A CINEMA IN BUENOS AIRES 26 JULY 1952

An audience is watching a less than distinguished movie.

JULIETA

Carlos.

CARLOS

Julieta, mi querida Julieta.

JULIETA

Carlos, no tendrias que haber venido.

CARLOS

Julieta, ni un millar de soldados me puede detener.

JULIETA

Pero es peligroso, mi padre te arrestara.

CARLOS

Tenia que venir.

JULIETA

Carlos!

CARLOS

Hasta este momento, mis labios no han osado murmurar
la palabra amor.

JULIETA

Carlos.

CARLOS

Y mucho mas que eso, mi ser todo vibra de deseo.
Que fue eso? Algo se movio en el balcon de tu padre.
Si fuera ese truhan de Rodolfo, juro que mi espada no permanecera en su vaina.

JULIETA

Carlos, ten cuidado! Te quiero, Carlos, te quiero.

Suddenly the film grinds to a halt. The people in the cinemabegin to protest but are silenced by an announcement.

THE VOICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE PRESS

It is my sad duty to inform you that Eva Peron, spiritual leader of the nation, entered immortality at 8:25 this evening.

REQIUM FOR EVITA

CROWD
Requiem aeternum dona Evita
Requiem aeternum dona Evita
Requiem Evita, Requiem Evita
Evita, Evita, Evita, Evita
Grant eternal rest to Evita
Grant eternal rest to Evita
Rest to Evita, Rest to Evita
Evita, Evita, Evita, Evita

Requiem aeternum dona Evita
Requiem aeternum dona Evita
Requiem Evita, Requiem Evita
Evita, Evita, Evita, Evita

OH WHAT A CIRCUS

CHE
Oh what a circus, oh what a show
Argentina has gone to town
Over the death of an actress called Eva Peron
We' ve all gone crazy
Mourning all day and mourning all night
Falling over ourselves to get all of the misery right

Oh what an exit, that' s how to go
When they' re ringing your curtain down
Demand to be buried like Eva Peron
It' s quite a sunset
And good for the country in a roundabout way
We' ve made the front page of all the world' s papers today

But who is this Santa Evita?
Why all this howling, hysterical sorrow?
What kind of goddess has lived among us?
How will we ever get by without her?

She had her moments, she had some style
The best show in town was the crowd
Outside the Casa Rosada crying, 'Eva Peron'
But that' s all gone now
As soon as the smoke from the funeral clears
We' re all gonna see and how, she did nothing for years

CROWD

Salve regina mater misericordiae
Vita dulcedo et spes nostra
Salve salve regina
Ad te clamamus exules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes
O clemens o pia
Hail, oh queen, mother of mercy
Our life, sweetness, and hope
Hail, hail, oh queen
To you we cry, exiled sons of Eve
To you we sigh, mourning and weeping
Oh clement, oh loving one

CHE
You let down your people Evita
You were supposed to have been immortal
That' s all they wanted, not much to ask for
But in the end you could not deliver

Sing you fools, but you got it wrong
Enjoy your prayers because you haven' t got long
Your queen is dead, your king is through
And she' s not coming back to you

Show business kept us all alive
Since seventeen October 1945
But the star has gone, the glamour' s worn thin
That' s a pretty bad state for a state to be in

Instead of government we had a stage
Instead of ideas, a prima donna' s rage
Instead of help we were given a crowd
She didn' t say much, but she said it loud

Sing you fools, but you got it wrong
Enjoy your prayers because you haven' t got long
Your queen is dead, your king is through
She' s not coming back to you

CROWD
Salve regina mater misericordiae
Vita dulcedo et spes nostra
Salve salve regina Peron
Ad te clamamus exules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes
O clemens o pia

EVA
Don' t cry for me Argentina
For I am ordinary, unimportant
And undeserving of such attention
Unless we all are, I think we all are
So share my glory, so share my coffin
So share my glory, so share my coffin

CHE

It' s our funeral too

ON THIS NIGHT OF A THOUSAND STARS

CHE
Now Eva Peron had every disadvantage
You need if you' re gonna succeed
No money, no cash
No father, no bright lights
There was nowhere she' d been
At the age of fifteen

As this tango singer found out
Agustin Magaldi
Who has the distinction of being the first
Man to be of use to Eva Duarte

MAGALDI
On this night of a thousand stars
Let me take you to heaven' s door
Where the music of love' s guitars
Plays for evermore

In the glow of those twinkling lights
We shall love through eternity
On this night in a million nights
Fly away with me

I never dreamed that a kiss could be as sweet as this
But now I know that it can
I used to wander alone without a love of my own
I was a desperate man
But all my grief disappeared and all the sorrow I' d feared
Wasn' t there anymore
On that magical day when you first came my way
Mi amor

On this night
On this night
On this night of a thousand stars
Let me take you to heaven' s door
Where the music of love' s guitars
Plays for evermore

EVA

It must be a dream

Augustin Magaldi

The most famous man to visit Junin

MAGALDI

The audiance seem

Extremely heavy going

CHE

Listen chum face the fact

They don 't like your act

MAGALDI

But this is the sticks!

If this were Buons Aires

I have that town at my feet

I never ever meet

Members of the public!

They 'd tear me apart

CHE

I understand their feelings

EVA

I wanna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

EVA WITH FRIENDS

I wanna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

CHE

Just listen to that!

