Anais Mitchell, lyrics to “Way Down Hadestown” The wage is nothing and the work is hard

It’s a graveyard in Hadestown

HERMES
EURYDICE
Follow that dollar for a long way down
Every little penny in the wishing well
Far away from the poorhouse door
Every little nickel on the drum, on the drum
You either get to hell or to Hadestown
All them shiny little heads and tails
There ain’t no difference anymore
Where do you think they come from? They come from . . .
CHORUS
ORPHEUS & HERMES
Way down Hadestown
Mister Hades is a mean old boss
Way down under the ground
With a silver whistle and a golden scale
An eye for an eye! And he weighs the cost
HERMES
A lie for a lie! And your soul for sale
Hound dog howl and the whistle blow
Sold! To the king on the chromium throne
Train come a-rollin’ clickety-clack
Thrown! To the bottom of a Sing-Sing cell
Nobody knows where that old train goes
Where the little wheel squeal and the big wheel groan
Those who go they don’t come back
And you better forget about your wishing well
They go to . . .
EURYDICE
PERSEPHONE
Mr. Hades is a mighty king
Winter’s nigh and summer’s o’er
Must be making some mighty big deals
I hear that high and lonesome sound
Seems like he owns everything
Of my husband coming for
Kind of makes you wonder how it feels
To bring me home to Hadestown
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EURYDICE
Everybody dresses in clothes so fine
As you listen,
Everybody’s pockets are weighted down
1) mark / circle passages and
Everybody sipping ambrosia wine
2) take notes
In a goldmine in Hadestown
that can help us answer these questions:
ORPHEUS
1. What is the song’s message about the quality of life in Hadestown?
Everybody hungry, everybody tired
Everybody slaves by the sweat of his brow
2. Do all the characters agree about Hadestown? How do you know?
3. How does Eurydice seem to feel about Hadestown? Why?