Hadestown Cast - How Long? Lyrics






[Persephone:]
How long have we been married?

[Hades:]
Since the world began

[Persephone:]
I don't mind if you look at other girls... now and then

[Hades:]
The girl means nothing to me

[Persephone:]
I know. But she means everything to him

[Hades:]
So?

[Persephone:]
Let her go
Hades, my husband
Hades, my light
Hades, my darkness
If you had heard how he sang tonight
You'd pity poor Orpheus!
All of his sorrow won't fit in his chest
It just burns like a fire in the pit of his chest
And his heart is a bird on a spit in his chest
How long, how long, how long?

[Hades:]
How long?
Just as long as Hades is king
Nothing comes of wishing on stars
And nothing comes of the songs people sing
However sorry they are
Give them a piece and they'll take it all
Show them the crack and they'll tear down the wall
Lend them an ear and the kingdom will fall
The kingdom will fall for a song

[Persephone:]
What does he care for the logic of kings?
The laws of your underworld?
It is only for love that he sings
He sings for the love of a girl!

[Hades:]
You and your pity don't fit in my bed
You just burn like a fire in the pit of my bed
And I turn like a bird on a spit in my bed
How long, how long, how long?

[Persephone:]
How long? just as long as I am your wife!
It's true the earth must die
But then the earth comes back to life
And the sun just goes on rising

[Both:]
And how does the sun even fit in the sky?
It just burns like a fire in the pit of the sky
And the earth is a bird on a spit in the sky
How long, how long, how long?





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Hadestown Cast How Long? Comments
  1. G.... W....

    Hades: "Have a drink, why don't ya?"
    Persephone: "No, I've had enough!"
    Me: *surprise and confusion*

  2. E.... T....

    Wait honestly what do they mean by "how long?" Like do they mean how long he'll refuse to listen to him, help please 😅

    E.... T....

    It changes in meaning every time they sing it. The first time, after Persephone says “his heart is a bird on a spit in his chest,” she’s asking how long until Hades will let Eurydice go and free Orpheus of his sorrows. The second time, when Hades says it after his whole “and I turn like a bird on a spit in my bed” bit, he’s asking how long until Persephone will finally think about his love for her, because in Hades’s insecure mind, Persephone cares far too much about how Orpheus feels than how he feels, as his love is so strong that Persephone’s anger and long absence causes him to twist and turn in his bed. The final time, when they sing together, they’re asking how long will the sun keep on rising and burning the earth. That last one’s a bit vague and up for interpretation, but in my mind, the sun is a metaphor for the intense feelings and emotions that overpower the humans and gods alike, who are symbolized by the Earth.

    E.... T....

    @Gio Bee omg! thank you so much, I really couldn't figure it out before thank youuu 😄😄😂

    E.... T....

    No problem at all, I’ll admit this one was very confusing to me at first as well, it took quite a few listens and tumblr blog posts to form some kind of idea of what it meant lmao. That’s why I love it tho, it’s super poetic and vague in comparison to the other songs, and I think that poetic-ness really works as an intense, yet strangely calm argument song for these two ancient lovers

  3. A.... J....

    Are Orpheus and euridicy teenagers? How old are they I'm wondering?

    A.... J....

    I don’t think they’re that young, though for some reason I have difficulty imagining just how old they are based on the way they’re portrayed. My best guess would be they’re in their 20s

    A.... J....

    @Gio Bee thanks

  4. N.... 1....

    what are you afraid of?

    *wot*

  5. A.... K....

    say what you want about orpheus' heavenly voice, i like patrick page's beautifully evil demonic voice better

  6. S.... A....

    this song hits different bro

  7. H.... S....

    Perhaps this song turned me bisexual

  8. M.... H....

    I really love how this musical really fleshes out Hades and Persephone's relationship. It's beautiful.

  9. A.... R....

    I'm so glad bass is coming back into style for musicals. Finally I can sing the songs.

  10. d.... ....

    'what're you afraid of?'


    *what*

  11. P.... ....

    how long, just as long as i am your WIFE that parallel kills me every time

  12. C.... R....

    Imagine Patrick Page being your dad and getting scolded with that voice

  13. g.... h....

    Show them a crack, they’ll tear down the wall.







    Sorry to tell you this, Hades, but Persephone might have already kinda of sort of pointed out a crack like a few songs ago.

    g.... h....

    i wheexzed

    g.... h....

    @kata in the song our Lady of the underground she sings there's a crack in the wall and shows the workers the sun for a few seconds

    g.... h....

    My drink is al over the table now, i laughed way to hard because of this

  14. P.... R....

    This is my favorite song that wasn't on the off Broadway version

  15. M.... G....

    This song is pure genius

    M.... G....

    Yes,  it is.

  16. Z.... S....

    [PERSEPHONE]
    What are you afraid of?

    [HADES]
    What?

    [PERSEPHONE]
    He’s just a boy in love

    [HADES]
    Have a drink, why don’t you?

