Album: other songs

Poor, Poor Joseph

Narrator
Next day, far from home
The brothers planned the repulsive crime

Brothers
Let us grab him now
Do him in, while we've got the time

Narrator
This they did and made the most of it
Tore his coat and flung him in a pit

Brothers
Let us leave him here
All alone, and he's bound to die

Narrator
When some Ishmaelites
A hairy crew came riding by
In a flash the brothers changed their plan

Brothers
We need cash. Let's sell him if we can

Narrator, Female Ensemble & Children
Poor, poor Joseph, what cha gonna do?
Things look bad for you, hey, what cha gonna do?
Poor, poor Joseph, what cha gonna do?
Things look bad for you, hey, what cha gonna do?

Brothers
Could you use a slave
You hairy bunch of Ishmaelites?
Young, strong, well-behaved
Going cheap and he reads and writes

Narrator
In a trice the dirty deal was done
Silver coins for Jacob's favourite son

Then the Ishmaelites galloped off with a slave in tow
Off to Egypt where Joseph was not keen to go
It wouldn't be a picnic he could tell

Joseph
And I don't speak Egyptian very well

Narrator
Joseph's brothers tore his precious multi-coloured coat
Having ripped it up they next attacked a passing goat
Soon the wretched creature was no more
They dipped his coat in blood and guts and gore

Narrator, Ensemble & Children
Oh now brothers, how low can you stoop?
You make a sordid group, hey, how low can you stoop?
Poor, poor Joseph, sold to be a slave
Situation's grave, hey, sold to be a slave