Letters Songtext
von Dave Malloy

In 19th century Russia
We write letters, we write letters
We put down in writing
What is happening in our minds
Once it′s on the paper
We feel better, we feel better
It's like some kind of clarity
When the letter′s done and signed

Dear Andrey
Dear old friend, how goes the war?
Do we march on the French splendidly?

Do our cannons crack and cry?
Do our bullets whistle and sing?
Does the air reek with smoke?
I wish I were there
With death at my heels


Dolokhov is recovering
He will be alright, the good man
It should have been me
I am a most ridiculous man
And Natasha is in town
I hear she is more beautiful than ever
How I envy you and your happiness

Here at home I drink and read
And drink and read and drink
And I fill my mind with rot
While my heart is empty
And I have been studying the Kabbalah
And I have calculated the number of the beast
It is Napoleon

I will kill him one day
He is not a great man
None of us are great men
We are just caught in the wave of history
Nothing matters
Everything matters
It's all the same
If only I could not see it
This dreadful, terrible itch


In 19th century Russia
We write letters, we write letters
We put down in writing
What is happening in our minds

Dear Andrey

What more can I write
After all that has happened?

What am I to do
If I love him and the other one too?
Must I break it off?
These terrible questions
I see nothing but the candle in the mirror
No visions of the future
So lost and alone
And what of Princess Mary?
Dear Natasha

I'm in deep despair
At the misunderstanding there is between us
Whatever my father′s feelings might be

I beg you to believe
That I cannot help loving you
He is a tired old man and must be forgiven
Please come see us again
Dear Princess Mary
Oh, what am I to write?
How do I choose? What do I do?
I shall never be happy again
These terrible questions

I′m so alone here
So alone in here
And I see nothing
I see nothing but the candle in the mirror
No visions of the future
So lost and alone

In 19th century Russia
We write letters, we write letters
We put down in writing
What is happening in our minds

Dear Natalie

A love letter

A love letter

A love letter

A letter from him
From the man that I love
A letter which I composed
A love letter

A love letter
A love letter
A love letter
A love letter
A love letter
A love letter
A love letter

Natalie, Natalie, Natalie
I must love you or die

Natalie, Natalie, Natalie
If you love me say yes
And I will come and steal you away
Steal you out of the dark
Natalie, Natalie, Natalie
I want nothing more
Natalie, Natalie, Natalie
I must love you or die

Natalie, Natalie, Natalie
If you love me say yes
And I will come and steal you away
Steal you out of the dark
Natalie, Natalie, Natalie
I want nothing more
Just say yes
Just say yes

Just say yes