Success

[TATEH]
I promised you America
And little one, we're there

[IMMIGRANTS]
America

[TATEH]
Our feet are on the solid ground
And hope is in the air

[IMMIGRANTS]
America

[TATEH]
You'll soon be eating apple pie
From off a china plate
Pretty dresses, pretty dolls
Just wait
For shining in your Tateh's eye
And just beyond this gate

[IMMIGRANTS & ALL]
America!

[TATEH]
Here in America
Anyone at all can succeed

[IMMIGRANTS]
America
Here in America

[TATEH]
Do what you do
And the world will come to you
Guaranteed

[IMMIGRANTS]
America
We're in America

[TATEH]
I may be just a maker of art
But here you could start with less
And make a success

(spoken)
Step right up and have a silhouette made by a real artist! With ordinary paper, a pair of scissors and some glue I shall give you a thing of such beauty! A life-like portrait of someone you love. Silhouettes of your favorite celebrity.

(sung)
Evelyn Nesbit
Hey, look
She's on her Vaudeville stage
Harry Houdini
He practically escapes
From the page
Only a nickel
Don't walk away
Someday these will impress
When I'm a success

[IMMIGRANTS]
America
America

[TATEH]
Look at the silhouettes
Here in the tenements
Bent over sewing
Or dancing or arguing
Thousands of silhouettes
Thousands of stories to tell

Look at them, little one
Such opportunity
Right on the corner of
Orchard and Rivington
We'll make our silhouettes
Think how they'll sell
We'll join the parade
Of Americans all doing well

[IMMIGRANTS]
Success
Success

J.P. MORGAN
I'm J.P. Morgan, my friends
The wealthiest man on this earth

[IMMIGRANTS]
Success

[J.P. MORGAN]
You immigrants, look up to me
And you'll see what money is worth

[IMMIGRANTS]
Success

[J.P. MORGAN]
One day your immigrant sweat
Might get you the whole U.S.

[HOUDINI]
And if you're trapped
And failure seems imminent
Think of Houdini
That fabulous immigrant
Break those chains
With all you possess

[J.P. MORGAN and IMMIGRANTS]
This is America
This is the land of success

[ALL & TATEH]
Success!

[EMMA GOLDMAN, spoken]
The angry, fetid tenements of the Lower East Side were worse than anything Tateh and his wife had suffered in Latvia. The Little Girl was often sick now. Tateh wrapped her in his prayer shawl. What rabbi would disapprove?

[IMMIGRANTS]
America
America

[TATEH]
Look at my daughter, God
Why have you brought us here?
How can I feed her or clothe
Or protect her here?
Where's the America
We were supposed to get?
Was it a silhouette?

Hey, mister
Here in America
Anything you want, you can be
Sucker, step up
And I'll cut you out your own guarantee
Come see the artist
Big shot, oh yes
Red, white and blue
Hooray and God bless
I'm a success
I'm a success
Success
Success

[HOUDINI]
If you're trapped
And failure seems imminent
Think of Houdini
That fabulous immigrant
Break those chains with all you possess

[TATEH]
I promised you America
And little one—
(spoken)
We will find it!