Oedipus Tex, S. 150


 * Model: Western music crossed with classical and baroque styles.
 * Pieces referenced:
 * J. S. Bach, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
 * The Eyes of Texas

I. Prologue: "Tragedy"


 * Recitative: "Well"

II. Aria with chorus: "Howdy there"


 * Recitative: "And it wasn't long"

III. Duet with chorus: "My heart"


 * Recitative: "But"

IV. Aria: "You murdered your father"


 * Recitative: "When Billie Jo heard"

V. Aria with chorus: "Goodbye"


 * Recitative: "When Oedipus heard"

VI. Chorus and Finale

Lyrics

I. Chorus

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy,

Tragedy, tragedy, tragedy, tragedy!

Well, Oedipus thinks he's just an easy-going kind of guy;

No point in warning him of T - R - A - G - E - D - Y.

He think he's got it made, he thinks he shapes his destiny;

We've got the makings of a tragedy, tragedy

tragedy, tragedy

tragedy, tragedy.

He's gonna suffer a lot before he knows the reason why,

and that's what makes this thing a T - R - A - G - E - D - Y.

Before it's over he will see it all yet not see,

Yep! All the earmarks of a tragedy, tragedy

tragedy, tragedy

tragedy, tragedy

tragedy, tragedy!

T - R - A - G - E - D - Y! [Fugue]

Tragedy, tragedy! (Ad nauseam)

It's sad!

Oh, yep! Oh yep! (Passed between different sections of choir)

It's T - R - A - G - E - D - Y!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy, tragedy!

Tragedy!

Tragedy!

Tragedy!

TRAGEDY!

Recitative

Well, now that our Greek chorus has finally wound down, we'll be proceeding with our story, of which the moral is: Anybody who thinks he has it made in the shade, who thinks he knows it all - he's headed for a fall; sooner or later he's going to have to take his lumps. And, speaking of lumps, here comes our protagonist.

'''II. Aria'''

Howdy there! I'm Oedipus Tex.

You may have heard of my brother Rex.

Yeah, I'm Oedipus Tex, that's what I said

But my friends just call me Ed.

I had some trouble coming into town; there're things a man cannot take lyin' down

I was riding through the gulch, which ain't too big, when I met some fellers in a double rig.

They said, "Step aside!" and I said, "How 'bout you? Ain't no one tells this cowboy what to do."

So me, I wouldn't budge, and they just sat...until I shot 'em all, and that was that.

Well, howdy there! I'm Oedipus Tex.

You may have heard of my brother Rex.

Yeah, I'm Oedipus Tex, that's what I said

But my friends just call me Ed.

When I came unto this town, there was a Bigfoot hangin' 'round.

He'd hit you with a riddle, and here's the deal, if you didn't get it right, you were his meal.

So I went out and found him at his spot, and I said "Ok, Bigfoot, gimme your best shot!"

"What starts out on four legs, then goes round on two, and finally walks on three before it's through?"

"Well a baby, then a man," I said, "That's plain. And finally an old geezer with his cane."

Now Bigfoot, all he did was kinda wince, and you better believe he ain't been heard from since!

Well, howdy there! I'm Oedipus Tex - I'm a hero!

You may have heard of my brother Rex.

Yeah, I'm Oedipus Tex, that's what I said - you heard me!

But my friends just call me Ed.

Oft at night, when the coyotes are callin' my name, makes me wonder if it's time to travel on.

Oft at night, when the mooooooon is a-shinin', I wonder if my heart is sayin', "Saddle up at dawn."

Lately, seems like my thoughts turn to ladies.

Now, please don't get me wrong - I love my pony best of all!

But oft at night, when the coyotes are whinin', the mooooooon is a-shinin', and everything is still, I hear that old familiar call....

waaaaaaaaahhh

But you know, I kinda like this town,

I think I'll find me a woman and settle down.

Good folks and plenty of space

Besides, it's nice in a place where

Everybody knows old Oedipus Tex,

The brother of the legendary Rex.

Yeah, I'm Oedipus Tex, that's what I said,

But you know my friends just call me Ed.

Well, you know me - I'm Oedipus Tex.

I'm just as ornery as my brother Rex.

Yeah, I'm Oedipus Tex, that's what I said

But you know my friends just call me Ed.

Well, howdy, howdy, howdy, howdy, howdy, howdy! I'm Oedipus Tex.

Someday I'd kinda like to know whatever happened to my older brother Rex.

Yeah, I'm Oedipus, Oedipus, Oedipus, Oedipus, that's what I said.

But my friends....just call me Ed!

Recitative

And it wasn't long before he found the woman of his dreams, and her name was Billy Jocasta, the Queen of the Rodeo.

'''III. Duet'''

Oed. - My heart is a hound, and he's bayin' at you. Don't chase him away. Let him in, let him stay, and I know he will always be true!

J - My heart is a hen, and she's layin' for you. Don't shoo her away. Let her roost, let her stay, and I know you will never be blue!

