kind, including the Internet and World Wide Web.
Any reproduction of this material must include this copyright notice.
Written permission from the author is required for further reproduction, by any method.
Permission IS NOT granted to perform any part of The Ship.
All rights not expressly granted in this notice are reserved by the author.

The Ship --- Act I

Scene 1


SETTING:A dungeon. Stone and bars. Platforms rise up about the stage connected by steps and stone bridges. The highest set of steps leads up to a door, the exit from the dungeon. Center stage, ground level, is a large cell. An iron door with a small barred window opens to the left and back. There is a tall granite wall at the back of the cell, facing directly upstage. It is dark. Sunlight a fantastic rumour.
AT RISE:Dim lighting focuses attention on various groups of prisoners, beginning at the upper levels of the dungeon and moving deeper. Dark figures may be seen huddled in their cells. Small groups gamble, crouched on the floor. Harsh laugher is cut off quickly. Finally attention is focused on the deepest, and darkest cell. A lone prisoner is chipping at the wall with his manacles. The light shifts focus on the back wall of the cell and the image of a ship may be made out, carved into the seeping granite. Darkness.
A loud, muffled sound is heard. A door opening levels above. A flicker of torchlight may be seen filtering down into the upper levels.

"What Is Your Crime"(4:33)


Download the Crescendo plug in to allow you to play back midi files from your web browser. (QuickTime and QuickTime Musical Instruments are required on Power Macs. I'm not sure what more is required on a PC.)
Go To "What Is Your Crime" Score.
12 GIF files and MIDI playback. 214+ K Total.
Imagination is required here. There is only so much that can be done with MIDI playback over the web. Let your mind extrapolate. Hear what it would sound like with a full orchestra and human voices.

(Lines alternate from singer to singer. Square brackets [ ] indicate the singer. Slow. Ponderous.)

[Alejandro] NO SECRET CAN ESCAPE THESE WALLS.
[Jackie] THERE'S NO DISGRACE. [Ricky] YOUR SHAME IS SMALL
[Maximillian] COMPARED TO MINE.
[ALL] WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

[ALL] FAINT MEMORY OF CHILDHOODS' PAST,
SWEET INNOCENCE CONSUMED TOO FAST,
AND NO RETURN.
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

[Mickie] LISTEN, I HAVE A STORY...
[Francois] HIS STORY IS TAME, [Alejandro] IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME,
[Mickie] LISTEN! [SEVERAL] IN THIS DORMITORY
[Jackie] THE FACTS REMAIN, WE'RE ALL INSANE
[ALL] WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

[ALL] WHERE DEATH IS DOOMED TO DIE AGAIN,
AND LIVE TO ANSWER EVERY SIN.
THERE IS NO REST.
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

[ALL] INDULGENT SINS OF PRIDE REVEAL
WHAT TONS OF GRANITE CAN'T CONCEAL,
[Maximillian] OR EVEN DEATH.
[ALL] WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

[Mickie] HELP ME! [ALL] IT'S SLOW SUFFOCATION.
[ALL] NO FEAR NO DREAD, OUR GOD IS DEAD.
PITY OUR DAMNED DESECRATION.
OUR SINS ARE SMALL, BUT AFTER ALL,
THEY PUT US HERE, OUR CRIMES ARE CLEAR.
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

(Chatter. Fast tempo.)

[Sweet & Park] CATCHING A WOMAN ALONE IN THE PARK.
HAVE OUR WAY THEN LEAVE HER DEAD IN THE DARK.
MURDER AND RAPE, WHAT A LARK!
THAT IS OUR CRIME.

[Nghieu] ENTER THE HALL OF THE OPIUM KING.
NO PRICE IS TOO HIGH FOR THE JOY THAT IT BRINGS.
TO GET IT YOU'LL DO ANYTHING.
THAT IS MY CRIME.
[Alejandro] MY KNIFE'S ALWAYS FRIENDLY. AS LONG AS YOU GIVE
ME ALL THAT I ASK FOR I MIGHT LET YOU LIVE.
[Sweet] LITTLE OLD LADIES ARE MY SPECIALTY.
[MANY] MURDER AND MAYHEM OF ANY DEGREE.
[Francois] KEROSENE FLAMES THAT LIGHT UP THE NIGHT.
LIKE A WOMAN'S CARESS, A HOUSE BURNING BRIGHT.
OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.
[ALL] THOSE ARE OUR CRIMES.

(Slow.)

[Maximillian] MY HEAD IS FULL. I HEAR A VOICE.
IT SPEAKS TO ME. I HAVE NO CHOICE.
THE VOICE OF GOD.
[ALL] WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

(Faster.)

[MANY] ARSENIC OR STRYCHNINE SLIPPED INTO YOUR WINE.
THE COLOR IS GOLDEN, THE BOUQUET DIVINE.
DOESN'T IT TINGLE YOUR SPINE.
THAT IS OUR CRIME.

(Faster.)

[Mickie] LISTEN, I TELL YOU THERE'S BEEN A MISTAKE.
I SWEAR I'M NOT GUILTY, WHAT LAW DID I BREAK?
WHAT HAVE I DONE? FOR GOD'S SAKE!
WHAT IS MY CRIME?

[ALL] THEY TELL US WE'RE LIVING BUT THIS IS OUR TOMB.
WHAT MONSTERS GESTATE IN THIS BLACK STONY WOMB?
WE'VE ALL OF US MOTHER'S, AND SOME OF US WIVES,
AND SONS, IT'S A WONDER WE LEFT THEM ALIVE.
OUR DAUGHTERS ARE WHORES, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS ARE TOO.
WHAT ELSE CAN THE BRAT OF A MURDERER DO?
FORGIVE THEM FOR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH.
THAT IS OUR CRIME.

[ALL] WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?
WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?

Continue ... "Black Heart"

Back to Gregg Writes.

"What Is Your Crime?"
"Black Heart"

You are visitor