They 're on to you Magaldi

I 'd got out while you can

EVA

It 's happend at last

I 'm starting to get started
I 'm moving uot with my man

MAGALDI

Now Eva don 't get carried away

EVA

Monotony past

Suburbia departed

Who could ever be fond of the back of beyond

MAGALDI

Don 't hear words that I didn 't say

FRIENDS

What 's that?

You 'd desert the girl you lover?

MAGALDI

The girl I love? Who?

FRIENDS

She really brightened up your out of town engagement

She gave you all she had – she wasn 't in your contract

You must be quite releaved that no-one 's told the papers so far

EVA

I wanna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

Would I have done what I did

If I hadn 't thought – if I hadn 't known

We would stay together

CHE

Seems to me there 's no point in resisting

She 's made up her mind, you 've no choice

Why don 't you be the man who discover her?

You 'll never be remeberd for your voice

MAGALDI

The city can be paradise for those who have the cash

The class and the connections - what you need to make a splash

The Likes of you get swept up in the morning with the trash

If you were rich or middle class

EVA

Screw teh middle class!
I will never accept them

And they will never deny me anything again

My fathers other family were middle class

And we were kept out of sight, hidden from view at his funeral!

If these are the people of Buenos Aires

I welcome teh chance to shine in their city

And to trample their rotten values into teh ground

CHE

Do all your one night stands give you this trouble?

MAGALDI

Eva beware of the city

It 's hungry and cold, can 't be controlled – it 's mad

Those who are fools are swallowed up whole

And those who are not become

What they should not become

Changed, in short they go bad

EVA

Bad is good for me I 'm bored so clean end so ignored

I 've only been predictable – respectable

Birds fly out of here so why

Oh why oh why the hell can 't I

I only want variety and society

I wanna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

EVA WITH FRIENDS

I wanna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

MAGALDI

Five years from now I shall come back

And finally say, you have your way, come to town

But you 'll look at me with foreigners eyes

The magical city, a

A younger girls city, a

Fantasy long since put down

EVA

All you 've done to me – was that a younger girls fantasy?

I played your city-games alright – didn 't I?

I already know what cooks – how the dirty city feels and looks

I tasted it last night – didn 't I?

I 'm gonna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

EVA WITH FRIENDS

I 'm gonna be a part of BA

Buenos Aires – Big Apple!

MAGALDI

Eva beware your ambition

It 's hungry and cold – can 't be controlled, will run wild

This in a man is a dangour enough

But you are a woman, not

Even a woman, not

Very much more than a child and whatever you say

I 'll not steal you away!

BUENOS AIRES

EVA

What' s new Buenos Aires?
I' m new, I wanna say I' m just a little stuck on you
You' ll be on me too

I get out here, Buenos Aires
Stand back, you oughta know whatcha gonna get in me
Just a little touch of star quality

Fill me up with your heat, with your noise
With your dirt, overdo me
Let me dance to your beat, make it loud
Let it hurt, run it through me.
Don' t hold back, you are certain to impress
Tell the driver this is where I' m staying

Hello, Buenos Aires
Get this, just look at me dressed up, somewhere to go
We' ll put on a show

Take me in at your flood, give me speed
Give me lights, set me humming
Shoot me up with your blood, wine me up
With your nights, watch me coming
All I want is a whole lot of excess
Tell the singer this is where I' m playing

Stand back, Buenos Aires
Because you oughta know whatcha gonna get in me
Just a little touch of star quality

And if ever I go too far
It' s because of the things you are
Beautiful town, I love you
And if I need a moment' s rest
Give your lover the very best
Real eiderdown and silence.

[musical interlude]

You' re a tramp, you' re a treat
You will shine to the death, you are shoddy
But you' re flesh, you are meat
You shall have every breath in my body
Put me down for a lifetime of success
Give me credit, I' ll find ways of paying

Rio de la Plata
Florida, Corrientes, Nueve de Julio
All I want to know

Stand back, Buenos Aires
Because you oughta know whatcha gonna get in me
Just a little touch of
Just a little touch of
Just a little touch of star quality

GOOD NIGHT AND THANK YOU

CHE
Goodnight and thank you Magaldi

You 've completed your task, what more could we ask of you now

Pleas sign the book on your way out the door

And that will be all

If we need you we 'll call
But I don 't think thats likely somehow

EVA
Oh but it' s sad when a love affair dies
But we have pretended enough
It' s best that we both stop fooling ourselves

CHE

Wich means get stuffed

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Having arrives it matters to be

Photographed, notices continually

CHE

Goodnight and thank you who ever
She is in every magazine she wouldn 't have been on her own
We don' t like to rush, but your case has been packed
If she' s missed anything, you could give her a ring
But she won' t always answer the phone

EVA
Oh but it' s sad when a love affair dies
But when we were hot we were hot

I know you 'll look back on the good times we 've shared

CHE
But Eva will not

CHE AND EVA
There is no one, no one at all
Never has been, and never will be a lover, male or female
Who hasn' t an eye on, in fact they rely on
Tricks they can try on their partner
They' re hoping their lover will help them or keep them
Support them, promote them
Don' t blame them, you' re the same

BROADCASTERS

Now you are recognized, visually known
You need to move to the microphone

CHE
Goodnight and thank you who-ever
We are grateful you found her a spot on the sound radio
We' ll think of you every time she' s on the air
We' d love you to stay but you' d be in the way
So do up your trousers and go

EVA
Oh but it' s sad when a love affair dies
The decline into silence and doubt
Our passion was just too intense to survive

CHE

For God 's sake get out!

