RACETRACK: In 1899, the street of New York City echoed with the voices of newsies, peddeling the newspapers of Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst and other giants of the newspaper world. On every street corner you saw 'em, carrying the banner, bringing you the news for a penny a pape. Poor orphans and run-aways, the newsies were a ragged army, without a leader, until one day when all that changed.
(The movie title appears. We see the outside of the Newsboys Lodging House. Inside, Kloppman, the owner, enters the bunkroom, finding the boys still in bed.)
KLOPPMAN: Boots! Skittery! Skittery! Skittery!
SKITTERY: Wha..I didn't do it!
KLOPPMAN: What do you mean you didn't do it? Will you get up? When you get up, it's time to get up! Snitch! Get up! Get up! Everybody's sleeping. They sleep their lives away these kids! The presses are rolling! Sell the papers, sell the papers! Come on, come on. You dreaming about selling papers?
JACK: Mmmmmm? What's the matta with you?
KLOPPMAN: What's the matter with me?
JACK: What's the matta with you? Wanna..go..back..to..
KLOPPMAN: Come on! (gives him a shove)
JACK: Get away from me, you're mad!
KLOPPMAN: Haha. Get up boy! Come on. Alright! Carry the banner! Sell the papers!
(Racetrack looks around for his cigar, noticing that Snipeshooter has it)
*Start Song*
RACETRACK:
That's my cigar!
SNIPESHOOTER:
You'll steal anudder!
KID BLINK:
Hey bummers, we got work tah do!
KID:
Since when did you become me mudder?
CRUTCHY:
Aww, stop your bawling!
NEWSIES:
Hey, who asked you?
MUSH: So, how'd you sleep Jack?
JACK: On me back Mush.
MUSH: Ha ha. Hear that fellas? Hear what Jack said?
I asked Jack how he slept and he said 'On me back Mush'
CRUTCHY: Jack, when I walk, does it look like I'm faking it?
JACK: No. Who says you're faking it?
CRUTCHY: I dunno. It's just there's so many fake crips on the street today, a real crip ain't got a chance. I gotta find me a new selling spot where they ain't used to seeing me.
MUSH:
Try Bottle Alley or the harbour
RACETRACK:
Try Central Park, it's guaranteed
JACK:
Try any baker, bum, or barber
SKITTERY:
They almost all knows how to read
KID BLINK:
I smell money
CRUTCHY:
You smell foul!
MUSH:
Met this girl last night
CRUTCHY:
Move your elbow!
RACETRACK:
Pass the towel!
SKITTERY:
For a buck I might!
NEWSIES:
Ain't it a fine life
Carrying the banner through it all?
A mighty fine life
Carrying the banner tough and tall
Every morning, we goes where we wishes
We's as free as fished
Sure beats washin' dishes
What a fine life
Carrying the banner home-free all!
