Tim Rice Who's the Thief? Lyrics

Narrator

So back in Canaan the future looked rough
Jacob's family were finding it tough

Brothers

For the famine has caught us unprepared
We are thin
We are ill
We are getting scared
It's enough to make anyone weep
We are down to our very last sheep

Reuben

We will starve if we hang around here

Zebulun

But in Egypt there's food going spare

Asher

They've got corn
They've got meat
They've got fruit and drinks

Dan

And if we have the time
We could see the Sphinx

Narrator

So they finally decided to go
Off to Egypt to see brother Jo
So they all lay before
Joseph's feet

Brothers

Mighty prince, give us something to eat

Narrator

Joseph found it a strain
Not to laugh because
Not a brother among them
Knew who he was

Joseph

I shall now take them all for a ride
After all they have tried fratricide

===

GROVEL, GROVEL

Joseph

I dreamed that in the fields one day,
The corn gave me sign
Your eleven sheaves of corn
All turned and bowed to mine
I dreamed I saw eleven stars,
The sun the moon and sky
Bowing down before my star,
And now I realise why
How do I know where you came from?
You could be spies
Telling me that you are hungry -
That could be lies
How do I know who you are?
Why do you think I should help you?
Would you help me?
Why on earth should I believe you?
I've no guarantee

Narrator & Brothers

Grovel, grovel, cringe, bow, stoop, fall
Worship, worship, beg, kneel, sponge, crawl

Brothers

We are just eleven brothers,
Good men and true
Though we know we count for nothing
When up next to you
Honesty's are middle name
Life is slowly ebbing from us,
Hope's almost gone
It's getting very hard to see us
From sideways on

Narrator & Brothers

Grovel, grovel, cringe, bow, stoop, fall
Worship, worship, beg, kneel, sponge, crawl

Joseph

I rather like the way you're talking,
Astute and sincere
Suddenly your tragic story
It gets me right here

Brothers

This is what we hoped you'd say

Joseph

All this tugging at my heartstrings
Seems quite justified
I shall give you what you came for
And lots more beside

Narrator & Brothers

Grovel, grovel, cringe, bow, stoop, fall
Worship, worship, beg, kneel, sponge, crawl

Brothers

Thank you, thank you, cringe, bow, stoop, fall
Worship, worship, beg, kneel, sponge, crawl

Narrator

Joseph handed them sackloads of food
And they grovelled with base gratitude

Female Ensemble

Then, unseen, Joseph out around the back
And planted a cup in young Benjamin's sack

Narrator

When the brothers were ready to go
Jospeh turned to them all
With a terrible stare and said

Joseph

No No No No No

Stop you robbers, you're little numbers up
One of you has stolen my precious golden cup

Narrator
Joseph started serching
Through his brothers' sacks
Everyone was nervous,
No-one could relax

Children

Who's the thief?
Who's the thief?
Who's the thief?
Who's the thief?

Narrator & Children

Is it Reuben? No.
Is it Simeon? No.
Is it Naphtali? No.
Is it Dan? No.
Is it Asher? No.
Is it Isaachar? No.
Is it Levi? No.
Who's the man? No.
Is it Zebulun? No.
Is it Gad? No.
Is it Judah? No.
Is it him?

Children

Could it be, could it be
Could it be, could it be
Could it be, could it be

Narrator

Could i possibly be Banjamin?

Children

Yes. Yes. Yes.