Who Is This Child Lyrics

[BEETHOVEN]

WHO IS THIS CHILD
THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE
WHO IS THIS CHILD
THAT I'VE NOT SEEN TILL THIS DAY

WHO DARES TO FALL ASLEEP
OUTSIDE MY DOOR
IF WE SHOULD WAIT AWHILE
I'M SURE SHE'LL GO AWAY

TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS
WOULD SURELY NOT BE WISE
FOR IN THE FINAL WORD
SHE MEANS NOTHING TO ME

I LEARNED THE TRICK IS
THAT WE JUST AVOID HER EYES
AND THE QUESTION
WHAT SHE MEANS TO ...

WHAT IS THIS LIFE
THERE WILL BE OTHER LIVES
SOON TO ARRIVE
SURELY SOME WILL SURVIVE
SHE IS BUT ONE
AND THERE ARE MANY MORE
EACH THE SAME AS ANY OTHER

WHO IS THIS CHILD
WHAT DOES SHE MEAN TO ME
I CLOSE MY EYES
AND STILL HER FACE I SEE
SHE IS BUT ONE
HER KIND IS EVERYWHERE
CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S NO WAY I SHOULD CARE

I NEED A MOMENT NOW
I HAVE TO CLEAR MY MIND
THERE IS A LIMIT LORD
JUST TO BEING KIND

THERE IS NO WAY IN LIFE
THAT EACH CHILD CAN BE SAVED
SHOULD I BE LOOKING WITH REGRET
AT EVERY GRAVE

THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES
IN LIFE SHE SHOULD BE WARNED
I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS CHILD BEING BORN

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE
IN ANY KIND OF WAY
FOR EVERY CHILD THAT LIFE CAN GATHER

WHAT IS THIS LIFE
THERE WILL BE OTHER LIVES
SOON TO ARRIVE
SURELY SOME WILL SURVIVE

SHE IS BUT ONE
AND THERE ARE MANY MORE
COULD THIS ONE LIFE REALLY MATTER

WHO IS THIS CHILD
WHAT DOES SHE MEAN TO ME
I CLOSE MY EYES
AND STILL HER FACE I SEE
SHE IS BUT ONE
HER KIND IS EVERYWHERE
CAN'T YOU SEE THERE'S NO WAY I SHOULD CARE

CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE NIGHT
CAN YOU FEEL THAT IT'S OUT THERE
IT'S THE ARCING OF A LIFE
AND IT'S HANGING IN THE AIR

THOUGH I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES
AND PRETEND THAT I DON'T KNOW
IN MY HEART
I JUST CAN'T LET IT GO

THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY FOR ME
A WAY THAT LEADS FROM THIS INSANITY
A WAY THAT LEADS FROM MY DESTRUCTION IN THIS WAY

CAN YOU SEE IT IN THE NIGHT
CAN YOU FEEL THAT IT'S OUT THERE
IT'S THE ARCING OF A LIFE
AND IT'S HANGING IN THE AIR

THOUGH I TRY TO CLOSE MY EYES
AND PRETEND THAT I DON'T KNOW
IN MY HEART
I JUST CAN'T LET IT GO

[Despite his best efforts he cannot bring himself to
leave the child to this evil,
and collapsing on the piano bench,
he tells the devil that he has a deal.
Beethoven is now a totally broken man as the fact sinks
in that he has lost both his soul and his Tenth Symphony.] Trans Siberian Orchestra - Who Is This Child - http://motolyrics.com/trans-siberian-orchestra/who-is-this-child-lyrics.html

[Mephistopheles dances with delight as he picks up
the manuscript never noticing Twist who sneaks over
and whispers in Ludwig's ear,
"How do you know that Mephistopheles will keep his
word?" Beethoven sits up and repeats the question aloud.
Mephistopheles, never looking up from examining his
prize, replies that Beethoven can draw up his own wording
for a contract that they will write on a page torn
from the back of a bible. Beethoven glances questioningly
towards Fate who is still watching from the background.
She nods her head for even the shadows know that a
contract written on such sacred paper is unbreakable,
even by the devil himself.]

[Beethoven, totally exhausted,
mutters his consent but is unable to write the words
that will bring about the destruction of his beloved
Tenth. Fate, sensing his dilemma,
offers to write down the agreement for him and he hands
the paper to her. As he stares out the window Fate writes,]

[It is agreed upon this night,
March 26, 1827, between the undersigned,
that the music of the Tenth Symphony,
composed by Ludwig von Beethoven,
first born son of Johann and Maria von Beethoven,
of the city of Bonn, shall henceforth be the property
of Mephistopheles, Lord of Darkness and first fallen
from the grace of God. It is also understood that it
is his intention to remove any signs of this music
from the memory of man for all eternity.
In exchange for the destruction of the aforementioned
music it is also agreed that Mephistopheles and all
his minions will remove themselves from the life of
the child presently sleeping in the gutter directly
across from the window of this room.
This removal of influence is to be commenced immediately
upon signing and to be enforced for all eternity.]
[_____________________ Ludwig Von Beethoven]
[_____________________ Mephistopheles]

[Mephistopheles reads the paper,
signs it and pushes it in front of Beethoven.
Without even looking at the document the composer signs
the paper. Immediately, Mephistopheles reaches over
the piano, seizes the Tenth's manuscript and thrusts
it over a lit candle. The papers are engulfed in a
wall of flames. But when the flames have died down
the devil is stunned to find that not only does the
manuscript still exist, it is not even singed.
Thrusting it back over the candle it is once again
engulfed in flames only to emerge unscathed.]

[Sensing that he has been tricked,
he screams for an explanation but Beethoven's expression
tells him that he is as shocked at the turn of events
as the Devil himself. As Mephistopheles is glancing
once more at the manuscript he hears the sound of Twist
giggling in the darkness.]

[When he demands to know what the dwarf is laughing
at, Twist can hardly conceal his delight as he explains
that the composer's parents gave birth to a son prior
to the maestro's birth. They had named him Ludwig von
Beethoven but the child died within his first year.
They then named their second son Ludwig as well.
Twist continues, "The man before you is that Ludwig
Von Beethoven, the second born son of Johann & Maria
Von Beethoven. You have purchased a Tenth Symphony
of Ludwig Von Beethoven, first born of Johann & Maria,
if he ever writes one." Mephistopheles glares at Fate,
who smiles back at him demurely.
Then, throwing the music back at Beethoven,
he screams in frustration and disappears in an explosion
of smoke and flame.]

[Beethoven is surprised by Mephistopheles' rapid departure
and asks if he is not coming back to collect his soul.
To which Fate replies that he never had any claim to his soul.]

["But Mephistopheles said..."]

["He is the devil," Fate replies, "He lies."]

["But, there were times when I was rude and cruel to
people," Beethoven stutters.]

["True, the frustration of your deafness did cause
you at times to lash out unfairly at others,
but later you would always regret it and apologize.
You often went through great lengths to make amends
for any hurts you had caused. Believe me Ludwig, you have done well."]

[And with those words a warm feeling of peace spreads
throughout Beethoven's body and across his soul.]

[When he asks Fate what is to happen next,
she gently tells him that it is time for him to rest,
for tonight he will dream a new dream within the gates
of paradise. And as the words weave their way into
his soul, Beethoven lies down on the couch near his
piano and begins a new dream.]