Album: Ragtime Soundtrack

Journey on

[FATHER]
It's an honor to go on an expedition with you,
Admiral Peary. It's men like you who've made this
country great.

[ADMIRAL PEARY]
It's men like you who'll keep it great.

[HENSON]
All sails set, Admiral.

[PEARY]
Thank you, Mr. Henson. This is my First Officer, Mr.
Matthew Henson.

[FATHER]
Good evening.

[HENSON]
Welcome aboard.

[FATHER]
What's that? In the distance? Such a ghostly glow.

[PEARY]
They're called rag ships. Immigrants from every cesspool
in Western and Eastern Europe. Most of them become very
Patriotic Americans. They're your future customers.

[HENSON]
My people were also brought here on ships.

[PEARY]
Good watch, Henson.

[FATHER]
You're a brave man, whoever you are. Coming so far,
expecting so much.

A salute to the man
On the deck of that ship!
A salute to the immigrant stranger.
Heaven knows why you's make
Such a terrible trip.
May your own god protect you from danger.
Is it freedom or love
That you pray for
In you guttural accent?
Too late, long gone.
A salute to a fellow
Who hasn't a chance.
Journey on.

[TATEH]
If people ask, how old are you?

[LITTLE GIRL]
I don't answer.

[TATEH]
Your name?

[LITTLE GIRL]
No name.

[TATEH]
Where your mother is?

[LITTLE GIRL]
Dead.

[TATEH]
This is my father. He speaks fo both of us.

[LITTLE GIRL]
This is my father. He speaks for both of us.
Is that other ship going back home?

[TATEH]
No, no. America is our home now.
America is our shtetl.

[TATEH & LITTLE GIRL]
Amekhaye khlebn.

[LITTLE GIRL]
Look. Someone is waving. Where is he going?

[TATEH]
He's a fool on a fool's journey.

You depart on a ship
From a country like this.
Why on earth would you want to
Be leaving?
was it something you lost
That you suddenly miss?
Are you angry,
Or possibly
Grieving?
Do you see in my face
What you've lost, sir?
Are you moved by the death ship
We sail upon?
Well, perhaps you're a man
Who's in search of his heart.
Journey on.

[FATHER]
Journey on.

[BOTH]
Two ships passing
In the kinship
Of the darkness-

[FATHER]
One going from-

[TATEH]
One coming to-

[BOTH]
America

Two men meeting
At the moment
Of a journey.
For a moment,
In the darkness,
We're the same...

[MOTHER]
And what of the people
Whose boundaries chafe,

[FATHER]
I salute you,
My friend

[MOTHER]
Who marry so bravely
And end up so safe?

[TATEH]
May you
Find what
You need

[MOTHER]
I will be journeyin
Here, my love,
As you go

[FATHER]
As you go

[TATEH]
As you go

[MOTHER]
Journeying

[FATHER]
Journeying

[TATEH]
Journeying

[MOTHER]
On the sea.

[FATHER]
On the sea

[TATEH]
On the sea.

[ALL THREE]
We're two ships passing
At a distance,
Through the darkness,

[FATHER]
One going from...

[MOTHER & TATEH]
One coming to...

[ALL THREE]
...America.

Strangers sharing
The beginnings
Of a journey

[FATHER]
I salute you!

[TATEH]
God be with you!

[MOTHER]
I will miss you...

[ALL THREE]
In the Darkness
Of the dawn-
Journey on!