At The End Of The Day Lyrics - Les Miserables (1987 Original Broadway Cast) - Alain Boublil

[THE POOR] 

At the end of the day you're another day older 

And that's all you can say for the life of the poor 

It's a struggle, it's a war 

And there's nothing that anyone's giving 

One more day standing about, what is it for? 

One day less to be living. 

At the end of the day you're another day colder 

And the shirt on your back doesn't keep out the chill 

And the righteous hurry past 

They don't hear the little ones crying 

And the winter is coming on fast, ready to kill 

One day nearer to dying! 

At the end of the day there's another day dawning 

And the sun in the morning is waiting to rise 

Like the waves crash on the sand 

Like a storm that'll break any second 

There's a hunger in the land 

There's a reckoning still to be reckoned and 

There's gonna be hell to pay 

At the end of the day! 

[The foreman and workers, including Fantine, emerge from the factory] 

[FOREMAN] 

At the end of the day you get nothing for nothing 

Sitting flat on your butt doesn't buy any bread 

[WORKER ONE] 

There are children back at home 

[WORKERS ONE AND TWO] 

And the children have got to be fed 

[WORKER TWO] 

And you're lucky to be in a job 

[WOMAN] 

And in a bed! 

[WORKERS] 

And we're counting our blessings! 

[WOMAN TWO] 

Have you seen how the foreman is fuming today? 

With his terrible breath and his wandering hands? 

[WOMAN THREE] 

It's because little Fantine won't give him his way 

[WOMAN ONE] 

Take a look at his trousers, you'll see where he stands! 

[WOMAN FOUR] 

And the boss, he never knows 

That the foreman is always in heat 

[WOMAN THREE] 

If Fantine doesn't look out 

Watch how she goes 

She'll be out on the street! 

[WORKERS] 

At the end of the day it's another day over 

With enough in your pocket to last for a week 

Pay the landlord, pay the shop 

Keep on grafting as long as you're able 

Keep on grafting till you drop 

Or it's back to the crumbs off the table 

You've got to pay your way 

At the end of the day! 

[GIRL (Grabbing a letter from Fantine)] 

And what have we here, little innocent sister? 

Come on Fantine, let's have all the news! 

[Reading the letter] 

Ooh..."Dear Fantine you must send us more money... 

Your child needs a doctor... 

There's no time to lose..." 

[FANTINE] 

Give that letter to me 

It is none of your business 

With a husband at home 

And a bit on the side! 

Is there anyone here 

Who can swear before God 

She has nothing to fear? 

She has nothing to hide? 

[They fight over the letter. Valjean (M. Madeleine) rushes on to break up the squabble.] 

[VALJEAN] 

Will someone tear these two apart 

What is this fighting all about? 

This is a factory, not a circus! 

Now, come on ladies, settle down 

I run a business of repute 

I am the Mayor of this town 

[To the foreman] 

I look to you to sort this out 

And be as patient as you can- 

[He goes back into the factory] 

[FOREMAN] 

Now someone say how this began! 

[GIRL] 

At the end of the day 

She's the one who began it! 

There's a kid that she's hiding 

In some little town 

There's a man she has to pay 

You can guess how she picks up the extra 

You can bet she's earning her keep 

Sleeping around 

And the boss wouldn't like it! 

[FANTINE] 

Yes it's true there's a child 

And the child is my daughter 

And her father abandoned us 

Leaving us flat 

Now she lives with an innkeeper man 

And his wife 

And I pay for the child 

What's the matter with that? 

[WOMEN] 

At the end of the day 

She'll be nothing but trouble 

And there's trouble for all 

When there's trouble for one! 

While we're earning our daily bread 

She's the one with her hands in the butter 

You must send the slut away 

Or we're all gonna end in the gutter 

And it's us who'll have to pay 

At the end of the day! 

[FOREMAN] 

I might have known the bitch could bite 

I might have known the cat had claws 

I might have guessed your little secret 

Ah yes, the virtuous Fantine 

Who keeps herself so pure and clean 

You'd be the cause I had no doubt 

Of any trouble hereabout 

You play a virgin in the light 

But need no urgin' in the night. 

[GIRL] 

She's been laughing at you 

While she's having her men 

[WOMEN] 

She'll be nothing but trouble again and again 

[WOMAN] 

You must sack her today 

[WORKERS] 

Sack the girl today! 

[FOREMAN] 

Right my girl. On your way!