PHOTOGRAPERS AND BROADCASTERS

Fame on the wireless as far as it goes
Is all very well but every girl knows
She needs a man she can monopolize
With fingers in dozens of different pies

LOVERS

Oh but it' s sad when a love affair dies

THE LADY 'S GOT POTENTIAL

CHE

The lady 's got potential, she ought to go far

She always knows exactly who her best friens are

The greatest social climber since Cinderella

But Eva 's not the only one who 's getting the breaks

I 'm a research chemist who 's got what it takes

And my insecticide is gonna be a best-seller

Just one blast and insects fall like flies

Kapow! Die!

They don 't have a chance

In the fly-killing world

It 's a major advance

In my world

It 'll mean finance

I 'm shaping up succesfull capitalist-wise

But getting back to Eva she just saw those guys

As steps on the ladder to the ultimate prize

And he goes by the name of colonel Peron

He began his career by the army overseas

Teaching all the other soldiers all he knew about skis

When other took a tumble he would always saty on

Sure Peron could ski but who needs a snowman?

He said:

PERON

Great man

Don 't grow on trees

I 'm one

I ain 't gonna freeze

Dictators
Don 't grow on skis

CHE

Peron would be no number two to no man

He 'd maried in the mean time but the poor girl died

Imagine if she hadn 't we 'd have been denied

The heartwarming, tearjerking rise of fame of Eva

Now my insecticide contains no dangerous drug

It can 't harm people but is curtains to bugs

If you 've got six legs I ain 't doing you no favour

Just one blast and insects fall like flies

Kapow! Die!

They don 't have a chance

In the fly-killing world

It 's a major advance

In my world

It 'll mean finance

I 'm shaping up succesfull capitalist-wise

PERON AND OFFICERS

G – Goverment

O – Order

U – Unity

CHE

And they were the gang behind the military coup

So Peron was a heartbeat away from control of the nation

Yhey thought that Hitler had the war as good as won

They were slightly to the right of Atilla the Hun
And Eva set her sights on Peron – and his situation

And Eva set her sights on Peron – and his situation

PERON AND OFFICERS

The G.O.U. is a three-pronged operation

Goverment – unopposed and allied

With order – ruthlessly applied

And unity – those not on your side

Are subject to the process of elimination

MAGALDI
On this night
On this night
On this night of a thousand stars
Let me take you to heaven' s door
Where the music of love' s guitars
Plays forever more

PERON

Thonight I 'm proud to be the peoples spokesman

You 've given help to those who 've lost their homes

But more than that conclusively shown

That the people should run their affairs on their own

Make sure your leaders understand the people

EVA

Colonel Peron?

PERON

Eva Duarte?

EVA AND PERON

I 've heard so much about you

PERON

But when you act, you take us away from the squalor of the real world

Are you non your own?

EVA

Yess. Oh yess

PERON

So am I

What a fortunate coincidence

Maybe you 're my reward for my efforts here tonight

EVA

It seems crazy but you must believe

There 's nothing calculated, nothing planned

Please forgive me if I seem naive

I would never want to force your hand

But please understand

I 'd be good to you

I don 't always rush in like this

Twenty seconds after saying hello

Telling strangers I 'm to good to miss

If I 'm wrong I hope you 'll tell me so

But you really should know

I 'd be good to you

I 'd be surprisingly good to you

I won 't go on if I 'm boring you

But do you understand my pint of view

Do you like what you hear, what you see and would be good for me too?

I 'm not talking of a hurried night

A frantic tumble then a shy goodbye

Creeping home befor it gets too light

That 's not the reason I caught your eye

Which has to imply

I 'd be good to you

I 'd be surprisingly good to you

PERON

Please go on – you enthrall me

I can understand you perfectly

And I like what I hear, what I see, and knowing me

I would be good for you too

EVA

I 'm not talking of a hurried night

A frantic tumble then a shy goodbye

Creeping home befor it gets too light

That 's not the reason I caught your eye

Which has to imply

I 'd be good to you

I 'd be surprisingly good to you

EVA AND PERON

There is no one, no one at all

Never has been and never will be a lover, male or female

Who hasn 't an eye on

In fact rely on

Tricks they can try on their partner

Their hoping their lover will help them to keep them

Support them, promote them

Don 't blame themm you 're the same

ANOTHER SUITCASE, ANOTHER HALL

EVA

Hello and goodbye

I 've just unemployed you

You can go back to school
You had a good run

I 'm sure he enjoyed you

Don 't act so surprised

Let 's be friends, civilized

Come on little one

Don 't stand there like a dummy

The day you knew would arrive

Is here – you 'll survive

So move, funny face

I like your conversation

You 've a catchy turn of phrase

You 'r obviously going through soma adolescent phase
Maybe you 've got something more then just a pretty face

Maybe not

MISTRESS

I don' t expect my love affairs to last for long
Never fool myself that my dreams will come true
Being used to trouble I anticipate it
But all the same I hate it, wouldn' t you?

MISTRESS

So what happens now?

CHE AND CHORUS

Another suitcase in another hall

MISTRESS

So what happens now?

