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Anonymous: do you know where i can find the lyrics to He Forgave Me? I have most of the song figured out, but there's a few lines I'm still iffy about and I'm dying to know what they are

I have three different versions of this song (Williamstown Previews, Broadway before it was cut and Benanti’s Subculture) and all are slightly different, but considering the Broadway/Benanti ones came after, I assume they’re what JRB considers final. So here’s what I believe the lyrics are from those and I’ve added the Williamstown differences in brackets for you. There may be some errors - feel free to correct me!

He Forgave Me
Chiara
I told Ferruccio I was sorry with a voice like melted butter
I swore I’d never even notice any other boy again
And do you think he was a man and threw me back into the gutter?
No, Francesca
He forgave me

I kissed Ferruccio and I still could feel my lover’s tongue caress me
I washed ten kilos worth of laundry, cursing all these stupid men
I made him gnocchi and reluctantly allowed him to undress me
So Francesca
He forgave me

Men are weak, men are blind
Men believe whatever foolishness we feed them
If we ever should let on that we don’t need them
They crumble into dust
Men are scared and inclined
To allow a woman anything she wishes
Just as long as we don’t make them do the dishes
Or ask them to adjust

And in a snap I’m back, Ferrucio’s wife and Angelino’s mother
“But will I lie to him again?”, I think it isn’t if, but when
I’m sure he’s tortured in his soul that I surrender to another
Oh Francesca
Heaven save me

I betrayed him
And I shamed him
Still Francesca
He forgave me

Chiara & Francesca
What we do, what we take (Men are just little boys)
Is a substitute for what we once expected (They start crying when their favorite toys get busted)
A connection when our hopes are disconnected (Immature and far from ready to be trusted)
In a way that we survive (No brains above their necks)
Let it grow, let it break (They can sure make some noise)
And return to our accepted definitions (Make him feel like a confessor and your savior)
For a moment we were more than our relations (Let him justify his own obscene behavior)
We’ve got to feel alive (So he can write the cheques)

Chiara
You think that marriage is uncompromised, a sacrament, anointed
But what was passionate goes past within a year, or five, or ten
You’re so concerned with being perfect that you’re always disappointed
He won’t notice (So your actions)
Or outlive you (Will outlive you)

Chiara & Francesca
He’ll be hurt (They’ll be hurt)
He’ll be lost (They’ll be lost)
Chiara
But you know
He’ll forgive you

September 04 21 notes

#he forgave me #the bridges of madison county #bridgesnet #anon #askbox