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Citizen Kane - Opening Narration Lyrics by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles

Citizen Kane

1941

[Charles Foster Kane]
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree - - Legendary was the Xanadu where Kubla Khan decreed his stately pleasure dome. Today, almost as legendary is Florida's Xanadu, world's largest private pleasure ground. Here, on the deserts of the Gulf Coast, a private mountain was commissioned and successfully built. One hundred thousand trees, twenty thousand tons of marble are the ingredients of Xanadu's mountain. Contents of Xanadu's palace: paintings, pictures, statues, the very stones of many another palace. A collection of everything. So big it can never be catalogued or appraised. Enough for ten museums - the loot of the world. Xanadu's livestock: the fowl of the air, the fish of the sea, the beast of the field and jungle. Two of each, the biggest private zoo since Noah. Like the Pharaohs, Xanadu's landlord leaves many stones to mark his grave. Since the pyramids, Xanadu is the costliest monument a man has built to himself...
(continuing later) Twice married, twice divorced. First to a president's niece, Emily Norton, who left him in 1916. Died 1918 in a motor accident with their son. Sixteen years after his first marriage, two weeks after his first divorce, Kane married Susan Alexander, singer at the Town Hall in Trenton, New Jersey. For wife two, one-time opera singing Susan Alexander, Kane built Chicago's Municipal Opera House. Cost: $3 million dollars. Conceived for Susan Alexander Kane, half-finished before she divorced him, the still-unfinished Xanadu. Cost? No man can say...
Credits
Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles

Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles

About “Citizen Kane - Opening Narration” by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles

Read the complete lyrics to "Citizen Kane - Opening Narration" by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles from the album "Citizen Kane" in 1941. 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 Non-Music, Monologue, Screen.

"Citizen Kane - Opening Narration" is performed by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles. from the album "Citizen Kane" in 1941 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 "Citizen Kane - Opening Narration", explore more songs by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles 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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"Citizen Kane - Opening Narration" is credited to Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Citizen Kane - Opening Narration" appears on "Citizen Kane" in 1941.

Visit the Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles artist page at /artist/herman-j-mankiewicz-and-orson-welles for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.