CHE AND CHORUS

Take your picture off another wall

MISTRESS

Where am I going to?

CHE AND CHORUS

You' ll get by, you always have before

MISTRESS

Where am I going to?

Time and time again I' ve said that I don' t care
That I' m immune to gloom, that I' m hard through and through
But every time it matters all my words desert me
So anyone can hurt me, and they do

Call in three months time and I' ll be fine, I know
Well maybe not that fine, but I' ll survive anyhow
I won' t recall the names and places of each sad occasion
But that' s no consolation here and now.

MISTRESS

So what happens now?

CHE AND CHORUS

Another suitcase in another hall

MISTRESS

So what happens now?

CHE AND CHORUS

Take your picture off another wall

MISTRESS

Where am I going to?

CHE AND CHORUS

You' ll get by, you always have before

MISTRESS

Where am I going to?

CHE AND CHORUS
Don' t ask anymore.

DANGEROUS JADE

ARMY
Peron is a fool, breaking every taboo
Installing a girl in the army H.Q.
And she' s an actress, the last straw
Her only good parts are between her thighs
She should stare at the ceiling, not reach for the skies
Or she could be his last whore
The evidence suggests
She has other interests
If it' s her who' s using him
He' s exceptionally dim
Bitch! Dangerous Jade

ARISTCRATS

We have allowed ourselves to slip
We have completely lost our grip
We have declined to an all-time low
Tarts have become the set to know

ARMY
It' s no crime for officers to do as they please
As long as they' re discreet and keep clear of disease
We ignore, we disregard
But once they allow a bit on the side
To move to the center where she' s not qualified
We are forced to mark his card
She should get into her head
She should not get out of bed
She should know that she' s not paid
To be loud but to be laid
Slut! Dangerous Jade

CHE
This has really been your year, Miss Duarte
Tell us where you go from here, Miss Duarte
Which are the roles that you yearn to play?
Whom did you sleep ... dine with yesterday?

EVA
Acting is limiting, the line' s not mine
That' s no help to the Argentine

CHE
Can we assume then that you' ll quit?
Is this because of your involvement with Colonel Peron?

HEAVIES
Goodnight and thank you

ARMY
She won' t be kept happy by her nights on the tiles
She says it' s his body, but she' s after his files
So get back on to the street
She should get into her head
She should not get out of bed
She should know that she' s not paid
To be loud but to be laid
The evidence suggests
She has other interests
If it' s her who' s using him
He' s exceptionally dim

CHE

To see the underdog succeed

Is the encouragement I need

Opportunity is back

If she can make it by her efforts in the sack

Then a man who offers more

Me! Will have the world beat a pathway to his door

ARISTOCRTAS
Things have reached a pretty pass
When someone pretty lower-class
Graceless and vulgar, uninspired
Can be accepted and admired

PERONS LATEST FLAME

CHE

At the watering holes of the well-to-do
I detect a resistance to

ARISTOCRATS

Precisely

CHE

Our heroine 's style

ARISTOCRATS

We' re glad you noticed

CHE

The shooting sticks of the upper-class

ARISTOCRATS

Give her an inch

CHE

Aren' t supporting a single ass
That would rise for the girl

ARISTOCRATS

She' ll take a mile

ARISTOCRATS
Such a shame she wandered into our enclosure
How unfortunate this person has forced us to be blunt
No we wouldn' t mind seeing her at Harrod' s
But behind the jewelry counter, not in front

CHE

Could there be in our fighting corps
A lack of enthusiasm for

ARMY

Exactly

CHE

Peron' s latest flame

ARMY

You said it brother

CHE
Should you wish to cause great distress
In the tidiest officer' s mess
Just mention her name

ARMY
That isn' t funny

EVA
I am only a radio star with just one weekly show
But speaking as one of the people I want you to know
We are tired of the decline of Argentina
With no sign of a government able to give us the things we deserve

A NEW ARGENTINA

PERON
Dice are rolling, the knives are out
I see every bad sign in the book

And as far as they can – overweight to a man

They have that lean and hundry look

EVA
It doesn' t matter what those morons say
Our nation' s leaders are a feeble crew
There' s only twenty of them anyway
What is twenty next to millions who
Are looking to you?
All you have to do is sit and wait
Keeping out of everybody' s way
We' ll ... you' ll be handed power on a plate
When the ones who matter have their say
And with chaos installed
You can reluctantly agree to be called

PERON
There again we could be foolish

Not to quit while we' re ahead
For distance lends enchantment

And that is why
All exiles are distinguished

More important, they' re not dead
I could find job satisfaction in Paraguay

WORKERS

Peron! Peron!

EVA
This is crazy defeatist talk
Why commit political suicide, there' s no risk
There' s no call for any action at all
When you have unions on your side

WORKERS
A new Argentina

The chains of the masses untied
A new Argentina

The voice of the people
Cannot be denied

EVA
There is only one man who can lead any workers' regime
He lives for your problems, he shares your ideals and your dream
He supports you, for he loves you
Understands you, is one of you
If not, how could he love me?