Oed., speaking - I couldn't blame ya if you said ya' hated me, Billy Jo, seeing as how I shot your husband and all. But, well, the way I look at it, he was too old for you anyway. You need a young man's love! And I do love ya, BJ - I honestly love ya.

Oed. - My heart is a bull, and he's chargin' at you. Oh, don't step aside. Do not run, do not hide, 'cause I know he's the right bull for you.

J., speaking - A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, Ed. And the way I figure it, if you hadn't a killed him, he probably woulda died of somethin' else eventually anyway. I love you, Ed. I honestly love you. I really do love you. No kiddin', I love you lots and lots. Why I love you so much...

Oed., speaking - Uh, honey? Uh, honey? We gotta sing here.

Together - Our hearts are a team, and they've only begun.

Oed. - There's so far to go

J. - But there's one thing we know

Together - And it's two hearts are better than one. Oh yes, it's two hearts are better than one. Believe me, two hearts are better than one.

Oed., speaking - I love you, Billy Jo.

J., speaking - I love you, Ed.

Together - I honestly love you.

Recitative

But there was a fly in the ointment: the town was plagued with plague! Everywhere you looked, people were dropping like flies. So right after they got back from their honeymoon, they went to see Madame Peep, a Shepherdess who did some fortune-telling on the side (among other things). And they asked her why the town was plagued with plague, and she told them they didn't really want to know, and Oedipus said, "Tell me anyway!" and Madame Peep said, "You asked for it!"

'''IV. Aria'''

You murdered your father, you married your mother, you rascal! You're my kinda guy.

Your aunt is your sister, your uncle's your brother, you rascal! You're my kinda guy.

When you were a baby, they tried to persuade me to take you and leave you to die

I just couldn't do it, I tried, but I blew it. Let's face it, you're my kinda guy.

The gods are ticked off, and now someone must pay.

The gods are ticked off, and now someone must pay.

The plague of this town will be hanging around till you leave here, now don't ask me why.

So if you vamoose, you will turn us folks loose, and you'll always be my kinda guy.

The gods are ticked off, and now someone must pay, oy vey!

The gods are ticked off, and now someone must pay.

The things you have done, well, they must have been fun! You're a rascal: you're my kinda guy.

But someone must suffer, and listen here, buster, you know that it ain't gonna be I!

Ay yi yi yi yiiii!

Recitative

When Billy Jo heard this news, she wasn't too pleased. She went back to the ranch and got herself some rope and flung it over the branch of her favourite tree. And as she tied a hangman's knot, she sang this little ditty:

V. Aria with Chorus

Goodbye, cruel world! I've had enough of you.

There's nothing you can do

To me that hasn't already been done

Goodbye, cruel world!

You've had it in for me

Because I'm royalty

But queens are just like anyone else,

queens are just like anyone else, you know: queens just wanna have fun!

I've had enough of this. I've had enough of this!

The time has come to settle the score.

Goodbye, cruel world!

Your fun is over now.

In just a moment now

You won't have poor ol' Billy Jo,

You won't have poor ol' Billy Jocasta

To kick around any more.

Goodbye, cruel world!

Adieu! Au revoir! I said adieu!

Goodbye, cruel world!

In spite of all you've done,

I've had a lot of fun.

But now the time has come, but now the time has come, but now the time has come

To turn on you, and find myself someone new.

Here he comes, down from on high, ready to take me to that roundup in the sky.

Cruel world, goodbye!

Recitative

When Oedipus heard what she had done, he was really non-plussed. He didn't hardly know what to do with himself, and, rushing to her side in a fit of grief, he took the rhinestone barrettes from her hair and put out both his eyes! And as soon as he had put out both his eyes, he kind of wished he hadn't, and he cried out to anyone who would listen,

Oed. - My eyes! My eyes! Now what am I going to do for eyes?!

'''VI. Chorus and Finale'''

The eyes of Texas are upon you, all the live-long day.

The eyes of Texas are upon you - you cannot get away.

Do not think you can escape them, at night or early in the morn.

The eyes of Texas are upon you, till Gabriel blows his horn.

Tragedy, tragedy, we're talkin'

Tragedy, tragedy, you heard me!

Tragedy, tragedy, this is a

Tragedy, tragedy, no doubt about it.

Tragedy, tragedy, Drink Pepsi®!

Tragedy, tragedy, never-ending

Tragedy, tragedy!

Well the moral of the story is, of course,

Don't love your mother, farmer,

Save it for your horse!

I guarantee you will be filled with great remorse,

If you give your mama love you should be saving for your horse.

Save it for your horse! You've got to save it for your horse.

Don't be a prisoner of remorse: take love and save it for your horse.

Save it for your horse! You've got to save it for your horse.

Don't be a prisoner of remorse: take love and save it for your horse. (x3, adding voices)

Oed. - Save it for your, save it for your, save it for your horse

Do yourself a favor, pardner, save it for your horse.

Do not let yourself become the prisoner of remorse

Take it up and save it, save it, save it, save it, save it for your horse, I'm talkin...(repeat)

Tragedy, tragedy!

T R A G E D Y!

Save it for your horse!