Last night, we went to see Schönberg and Boublil's "Miss Saigon". I knew nothing about the story before we went, apart from the reviews in the paper stating it was a love story set against the war in Vietnam.... but we did know a lot of the cast and wanted to see the show! It was great.... wonderful singing, great sets, and well played and performed. I was interested that there are no songs from it that I felt I had ever heard before... Regardless, there were some very moving songs - going to have to listen to them some more so that I can appreciate them better... even Les Mis took a second hearing to work it's way into my soul and these are the same creators... but there was one in particular that leaves you feeling incredibly moved. "Bui Doi"...
The poignant images of the children are so haunting. Impossible not to feel affected by the impact their origins had on their lives .
Miss Saigon - according to Wikipaedia,
The show's inspiration was reportedly a photograph, inadvertently found by Schönberg in a magazine. The photo showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhut Air Base to board a plane headed for the United States where her father, an ex-GI, would be in a position to provide a much better life for the child. Schönberg considered this mother's actions for her child to be "The Ultimate Sacrifice," an idea central to the plot of Miss Saigon.This week, James and Jess also posted pictures of the children of Bangladesh; these are particularly the children of the street workers... sadly, some of the street workers are still children..... and without aid, their children's futures will take the same path.
In the meantime, situations such as these make me appreciate more and more the ease of my own life and make it clear that one thing seems to hold constant across class and culture - the love of mothers for their children.
If you haven't heard "Bui Doi" - do listen - and here are the lyrics.
CHOIR
they're called bui-doi
the dust of life
conceived in hell
and born in strife
they are the living reminders
of all the good we failed to do
we can't forget
must not forget
that they are all our children too
JOHN
like all survivors, I once thought
when I'm home I won't give a damn
but now I know I'm caught
I'll never leave Vietnam
war isn't over when it ends
some pictures never leave your mind
they are the faces of the children
the ones we left behind
they're called bui-doi
the dust of life
conceived in hell
and born in strife
they are the living reminders
of all the good we failed to do
that's why we know
deep in our hearts
that they are all our children too
these kids hit walls on every side
they don't belong in any place
their secret they can't hide
it's printed on their face
I never thought one day I'd plead
for half-breeds from a land that's torn
but then I saw a camp for children
whose crime was being born
they're called bui-doi
the dust of life
conceived in hell
and born in strife
we owe them fathers, and a family
and loving homes they never knew
because we know
deep in our hearts
that they are all our children too
these are souls in need
they need us to give
someone has to pay
for their chance to live
help me try
CHORUS
they're called bui-doi
the dust of life
conceived in hell
JOHN AND CHORUS
and born in strife
they are the living reminders
of all the good we failed to do
CHORUS JOHN
that's why we know that's why we know
deep in our hearts deep in our hearts
CHORUS
that's why we know
JOHN
that they are all our children...
JOHN AND CHORUS
..too
