Song Lyrics

Narrator

Next day, far from home,
The brothers planned the repulsive crime
Brothers

Let us grab him now,
Do him in, while weave got the time
Narrator

This they did and made the most of it
Tore his coat and flung him in pit
Brothers

Let us leave him here,
All alone, and he's bound to die
Narrator

When some Ishmaelites,
A hairy crew, came riding by
In a flash the brothers changed their plan
Brothers

We need cash. Let's sell him if we can
Narrator, Female Ensemble & Children

Poor, poor Joseph, what'cha gonna do?
Things look bad for you, hey, what'cha gonna do?
Poor, poor Joseph, what'cha gonna do?
Things look bad for you, hey, what'cha gonna do?
Brothers

Could you use a slave,
You hairy bunch of Ishmaelites?
Young, strong, well-behaved,
Going cheap and he reads and writes
Narrator

In a trice the dirty deal was done
Silver coins for Jacob's favourite son
Then the Ishmaelites
Galloped off with the slave in tow
Off to Egypt where Joseph was not keen to go
It wouldn't be a picnic he could tell

Joseph

And I don't speak Egyptian very well
Narrator

Joseph's brothers tore
His precious multi-coloured coat
Having ripped it up,
They next attacked a passing goat
Soon the wretched creature was no more
They dipped his coat in blood and guts and gore
Narrator, Ensemble & Children

Oh now brothers, how low can you stoop?
You make a sordid group, hey, how low can you stoop?
Poor, poor Joseph, sold to be a slave
Situation's grave, hey, sold to be a slave

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice

The duration of Poor, Poor Joseph is 2:33 minutes and seconds.