WORKERS

A new Argentina

The old one has gone really wrong

A new Argentina

The voice of the people

Rings loud and long

EVA
Now I am a worker, I' ve suffered the way that you do
I' ve been unemployed, and I' ve starved and I' ve hated it too
But I found my salvation in Peron, may the nation
Let him save them as he saved me

WORKERS

A new Argentina

CHE
They 'll all go along for the ride

The sam old clichés

But let them have their freedom

The free buy insectecide

WORKERS

Nationalization for the industries

That the foreigners control

Participation in the profits that we make

Shorter hours, higher wages

Votes for women, lager dole

More public spending, a bigger slice of every cake

PERON
How annoying that we have to

Fight elections for our cause
The inconvenience, having to get a majority
If normal methods of persuasion fail to win uw applause
There are other ways of establishing authority

SECRET POLICE

We have ways of making you vote for us, or at least of making you abstain

EVA
Peron has resigned from the army and this we avow
The descamisados are those he is marching with now
He supports you, for he loves you
Understands you, is one of you
If not, how could he love me?

ALL
A new Argentina, the chains of the masses untied
A new Argentina, the voice of the people
Cannot be, and will not be, and must not be denied.

PERON
There again we could be foolish not to quit while I 'm ahead
I can see us many miles away, inactive
Sipping cocktails on a terrace, taking breakfast in bed
Sleeping easy, doing nothing, it' s attractive

EVA
Don' t think I don' t think like you
I often get those nightmares too
They always take some swallowing
Sometimes it' s very difficult to keep momentum
If it' s you that you are following
Don' t close doors, keep an escape clause
Because we might lose the Big Apple

But would I have done what I did
If I hadn' t thought, if I hadn' t known
We would take the country

ON THE BALCONY OF CASA ROSADA

Peron has just won a sweeping victory in the 1946 Presidential election. This is the first public appearance by Peron and Eva since that triumph.

ANNOUNCER

People of Argentina
Your newly elected President, Juan Peron

CROWD
Peron Peron ...

PERON
Argentinos, Argentinos
We are all workers now
Fighting against our common enemies
Poverty, social injustice
Foreign domination of our industries
Reaching for our common goals
Our independence, our dignity, our pride

Let the world know that our great nation is awakening
And that its heart beats in the humble bodies
Of Juan Peron and his wife
The first lady of Argentina, Eva Duarte de Peron

CROWD

Peron Peron …

CHE

AS a mere observer of this tasteless phenomenon

One has to admire the stage management

There again perhaps I 'm more then a mere observer

Listen to my enthusiasm gentlemen

Peron! Peron!

CROWD
Evita Evita ...

DON 'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA

EVA

It on 't be easy, you 'll think it strange

When I try to explain how I feel

That I still need you 're love after all that I 've done

You won 't believe me

Al you will see is a girl you once knew

Although she 's dressed up to the nines

At sixes and sevens with you

I had to let it happen

Couldn 't saty all my life down at heel

Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun

So I chose freedom

Running around trying everything new

But nothing impressed me at all

I never expected it to

Don 't cry for me Argentina

The truth is I never left you

Al through my wild days

My mad existence

I kept my promisse

Don 't keep your distance

And as for formtune and as for fame

I never invited them in

Though it seemd to the world they were all I desired

They are illusions

Theyér not the solutions they promised to be

The answer was there all the time

I love you and hope you love me

Don 't cry for me Argentina

Don 't cry for me Argentina

The truth is I never left you

Al through my wild days

My mad existence

I kept my promisse

Don 't keep your distance

Have I said to much? There 's nothing more I can think of t say to you

But all you have to do is look at me to know that every word is true.

Just listen to that

The voice of Argentina
We are adored! We are loved

OFFICER

Statemanship is more than entertaining peasents

EVA

We shall see little man

CROWD
Evita Peron! La Santa Peronista!

EVA

I am only a simple woman who lives to serve Peron in his noble crusade to resue his people

I was once as you are now

I have taken these riches from the oligarchs for you – all for you

One day you will inherit these treasures

Descamisados! When they fire those cannons, when the crowds sing of glory, its not just for Peron, but for all of us! All of us!

ARISTOCRATS

Things have reached a pretty pass
When someone pretty lower class
Can be respected and admired

EVA
But your despicable class is dead
Look who they are calling for now!

HIGH FLYING ADORED

CHE
High flying, adored
So young, the instant queen
A rich beautiful thing, of all the talents
A cross between a fantasy of the bedroom and a saint
You were just a backstreet girl
Hustling and fighting, scratching and biting

High flying, adored
Did you believe in your wildest moments
All this would be yours
That you' d become the lady of them all?

Were there stars in your eyes
When you crawled in at night
From the bars, from the sidewalks
From the gutter theatrical
Don' t look down, it' s a long, long way to fall

High flying, adored
What happens now, where do you go from here?
For someone on top of the world
The view is not exactly clear
A shame you did it all at twenty-six
There are no mysteries now
Nothing can thrill you, no one fulfill you

High flying, adored
I hope you come to terms with boredom
So famous so easily, so soon
It' s not the wisest thing to be

You won' t care if they love you
It' s been done before
You' ll despair if they hate you
You' ll be drained of all energy
All the young who' ve made it would agree

EVA
High flying, adored
I 've been called names, but their the strangest
My story' s quite usual
Local girl makes good, weds famous man
I was slap in the right place at the perfect time
Filled a gap, I was lucky
But one thing I' ll say for me
No one else can fill it like I can

RAINBOW HIGH

EVA
There again I' ve more to do
Than simply get the message through
I haven' t started
Let' s get this show on the road
Let' s make it obvious
Peron is off and rolling

