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I See A River Lyrics by Mark Hollmann

Urinetown (Original Cast Recording)

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[HOPE]
I see a river flowing for freedom
I see a river just in view
I see a river flowing for freedom
I see a river straight and true
Come to the river flowing for justice
Come to the river rendezvous
Come to the river flowing for justice
All for the people, me and you
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Well, as you guessed, Hope took over her father's business, instituting a series of reforms which opened the public bathrooms to all the people to pee for free whenever they liked, as much as they liked, for as long as they liked, with whomever they liked
The UGC was renamed, "The Bobby Strong Memorial Toilet Authority" and was operated as a public trust for the benefit of the people
[LITTLE BECKY TWO SHOES]
Sisters and brothers fight for the river
[HOPE]
Fathers and mothers
[LITTLE BECKY TWO SHOES]
Babies, too!
[HOPE & LITTLE BECKY TWO SHOES]
All in the family, push toward the river
Shove toward the river, why don't you?
[ALL]
Step in the river, wade in the river
Soak in the river through and through
Once in the river, you are the river
Friends on the shorelines, jump in too
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Of course, it wasn't long before the water turned silty, brackish and then disappeared altogether
As cruel as Caldwell B. Cladwell was, his measures effectively regulated water consumption, sparing the town the same fate as the phantom Urinetown
Hope chose to ignore the warning signs, however, preferring to bask in the people's love for as long as it lasted
[LITTLE SALLY, spoken]
What kind of musical is this?! The good guys finally take over and then everything starts falling apart
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Like I said, Little Sally. This isn't a happy musical
[LITTLE SALLY, spoken]
But the music's so happy!
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Yes, Little Sally. Yes it is
[JOSEPHINE, spoken]
Such a fever. If only I had a cool, tall glass of water, maybe I'd have a fighting chance
[HOPE, spoken]
But don't you see, Mrs. Strong? The glass of water's inside you, it always has been
[JOSEPHINE, spoken]
It has?
[HOPE, spoken]
Of course it has. Don't you know what you are?
[JOSEPHINE, spoken]
A river?
[HOPE, spoken]
That's right. We all are
(sung)
You are the river, I am the river
He is the river, she is too
[HOPE & JOSEPHINE]
All are the river flowing for freedom
Flowing for justice, let's review
[ALL]
We see a river flowing for freedom
We see a river just in view
You see a river flowing for freedom
You see a river straight and true
[LITTLE SALLY, spoken]
I don't think too many people are going to come see this musical
Officer Lockstock
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Why do you say that, Little Sally? Don't you think people want to be told that their way of life is unsustainable?
[LITTLE SALLY, spoken]
That, and the title's awful
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
I suppose you're right, Little Sally. I do suppose you're right
[LITTLE SALLY, spoken]
Can't we do a happy musical next time?
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
If there is a next time I'm sure we can. Well, that's our story. Hope eventually joined her father in a manner not quite so gentle
As for the people of this town? They did as best they could
But they were prepared for the world they inherited, weaned as they were on the legend born of their founding father's scare tactics
For when the water dried up, they recognized their town for the first time for what it really was. What it was always waiting to be
[ALL]
This is Urinetown!
Always it's been Urinetown!
This place, it's called Urinetown!
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Hail Malthus!
[ALL]
Hail Malthus!
[LOCKSTOCK, spoken]
Thank you. And goodnight
[ALL]
That was our show!
Credits
Mark Hollmann

Mark Hollmann

About “I See A River” by Mark Hollmann

Read the complete lyrics to "I See A River" by Mark Hollmann from the album "Urinetown (Original Cast Recording)". 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 Musicals, Pop.

"I See A River" is performed by Mark Hollmann. from the album "Urinetown (Original Cast Recording)" 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 "I See A River", explore more songs by Mark Hollmann 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.

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Frequently asked questions

"I See A River" is credited to Mark Hollmann. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"I See A River" appears on "Urinetown (Original Cast Recording)".

Visit the Mark Hollmann artist page at /artist/mark-hollmann for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.