Heaven train
-Eniko Szilagyi
From the 1934 musical theatre play Marie Galante. The choral number follows a scene in which Marie is caring for the dying Josiah, a kindly old black man who had worked on the Panama Canal during the 1880’s. As he expires, a group of seven old men enter and pray the rosary accompanied by a musical underscore. Finally, they sing “Le train du ciel” as a requiem.
English translation of lyrics:
Let us cry it out loud: in heaven is the Lord!
But will all those who cried out go to heaven?
No, he's not your brother, and he's not your sister
It's me who is bleeding, great need for prayers.
Here is the train of Heaven
Woe, woe to the less agile!
Here is the Gospel train!
Here comes the train!
I hear and you hear the iron wheels thundering
The locomotive bell and whistle
The steam and the brake that twist my nerves
It's the Lord's train, I see it coming
Aim at our black train
Follow the Lord's train
Quickly, quickly in the belly
Sinners rise quickly into the belly!
Get on the train!
Roll, swing, rock, oh silent train
Our dear brother towards Father's station
Rock it on your rails that slide toward the skies
Above the Jordan, above Calvary
Look, look, look and see
Our brother, our brother come down
In arms, in arms,
in the arms of the Great Saint Peter
Who came to wait for him