EVA 'S DRESSERS
Eyes, hair, mouth, figure
Dress, voice, style, movement
Hands, magic, rings, glamour
Face, diamonds, excitement, image

EVA

I came from the people, they need to adore me
So Christian Dior me from my head to my toes
I need to be dazzling, I want to be Rainbow High
They must have excitement, and so must I

EVA 's DRESSERS

Eyes, hair, mouth, figure
Dress, voice, style, image

EVA
I' m their product, it' s vital you sell me
So Machiavell me, make an Argentine Rose
I need to be thrilling, I want to be Rainbow High
They need their escape, and so do I

EVA 'S DRESSERS
Eyes, hair, mouth, figure
Dress, voice, style, movement
Hands, magic, rings, glamour
Face, diamonds, excitement, image

EVA

All my descamisados expect me to outshine the enemy
I won' t disappoint them
I' m their savior, that' s what they call me
So Lauren Bacall me, anything goes
To make me fantastic, I have to be Rainbow High
In magical colors

You' re not decorating a girl for a night on the town
And I' m not a second-rate queen getting kicks with a crown

Next stop will be Europe
The Rainbow' s gonna tour, dressed up, somewhere to go
We' ll put on a show

Look out, mighty Europe
Because you oughta know whatcha gonna get in me
Just a little touch of
Just a little touch of
Argentina' s brand of star quality

RAINBOW TOUR

PERON
People of Europe, I send you the Rainbow of Argentina

eerste OFFICER

Spain has fallen to the charms of Evita
She can do what she likes, it doesn' t matter much
She' s our new world madonna with a golden touch

She filled a bull-ring, forty-five thousand seater
But if you' re prettier than General Franco, that' s not hard

eerste AND Tweede OFFICER

Franco' s reign in Spain should see out the forties
So you' ve just acquired an ally who
Looks as secure in his job as you

eerste OFFICER
But more important current political thought is
Your wife' s a phenomenal asset, your trump card

ALL
Let' s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It' s been an incredible success
We weren' t quite sure, we had a few doubts

Tweede OFFICER

Will Evita win through?

ALL

But the answer is yes

EVA
There you are, I told you so
Makes no difference where we goes
The whole world over just the same
Just listen to them call our name
And who would underestimate the actress now?

PERON

I 'm not underesimating you – just do same thing in Italy please

Tweede OFFICER
Now I don' t like to spoil a wonderful story
But the news from Rome isn' t quite as good
She hasn' t gone down like they thought she would

eerste AND Tweede OFFICER

Italy' s unconvinced by Argentine glory

Tweede OFFICER

They equate Peron with Mussolini, can' t think why

EVA
Did you hear that? They called me a whore!
They actually called me a whore!

ITALIAN ADMIRAL
But Signora Peron it' s an easy mistake
I' m still called an admiral
Yet I gave up the sea long ago

eerste OFFICER
Things aren 't all that bad she met with the Pope
She got a papal decoration and a kindly word

eerste AND Tweede OFFICER

So even if the crowds gave our lady the bird

The Argentine-Italy axis does have some hope

derde OFFICER
She still made a fabulous impact, caught the eye

ALL
Let' s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It' s been an incredible success
We weren' t quite sure, we had a few doubts

eerste OFFICER

Will Evita win through?

ALL

But the answer is ...

CHE

A qualified

ALL

Yes

vierde  OFFICER
Eva started well, no question, in France
Shining like a sun through the post-war haze
A beautiful reminder of the carefree days
She nearly captured the French, she sure had the chance
But she suddenly seemed to lose interest
She looked tired

CHE
Face the facts, the Rainbow' s starting to fade
I don' t think she' ll make it to England now

PERON
It wasn' t on the schedule anyhow

CHE
You' d better get out the flags and fix a parade
Some kind of coming home in triumph is required

ALL

Let' s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It' s been an incredible success
We weren' t quite sure, we had a few doubts

vijfde  OFFICER

Would Evita win through?

ALL

And the answer is
Yes and no and yes and no and yes and no…

ALL

Let' s hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It' s been …

THE ACTRESS HASN 'T LEARNED THE LINES (YOU 'D LIKE TO HEAR)

ARISTOCRATS

Thus all fairy stories end
Only an actress would pretend
Affairs of state are her latest play
Eight shows a week, two matinees
My how the worm begins to turn
When will the chorus girl ever learn?
My how the worm begins to turn
When will the chorus girl ever learn?

EVA
The chorus girl hasn' t learned the lines you' d like to hear
She won' t go scrambling over the backs of the poor to be accepted
By making donations just large enough to the correct charity
She won' t be president of your wonderful societies of philanthropy
Even if you asked her to be
As you should have asked her to be

The actress hasn' t learned the lines you' d like to hear
She won' t join your clubs, she won' t dance in your halls
She won' t help the hungry once a month at your tombolas
She' ll simply take control as you disappear

CHE
Forgive my intrusion, but here in this neat little can

I have a product to change your conception of man

A brand new insecticide, a remarkeble chemical feat

Instantly rendering other insecticides obsolete

EVA

Licensing slaugther of insects is hardly a mission

EVA AND STAFF

Goognight and thank you who ever

We 've no time for you, but one thing we do

Emphasize

It 's an ill wind that blows nobody good

The news may be bad

Fot one Argentine lad
But it 's goof news for Argentine flies

AND THE MONEY KEPT ROLLING IN (AND OUT)

