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Justice Lyrics by Brian Stokes Mitchell

Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

1998

[SARAH, spoken]
Come on, Coalhouse. It doesn't matter. 

[COALHOUSE]
We'll see justice, Sarah
And plenty of men
Who will stand up and give us our due!

[TOWN HALL BUREAUCRAT, spoken]
Well, you can sign another complaint, Mr. Walker, but volunteer firemen are not municipal employees, and therefore do not come under the jurisdiction of the city. I'm sorry. 

[SECOND BUREAUCRAT, spoken]
I'm still tracing your first complaint, Mr. Walker. Are you sure you filed it with this office? Oh, let me look again. 

[COALHOUSE]
Justice, Sarah
This is America

[MOTHER, spoken]
I'm ashamed that our community is represented in his mind by that bunch of toughs. 

[FATHER, spoken]
Let me talk to my lawyer. 

[YOUNGER BROTHER, spoken]
That's all it will be: talk, talk, talk!

[COALHOUSE]
The law's the law
The law's been broken
Why should I turn the other cheek?
What about justice?

[PEOPLE OF HARLEM]
The bureaucrats and bunglers
The attorneys who smiled

[WHITE ATTORNEY, spoken]
My advice? Recover your car and forget the whole matter. 

[PEOPLE OF HARLEM]
The clerks and the officials
And the forms that were filed

[CLERK, spoken]
This to get a place on the court calendar. This for change of venue. 

[PEOPLE OF HARLEM]
So many roads to justice
Around the bend

[BLACK LAWYER, spoken]
I want justice for our people so bad I can taste it. But I won't waste my time on a mere case of vandalism when I have real injustices to take to the courts. 

[PEOPLE OF HARLEM]
And every road a new dead end!

[COALHOUSE]
I will not move
From where I'm standing
Till what's mine is restored to me
I'm not some fool
I'm not their nigga!
I will have what's fairly owed me!
And till then, I will not marry...

[MOTHER approaches SARAH.]

[MOTHER, spoken]
We understand Mr. Walker's outrage. We share it. All decent people do. 

[SARAH]
He said, "Wheels are turning for us, girl"

[MOTHER, spoken]
But I'm sure there's some way to settle this affair without calling off the wedding. 

[SARAH]
He said, "Times are starting to roll"

[MOTHER, spoken]
To be so close to the happiness you both deserve and have it come to this!

[SARAH moves away from MOTHER.]

[SARAH]
Well, I know he'll get where he wants to
'Cause he's got that fire in his soul
Said, "There's justice, Sarah
And plenty of men who will stand up and give us our due"
Well, you'll have your due, Coalhouse
Yes, you'll have your due
Credits
Brian Stokes Mitchell

Brian Stokes Mitchell

About “Justice” by Brian Stokes Mitchell

Read the complete lyrics to "Justice" by Brian Stokes Mitchell from the album "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Broadway, Theatre, History.

"Justice" is performed by Brian Stokes Mitchell. from the album "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Justice", explore more songs by Brian Stokes Mitchell using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Brian Stokes Mitchell · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Justice" is credited to Brian Stokes Mitchell. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Justice" appears on "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998.

Visit the Brian Stokes Mitchell artist page at /artist/brian-stokes-mitchell for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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Feeling Good
Coalhouse’s Soliloquy
Dulcinea
Finishing the Hat
A Wonderful Guy (Reprise)
Coalhouse’s Soliloquy (1996)
Gettin’ Ready Rag
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