    [PERSEPHONE]
    No, I’ve had enough
    He loves that girl, Hades

    [HADES]
    Well that’s too bad

    [PERSEPHONE]
    He has the kind of love for her that you and I once had

    [HADES]
    The girl means nothing to me

    [PERSEPHONE]
    I know, but she means everything to him


    [HADES]
    So?

    [PERSEPHONE]
    Let her go
    (sung)
    Hades my husband, Hades my light, Hades my darkness
    If you had heard how he sang tonight you’d pity poor Orpheus

    All of the sorrow won’t fit in his chest
    It just burns like a fire in the pit of his chest
    And his heart is a bird on a spit in his chest
    How long?
    How long?
    How long?

    [HADES, sung]
    How long?
    Just as long as Hades is king
    Nothing comes of wishing in stars
    And nothing comes of the songs people sing
    However sorry they are

    Give them a piece they’ll take it all
    Show them a crack they’ll tear down the wall
    Lend them an ear and the kingdom will fall
    The kingdom will fall for a song


    [PERSEPHONE]
    What does he care for the logic of kings?
    The laws of your underworld?
    It is only for love that he sings
    He sings for the love of a girl

    [HADES]
    You and your pity don’t fit in my bend
    You just burn like a fire in the pit of my bend
    And I turn like a bird on a spit in my bend
    How long?
    How long?
    How long?

    [PERSEPHONE]
    How long?
    Just as long as I am your wife
    It’s true the earth must die
    But then the earth comes back to life
    And the sun must go on rising

    [HADES, PERSEPHONE]
    And how does the sun even fit in the sky
    It just burns like a fire in the pit of the sky
    And the earth is a bird on a spit in the sky
    How long?
    How long?
    How long?

    Z.... S....

    It's 'bed', not 'bend'.

  17. L.... G....

    I love this but I miss Epic

  18. J.... L....

    is the friggin album not out yet?

    J.... L....

    Javarie Lewis The whole thing comes out Friday

  19. L.... S....

    "Give them a piece, and they'll take it all. Show them a crack, they'll tear down the wall. Lend them an ear; the kingdom will fall."

    L.... S....

    Wise words with king Hades

    L.... S....

    Wise words with Hades

    L.... S....

    Laurel Short I was reading it just when that part appeared

  20. L.... D....

    OwO
    umm can i appreciate this song :D

  21. S.... P....

    I think these are the lowest notes we’ve heard from Patrick yet and I’m SCREECHING

  22. S.... P....

    My comment is gone what

  23. P.... P....

    is this another epidemic of “the comments have disappeared”? no way a video with 15k views has only one comment besides this one...

    P.... P....

    Potayto Potahto considering there’s only 366 likes as of right now, it’s probably a lot of people listening to a playlist of the music and not taking time to comment and like or just playing the song on repeat

    P.... P....

    Potayto Potahto I’ve been wondering what is going on. The only comments are recent ones, like from today. Someone else commented that their comment was gone so I’m not sure.

  24. S.... C....

    I can't believe I just glanced over this. I wasn't really a fan of the original, but this is INCREDIBLE.

  25. b.... ....

    “show them a crack and they’ll tear down the wall” uGH MY HEARTTT

  26. H.... F....

    Patricks vocals are so low that sometimes I can barely hear it

    H.... F....

    get a Subwoofer

  27. y.... d....

    This was my favorite song from the original recording and it's just as amazing if not even more I'm amazed and in love 😔💞

    y.... d....

    i love your profile picture! stan loona!

  28. A.... ....

    Oh thank you so much itunes is being an ass and even though I preordered the album it won't let me download any of the last drop :'(

  29. G.... ....

    Lover's Quarrel the Musical

  30. S.... K....

    It says a lot that out of all the songs in this musical, this is the one that's changed the least from it's original version wayback in the days of the _concept album._ I love it so goddamn much man.

    S.... K....

    Wedding Song didn't change much either. At least the parts that are sung.

    S.... K....

    @Jennifer Becerra Eh, Wedding Song only didn't change much if you look solely at the music theory aspects of it. Same song, just in a different key. However, at least to me, the two songs have a completely different feel and mood to them because of the tempo and mood change. Personally, I like the Broadway Wedding Song better, but, like the rest of the concept album, I love to throw on the original Wedding Song in the background while I'm working.

    S.... K....

    I agree and i love it. I couldn't bear to hear another version of this moment Hades and Persephone

  31. S.... M....

    I can hit all of Patrick's notes in this song EXCEPT the third how long he sings when he gets to them and also "the kingdom will fall for a song". God i wish I had his range

    S.... M....

    yeah I wish I could sing like him. Lowest I can sing is a D2 comfortably and C2 on a good day

  32. e.... 0....

    YEEEEEEESSS
    man I thought I couldn't get more in love with this show I was w r o n g

  33. A.... B....

    Does Amber Gray know it's her fault I'm a lesbian?

    A.... B....

    Ana Bourque we are amber gay for amber gray (yes i’m aware i stole this joke from somewhere but i don’t remember where specifically)

    A.... B....

    Well that's nice probely not smart to dangle your sexuality for an actor or actress.