CHE
And the money kept rolling in from every side
Eva' s pretty hands reached out and they reached wide
Now you may feel it should have been a voluntary cause
But that' s not the point my friends
When the money keeps rolling in, you don' t ask how
Think of all the people guaranteed a good time now
Eva' s called the hungry to her, open up the doors
Never been a fund like the Foundation Eva Peron

WORKERS

Rollin' rollin' rollin' , rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rollin' rollin' rollin' , rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rollin' rollin' rollin' , rollin' rollin' rollin'
Rollin' rollin' rollin' , rollin' rollin' rollin'

Rollin' on in, rollin' on in
Rollin' on in, rollin' on in
On in

CHE
And the money kept rolling out in all directions
To the poor, to the weak, to the destitute of all complexions
Now cynics claim a little of the cash has gone astray
But that' s not the point my friends
When the money keeps rolling out you don' t keep books
You can tell you' ve done well by the happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down, figures get in the way
Never been a lady loved as much as Eva Peron

WORKERS
Rollin' on out, rollin' on out
Rollin' on out, rollin' on out
On out

CHE
When the money keeps rolling out you don' t keep books
You can tell you' ve done well by the happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down, figures get in the way
Never been a lady loved as much as Eva Peron

WORKERS

Rollin' on out, rollin' on out
Rollin' on out, rollin' on out
Rollin' on out, rollin' on out
On out

SANTA EVITA

CHILDREN
Please, gentle Eva, will you bless a little child?
For I love you, tell Heaven I' m doing my best
I' m praying for you, even though you' re already blessed

Please, mother Eva, will you look upon me as your own?
Make me special, be my angel
Be my everything wonderful perfect and true
And I' ll try to be exactly like you

Please, holy Eva, will you feed a hungry child?
For I love you, tell Heaven I' m doing my best
I' m praying for you, even though you' re already blessed

Please, mother Eva, will you feed a hungry child?
For I love you

CHE

Turn a blind eye, Evita

CHLIDREN

Tell Heaven I' m doing my best

CHE

Turn a blind eye

CHLIDREN

I' m praying for you, even though you' re already blessed

WORKERS
Santa Santa Evita
Madre de todos los ninos
De los tiranizados, de los descamisados
De los trabajadores, de la Argentina

WALTZ FOR EVA AND CHE

CHE
Tell me before I waltz out of your life
Before turning my back on the past
Forgive my impertinent behavior
But how long do you think this pantomime can last?
Tell me before I ride off in the sunset
There' s one thing I never got clear
How can you claim you' re our savior
When those who oppose you are stepped on,
Or cut up, or simply disappear?

EVA
Tell me before you get onto your bus
Before joining the forgotten brigade
How can one person like me, say,
Alter the time-honored way the game is played?
Tell me before you get onto your high horse
Just what you expect me to do
I don' t care what the bourgeoisie say
I' m not in business for them
But to give all my descamisados
A magical moment or two

CHE AND EVA
There is evil, ever around
Fundamental system of government
Quite incidental

So why go bananas

Chasing Nirvanas

And failing?

Beter tot do

What you can for a few

Then to lie much

Plainer Sailing

CHE
Tell me before I seek worthier pastures
And thereby restore self-esteem
How can you be so short-sighted
To look never further than this week or next week
To have no impossible dream?

EVA
Allow me before you slink off to the sidelines
To mark your adieu with three cheers
An to ask you just who' d be delighted
To know that I 'll tackle

The worlds greatest problems

From war to pollution, no hope of solution
Even if I lived for one hundred years

CHE AND EVA
There is evil, ever around
Fundamental system of government
Quite incidental

EVA

So go, if you' re able

To somewhere unstable
And stay there
Whip up your hate

In some tottering state
But not here, dear
Is that clear, dear?

Oh what I' d give for a hundred years
But the physical interferes
Every day more, O my Creator
What is the good of the strongest heart
In a body that' s falling apart?
A serious flaw, I hope You know that

CHE

I always thought my countr right or wrong

I used to say hey here 's where I belong

But that 's a joke

I might as well have been

As loyal to

El Salvador, Afghanistan, the south of France, Japan, Hong Kong

Oh, my insecticide

SHE 'S A DIAMOND

OFFICERS

It 's all very well – to a certain extent

For the lady at the side of the president

To show an intrest in affairs

But let 's not be blind to the drift of events

She 's eclipsing the strength of the goverment

She sould return to below stairs

She will never win our hearts

She 's a woman for a start

She holds no elected post

She 's an ornament at most

PERON
But on the other hand, she' s all they have
She' s a diamond in their dull gray lives
And that' s the hardest kind of stone
It usually survives
And when you think about it, can you recall
The last time they loved anyone at all?

She' s not a bauble you can brush aside
She' s been out doing what we just talked about, example
Gave us back our businesses, got the English out
And when you think about it, well why not do
One or two of the things we promised to?

