El Capitan, Act I: “What’s this?... When we hear the call for battle”
[DON MEDIGUA, spoken]
What's that? Voices. Many voices!
[VERRADA, spoken]
There are the insurgents... in the square!
[DON MEDIGUA, spoken]
Put up your sword, brave Verrada. Instead of taking on the entire insurgent army, take care of my wife and daughter. And you, Pozzo, tell that rabble they offend me. But avoid force while you still have a breath in your body. Well, I certainly won't stand around and be insulted.
[ESTRELDA and INSURGENTS rush in as DON MEDIGUA and his retinue hurry off.]
[ESTRELDA]
When we hear the call to battle
[INSURGENTS]
Ra-ta-ta, ta tat! Ra-ta-ta, ta tat!
[ESTRELDA]
We commence our drums to rattle
[INSURGENTS]
Ra-ta-ta, ta tat! Ra-ta-ta, ta tat!
[ESTRELDA]
For when the bugles blare
And the arrows cleave the air
We're impatient to be there, ra ta ta tat
[INSURGENTS]
Ra ta ta tat
[ESTRELDA]
When the soldier's hopes are low
And victory in the balance lies
He hears the drum and feels the glow
Of valor to his temples rise
What to the soldier doth it say
That drum voice from the distant fray?
Rrr, rrr
[ESTRELDA & INSURGENTS]
Rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr
[ESTRELDA, INSURGENTS]
Onward, patriotic son! (Rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr)
Onward 'til the foe's undone (Rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr)
Onward 'til the battle's won (Rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr)
For your country and its glory (Rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr, rrr)
[DON CAZARRO & INSURGENTS]
Onward, patriotic son!
Onward 'til the foe's undone
Onward 'til the battle's won
For your country and its glory
[ESTRELDA]
When the gallant fight is o'er
Success will be our great reward
And liberty from shore to shore
Gives rest unto the tired sword
Unto his fancy oft will come
The blare of trumpet, rolling drum
Ta-ta-ra, ta-ta-ra, ta-ta-ra
Ta-ta-ra, ta-ta-ra, ta-ta-ra
[WOMEN]
Ra-ta-ta ta ta ta ta ta
Ta ta ta ta ta ta
Ta ta ta ta ta ta ta
[ESTRELDA]
Ra ta ta, ra ta ta, ra ta-ta-ta ta-ta-ta ta ta-ta ta
Ra-ta-ta ta ta, ra-ta-ta ta ta
Ra ta ta, ra ta ta, ra ta-ta-ta ta-ta-ta ta ta-ta ta
Ra-ta-ta ta ta, ra-ta-ta ta ta
[WOMEN INSURGENTS]
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta ta
[MEN, ESTRELDA, WOMEN]
Onward (Ta-ta-ra, ra ta ta, Ta-ta-ra)
Patriotic son (Ra ta-ta-ra, ta-ta-ra, ta ta-ta-ra) (Ta, ta, ta-ta-ra)
Onward (Ra-ta-ta ta ta, rrr)
'Til the foe's undone (Ra-ta-ta ta ta, rrr)
Onward (Ta ta ta, ta-ta-ra, ra ta ta, ta-ta-ra)
'Til the battle's won (Ra ta-ta-ra, ta-ta-ra, ta ta-ta-ra) (Ta, ta, ta-ta-ra)
For your country (Ra-ta-ta ta ta) (Rrr)
And its glory (Ra-ta ta ta ta)
[DON CAZARRO]
In freedom's fight
Let heart and arm be strong
Our cause the right
Our enemy's the wrong
[INSURGENTS]
Yes, they are wrong
[ESTRELDA, ESTRELDA & INSURGENTS]
The little fife's defiance
Of confidence the science
Should give to all reliance
And may they never yield
The little fife's defiance
Of confidence the science
Should give to all reliance
And may they never yield
[ESTRELDA, DON CAZZARO & MEN, WOMEN]
The little fife's defiance (Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta ta, ra ta ta) (Onward!)
Of confidence (Ra ta-ta-ra) (Patriotic)
The science (Ta-ta-ra, ta ta-ta-ra) (Son)
Should give to all reliance (Onward) (Ra-ta-ta ta ta)
Who waver in the field ('Til the foe's undone) (Ra-ta-ta ta ta)
[ESTRELDA & MEN, DON CAZZARO & MEN, WOMEN]
The little fife's defiance (Ra ta ta, ra ta ta) (Onward!)
Of confidence (Ra ta-ta-ra) ('Till the)
The science (Ta-ta-ra, ta ta-ta-ra) (Battle's won)
Should give to all reliance (For your country) (Ra-ta-ta ta ta)
Who waver in the field (And its glory) (Ra-ta-ta ta ta)
[ESTRELDA, DON CAZARRO & INSURGENTS]
On the field, ra-ta-ta-ta-ta
On the field, rrr
On the field