Atlantic City

Atlantic City Lyrics

Atlantic City Song Lyrics

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(EVELYN NESBIT appears, interrupting their argument.)

EVELYN
Whee!
Let's run away to Atlantic City
Let's feel the wind in our hair...

(EVELYN pantomimes her act.)

FATHER
Atlantic City is only a temporary answer, Mother, but I can't think of a better one.
They can't take the child away from you if we're in residence down there
and it's close enough to come and go as business dictates.

EVELYN
Sharing a grand and romantic city.

(HARRY HOUDINI appears, wrapped in chains.)

HOUDINI
Sea and salty air.

FATHER
Besides, the change of air will do everyone good. Did you pack my razor?

MOTHER
Yes.

FATHER
I hope you reserved us a parlour car?

MOTHER
I did.

EVELYN
Train's gonna take us to the sunniest hideaway.

HOUDINI
Troubles will slide away

EVELYN & HOUDINI
Just a ride away...

(GRANDFATHER and SARAH'S FRIEND exit. MOTHER, FATHER and THE LITTLE BOY remain.)

FATHER
It was clear to Father that the crisis was driving the spirit from their lives. He had always secretly believed that as a
family they were touched by an extra light. He felt it going now.
(to MOTHER)
Mother, I...

(sound of taxi horn)

MOTHER
There's the cab.

(MOTHER exits.)

FATHER
Where have I been?
How did we change
Caught in this strange new music
Say, was I away too long?
Say, when they did they change the song?

(FATHER exits. Atlantic City is now revealed: Through THE LITTLE BOY's eyes, we see elegant couples on the boardwalk, in
strong contrast to the frightened city we have just left.)


VACATIONERS
Let's run away to Atlantic City
Let's feel the win in our hair
Sharing a grand and romantic city
Sea and salty air
Train's gonna take us
To the sunniest hideaway
Troubles will slide away.

WOMEN VACATIONERS
Just a ride away.

VACATIONERS
So let's run away to Atlantic City
No one will find us there.

(A RAGTIME BAND enters, dancing and playing.)

VACATIONERS
Down on the sand
There's a Ragtime band

BAND MEMBERS
With a brand-new
Ragtime tune.

ALL
And up in the sky
There's a grand New Jersey moon!
Let's go there soon...

(The VACATIONERS exit, following the RAGTIME BAND, as the Million Dollar Pier appears with HARRY HOUDINI and EVELYN NESBIT
headlining in vaudeville. The LITTLE BOY quietly observes.)


EVELYN
Whee!!!
I was once the lady friend of Stanford White
Made me a celebrity overnight!
Well, overnight things change I guess.
I'm in New Jersey--wearing even less!
Ladies, there's a lesson in my tawdry tale
Beware the path you choose
Oh! Oh! Justice is never fair.
Bang! Bang! There goes your millionaire
Boo hoo! No money, no ring
And you could end up on a swing
And it's a crime...

HARRYHarry Houdini
Master escapist Buried and chained and tied.Reaching for danger Darker and stranger Now that his mama's died.Conquering fear
In hopes he will hear A voice from the other side...
EVELYN
Oh, justice can be so unfair! Bang! There goes your millionaire! Whee!

HARRY
Come see Houdini's daring display

EVELYN
Come see Miss Nesbit do four shows a day

EVELYN & HARRY
Thrilling the crowd and making 'em say...

HOUDINI
Let's run away Let's run Away Away
ALL
Let's run away to Atlantic City Let's run away
EVELYN
Let's run away Let's run away Away...Away...Let's run away Let's run away

EVELYN, HARRY, ALL
My honey...

(HARRY and EVELYN stay onstage, and continue to perform. HARRY does sleight-of-hand while EVELYN sings and dances. They are
now both part of TATEH'S movie.)

Why should we stay in the frantic city
Laden with worry and care?
Oh, let's run away to Atlantic City
No one will find us

EVELYN
No one will find us

ALL
No one will find:
Us: There

[Thanks to Yehuda Alexander for lyrics]