To the tune of Don McLean's American Pie


A long, long time ago...
I can still remember
How that Valjean used to be a con.
And the bishop gave Valjean a chance
Now his redemption he could finance.
And the guise of a mayor he did don.

But Fantine was a factory worker
She had a daughter named Euphrasie
To Thenard francs of thirty-three;
She was ratted out a coworker.

I can't remember if I cried
When she sold things for Cosette to provide,
She was arrested but with Valjean resides
And then Jean Valjean sighed.

He was singing:

"So bye-bye, this identity mine."

Rode to the trial to tell the truth,
but Javert was not there.
And Valjean was found by Javert.

But Jean promised to find Cosette.
And that day Fantine finally died…

Did you see Valjean escape
And get Cosette while Thenardier gaped,

But Thenard wouldn't let her go...
Then to a convent they did come.

And Javert they did shrink from,
And for many years there they did stay!

And soon it was 1832

And suddenly out of the blue.
Thenardier appeared.
Valjean he tried to rob!

And Marius was in love with her
Eponine loved the Monsieur
And Marius finally found her
And then they were in love….

He started singin':
"Bonjour, miss Cosette, my love.
The one I love is you,
And I won't be untrue."
Them barricade boys are drinkin' absinthe and wine
And singin', this'll be the day that I die.
This'll be the day that I die.

Thenardier tried to rob Jean's abode,
'Ponine saved them and away she strode.
And the students readied to fight;
Then came the dawn's first light.
And while Jehan read a book of poems,
The people locked up and blocked their homes,
And they built barricades in the park
The day that Lamarque died.

They were singing,
Bye-bye, Maximilien Lamarque.
They built a barricade on June 5,
And the soldiers did come.
Them good old boys were drinkin' absinthe and wine
And singin, this'll be the day that I die.
This'll be the day that I die.

Now Javert came to the barricades
And the students tied him to a post.

Valjean came to the place,
He said he would shoot Javvy in the face!
But Valjean couldn't shoot Javert;
And the students kept on fighting there.
And then it came and the night was there.
The day that Eponine died…

Marius started singin'

"Bye, bye, 'Ponine, don't die.

I will take care of you
But soon all will die."

Them good old boys were drinkin absinthe and wine

And singin', this'll be the day that I die.
This'll be the day that I die.

And soon the dawn's light came

And Enjolras his gun did aim

By no guardsmen known to man

Could that barricade be overran
And as the students fired upon the men
To stop the monarch there and then
The students sat and wondered when

And then the barricades fell…

Valjean was singing,
Bye-bye, this here Marius guy.
He loves my daughter;

So he must escape from this slaughter.
And Valjean took him through the sewers
Sayin' "Gee I hope this boy isn't dead…"
"Gee I hope this boy isn't dead…"

And Jean met Javert when he came out
And he pleaded to save Marius from the rout

And Javert let him scurry out…
And Javert went down to the Pont au Seine.
Valjean's mercy he could not comprehend.
And he threw himself into the Seine.

The day the Inspector died…

Cosette was singin'

"My,my, Marius is getting well

My dear Marius, does my voice

ring a bell?"

And then they became married at noon, singin'

"For only you do I swoon…

For only you do I swoon…"

And all the time Marius did wonder,

Who had rescued him from that place of thunder
Thenardier lied to him;
But Marius learned the truth.
And the man that they admired most
Jean Valjean sat there, told them to come close
A letter to Cosette he did compose
And then, Jean Valjean died…

And they were singing,
Bye-bye, Master Jean Valjean.
He was like a father

to the both of us.
And them good old boys had been drinkin' absinthe and wine,

Singin' this'll be the day that I die.
This'll be the day that I die…

Do you hear the people sing
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!
Tomorrow comes!