But on the other hand, she' s slowing down
She' s lost a little of that magic drive
But I would not advise those critics present to derive
Any satisfaction from her fading star
She' s the one who' s kept us where we are

OFFICERS
She' s the one who' s kept you where you are

DICE ARE ROLLING

PERON

Dice are rolling, the knives are out

Would-be presidents are all around

I don 't say they mean harm but they 'd give an arm

To see us six feet underground

EVA

But we still have the magic we 've always had

The descamisados still worship me

We arrived thanks to them and no one else

No thanks to your generals – a clutch of stuffed cuckoos

PERON

It 's not a question of a big parade

Proving we 're big with the mobs on the street

Our problems are closer than that

They 're along in the corridor

EVA

Your wrong – the people – my people

PERON

The people belong to no one

They are fickle, can be manipulated

Controllable, changeable

In the end the people don 't matter however much they love you

It matters more that as far as my stuffed cuckoos are concerned

You don 't officially or politically excist

EVA

So I don 't excist

So I count for nothing

Try saying that on the street

When all over the world

I am Argentina

Most of your generals won 't even be recognized by their own mothers

But They 'll admit I excist when I become vice-president

PERON

Tha won 't work

We 've been through all of this before

They 'd fight any attempt to make you vice-president tooth and nail

You 'd never overcome that sort of opposition with a hunderd rallies

And even if you did…

EVA

Yes?

PERON

Your little body 's slowly breaking down

You 're losing speep, you 're losing strength – not style, that goes on

Flourishing for ever, but your eyes, your smileDo not have the sparkle of your fantastic past

If you climb one more mountain it could be your last

EVA

I 'm not that ill

Bad moment come but they go

Some days are fine some a little harder

But I 'm no has been

It 's the same old routine

Have you ever seen me defeated

Don 't you forget what I 've been through and yet

I 'm still standing

And if I 'm ill it coul be to your advantage

PERON

This is not a case of a sympathetic word in the gossip column

Because you 've got a cold

I 'm trying tot point out that you might die

This talk of death is chilling, an assault

Upon ourselves and it will be our fault

If we allow

These morbid septic thoughts

To rule us now
To bring our reason clattering to a halt

Just let me know of any sane device

To shift your strength, your undisputed powers

To places where your mighty deeds

Your golden words

Have not so far cut to much ice

EVA

Then I must now be vice-president

Those shallow mean pretenders to your throne

Will come to learn ours is the upper hand

For I do not accept this is not known

In rich established parcels of our land

To face teh storms so long and not capsize

Is not the chance achievement of a fraud

Conservatives are kings of compromise

It hurts them more to jeer than to applaud

And I shall have my people come to choose

The couple who shall wear their country 's crowns

In thousands in my squares and avenues
Emptying their villages and towns

Wher every soul in home or sheck or stall

Knows me as Argentina - That is all

O I shall be a great vice-president

This is not a gamblers final throw

Forced upon me by those basterds who 've

Only longed to see me up and go

It 's not an unprepared or panicked move

Which just goes to prove

I 'd be good to you

Eva vice-president is good to you

EVA 'S FINAL BROADCAST

OFFICERS

That was the over the top unaccpetable suggestion

We didn 't aprove but we couldn 't prevent

The games of the wife of the president

But to give her pretensions encouragement

She 's out of her depth and it 's out of the question

CHE

Forgive my intrusion Evita I just have to see

How you admit you 've lost – a brand new experience

We Got it set up

We fixed you a broadcast

And you 're so good on the air

EVA
The actress hasn' t learned the lines you' d like to hear
How could she be defeated by such cringing mediocrities

She' s sad for her country

Sad to be defeated
By her own weak body
She 's sad for her people

She hopes they will know she did not betray them

I want to tell the people of Argentina
I' ve decided I should decline
All the honors and titles you' ve pressed me to take
For I' m contented
Let me simply go on as the woman who brings her people
To the heart of Peron

Don' t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I shall not leave you
Though it may get harder for you to see me
I' m Argentina, and always will be

Have I said too much?
There' s nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
That every word is true

CHOIR
Respice, quaesumus, Domine
Famulam tuam Evita
In infirmitate
Et animam refove, quam creasti
Ut castigationibus emendata
Se tua sentiat medicina salvatam
Per Christum, Dominuum
Qui vivit et regnat
Per omnia saecula saeculorum
Amen

Look with favor, we beseech Thee, Oh Lord
Upon Thy handmaid Evita
In her weakness
And refresh the soul which Thou hast created
That being corrected by Thy chastisement
She may find herself cured by Thy healing
Through Christ, Our Lord
Who lives and reigns
Forever and ever
Amen

PERON

High flying adored, so young, the instant queen, a

Rich beautifull thing of all the talents, a cross between a

Fantasy of the bedroomand a saint

And you were just a backstreet girl

Hustling and fighting

Scratching and biting

High flying adored, did you believe in your wildest moments

Al this would be yours, that you 'd become the lady of them all

Were there stars.

LAMENT

EVA
The choice was mine, and mine completely
I could have any prize that I desired
I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire
Or else, or else I could choose time

Remember I was very young then
And a year was forever and a day
So what use could fifty, sixty, seventy be?
I saw the lights, and I was on my way

And how I lived, how they shone
But how soon the lights were gone

The choice was mine and no one else' s
I could have the millions at my feet

Give my life tot people I might never meet

Or else to children of my own

Remeber I was very young then

Thought I needed the numers on my side

Thought the more that loved me the more loved I 'd be

But such things can not be multiplied

Oh my daughter! Oh my son!

Understand what I have done.

EMBALMERS
Eyes, hair, face, image
All must be preserved
Still life displayed forever
No less than she deserved.

Preserved