    A.... B....

    Kc Batman r/woooosh

    A.... B....

    @Potato Pancake
    1) I love your username
    2) YEEEE MEGA GAY FOR AMBER GRAY™

  34. L.... R....

    Which song is "im coming wait for me. I hear the walls repeat"?

    L.... R....

    If you’re looking for the male (Reeve Carney) version, it’s Wait For Me. If you’re looking for the female (Eva Noblezada) version, that song is called Wait For Me (Reprise) and has not been released officially yet, but it will be soon

    L.... R....

    @Gio Bee it's on Spotify now!

    L.... R....

    Oh sweetie😂😂

    L.... R....

    @Glorianna Jackson lmaoo 😂😂😂

  35. T.... O....

    How long have I been waiting for an Amber Gray+Patrick Page version of this beautiful freaking song? How long? How long? How long?

    T.... O....

    s a m e

  36. S.... ....

    Every day I have a different favorite Hadestown song. How Long, How Long , How Long.

    S.... ....

    Same, first it was _Chant 1_ then _chant 3,_ then _Doubt comes in,_ and then why we build the wall and now _How long?_

  37. D.... B....

    YES YES YES my favorite song from hadestown I'm gonna lose my mind!!!!!!!!!!!
    edit: the emotion in this song is so unbelivibly raw....I love this song and their dynamic so so much

  38. L.... S....

    I didn't know they were gonna make a cast recording of this song bye I'm gonna go cry

    L.... S....

    They're making a recording for every song

  39. A.... ....

    Amber you're the perfection

  40. S.... P....

    I think these are the lowest notes we've heard from Patrick yet and I'm SCREECHING

    S.... P....

    Morii that pun

    S.... P....

    Not to be that guy, but his lowest note in this song (G1) is technically the same as his lowest note in Why We Build the Wall. That being said, his low notes are a lot clearer in this song than in that one.

    S.... P....

    Steph Piano An understudy, Timothy Hughes I think, was playing hades when I went to this show and coming back now I didn’t realize how low these notes are, as he sang them an octave higher I think and it’s shocking to me

    S.... P....

    @George Weber his lowest is G1 tho

    S.... P....

    @Queen eSs You're right, that was an accident on my part. It's on the border between octaves and I was thinking of C2. Thanks, I've edited my comment.

  41. J.... W....

    Fantastic! I love this song

  42. r.... ....

    "show them a crack, they'll tear down the wall"
    this whole song gives me chills

  43. r.... ....

    This is my favorite song from the concept album. This version is incredible!

    r.... ....

    Same!!!!

  44. S.... A....

    I only heard the bootleg version of this and couldn't wait till this came out professionally 😭💕

  45. H.... G....

    This song has always been so beautiful, and combined with Patrick’s delightfully deep voice and Amber’s heavenly notes, it’s even prettier.

  46. A.... ....

    I remember when I first heard the concept album; "Why We Build the Wall" was the first song I heard from it, and it earned my interest, but "How Long" was the one that got me fully interested. These two are so great; the singing itself, the emotion; I love it.

  47. S.... ....

    “the girl means nothing to me”

    so ig hades and eurydice did the dirty—

    S.... ....

    @Tucker Bonnell How is it implied in Flowers?

    S.... ....

    @Tyler Johnston I guess the lyric "I trembled when he laid me out" and "You won't feel a thing, he said, when you go down" could be a double entendre for doing the devil's tango, but I always associated it with Eurydice's death

    S.... ....

    @Cecilia Carney Yeah, I always interpreted it as her death, too. I don't think Eurydice is much of one for sex, anyway. At least, not when there are more important things to focus on. Hades seduced her with promises of safety, stability, and riches beyond her dreams, but not anything romantic. That's my interpretation, anyway.

    S.... ....

    @Cecilia Carney Patrick Page has also said in an interview that Hades seduced Eurydice with promises of food and shelter, NOT sex or affection.

    S.... ....

    https://twitter.com/hadestown/status/1145087584135262208?s=19

    There it is. 🤣 I couldn't remember where I heard it directly, but this is where it was.

  48. T.... S....

    "Have a drink, why don't ya?"


    I'm absolutely dying, it's such a good line

    T.... S....

    "No. I've had enough."

    This is the exact moment where Persephone puts aside her distractions/toxic coping mechanisms, puts her foot down, and commits to fixing the problem and I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

  49. A.... P....

    I have an unhealthy obsessions with hadestown

    A.... P....

    Same dude

    A.... P....

    i mean my mother bakes cakes and she asked me what cake i wanted for my birthday (sep. 1)
    and well
    long story short I'm having a hadestown cake
    we are one and the same, guys

    A.... P....

    @draco how did it look?

  50. Z.... S....

    Love this Duo can’t wait to go back a 5th time Sunday 7/7 #HadestownTonyWinner

  51. L.... C....

    we love hades and persephone in this home!!!!!!!!!!!

  52. C.... M....

    literally got chills listening to this.

  53. L.... C....

    five views and five likes. nice