Newsies Quotes
A musical based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. When young newspaper sellers are exploited beyond reason by their bosses they set out to enact change and are met by the ruthlessness of big business.
Jack Kelly: There's a lot of people out there, and they ain't just gonna go away. They got voices now and they're goin' to be listened to. Putting them in jail is not going to stop them. That's the power of the press, Joe. So thanks for teaching me about it.
Seitz: Those kids put out a pretty good paper there, Chief.
Joseph Pulitzer: I ordered a printing ban on all strike matters. Now, who defied me? Whose press did you use to print this on? Whose?
Jack Kelly: Well, we only use the best, Joe. So, I just want to say... thanks again.
Seitz: Those kids put out a pretty good paper there, Chief.
Joseph Pulitzer: I ordered a printing ban on all strike matters. Now, who defied me? Whose press did you use to print this on? Whose?
Jack Kelly: Well, we only use the best, Joe. So, I just want to say... thanks again.
Joseph Pulitzer: Anyone who doesn't act in their own self interest is a fool.
David Jacobs: Then what does that make you?
Joseph Pulitzer: What?
Jack Kelly: Oh, this is my pal, Davey. The Walkin' Mouth.
David Jacobs: You talk about self-interest, but since the strike, your circulation's been down 70%. Everyday you're losing thousands of dollars just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent. Why?
Jack Kelly: You see, it ain't about the money, Dave. It Joe gives in to nobodies like us, it means we got the power. And he can't do that, no matter what it costs.
David Jacobs: Then what does that make you?
Joseph Pulitzer: What?
Jack Kelly: Oh, this is my pal, Davey. The Walkin' Mouth.
David Jacobs: You talk about self-interest, but since the strike, your circulation's been down 70%. Everyday you're losing thousands of dollars just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent. Why?
Jack Kelly: You see, it ain't about the money, Dave. It Joe gives in to nobodies like us, it means we got the power. And he can't do that, no matter what it costs.
David Jacobs: You're a liar! You lied about everything. You lied about your father being out west, 'cause he's not out west! You didn't even tell me your real name!
Jack Kelly: So? What you wanna do about it Dave?
David Jacobs: I don't understand you.
Jack Kelly: Oh, so let me spell it out for ya. You see, I ain't got nobody tucking me in at night, like you. It's just me, I gotta look out for myself, all right?
David Jacobs: You had the Newsies!
Jack Kelly: Oh, what'd being a Newsie ever give me but a dime a day and a few black eyes? You know, I can't afford to be a kid no more, Dave. For the first time in my life, I got money in my pockets. Real money. Money, you understand? I got more on the way and as soon as I collect, I'm gone, I'm away, all right?
David Jacobs: Well, that's good! That's good because we don't need you! We don't need you! All those words you said, those were mine.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, but you never had the guts to put them across yourself, did ya?
David Jacobs: I do now.
Jack Kelly: So? What you wanna do about it Dave?
David Jacobs: I don't understand you.
Jack Kelly: Oh, so let me spell it out for ya. You see, I ain't got nobody tucking me in at night, like you. It's just me, I gotta look out for myself, all right?
David Jacobs: You had the Newsies!
Jack Kelly: Oh, what'd being a Newsie ever give me but a dime a day and a few black eyes? You know, I can't afford to be a kid no more, Dave. For the first time in my life, I got money in my pockets. Real money. Money, you understand? I got more on the way and as soon as I collect, I'm gone, I'm away, all right?
David Jacobs: Well, that's good! That's good because we don't need you! We don't need you! All those words you said, those were mine.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, but you never had the guts to put them across yourself, did ya?
David Jacobs: I do now.
Newsies: [singing] This is for kids shinin' shoes in the streets with no shoes on their feet everyday. This is for guys sweatin' blood in the shop while the bosses and cops look away. This is to even the score. This ain't just Newsies no more. This ain't just kids with some pies in the sky, this is do it or die, this is WAR! Once and for all, we'll be there to defend one another. Once and for all, every kid is a friend, every friend a brother. Five thousand fists in the sky, five thousands reasons to try. We're going over the wall. Better to die than to crawl. Either we stand or we fall, for once, once and for all!
Racetrack: In 1899, the streets of New York City echoed with the voices of newsies, peddling the papers of Joseph Pulitzer, William Randalph Hearst, and other giants of the newspaper world. On every corner you saw them carrying the banner. Bringing you the news for a penny a pape. Poor orphans and runaways, the newsies were a ragged army without a leader, until one day all that changed.
Crutchy: Jack, when I walk, does it look like I'm fakin' it?
Jack Kelly: Nah, Crutchy, who says ye'r fakin' it?
Crutchy: I don't know... It's just there's so many fake crips on the streets today, a real crip ain't got a chance. I gotta find me a new sellin' spot where they ain't used to seein' me!
Mush: [singing] Try Bottle Alley or da harbor.
Racetrack: [singing] Try Central Park, it's guaranteed.
Jack Kelly: [singing] Try any banker, bum, or barber.
Skittery: [singing] They almost all knows how to read.
Jack Kelly: Nah, Crutchy, who says ye'r fakin' it?
Crutchy: I don't know... It's just there's so many fake crips on the streets today, a real crip ain't got a chance. I gotta find me a new sellin' spot where they ain't used to seein' me!
Mush: [singing] Try Bottle Alley or da harbor.
Racetrack: [singing] Try Central Park, it's guaranteed.
Jack Kelly: [singing] Try any banker, bum, or barber.
Skittery: [singing] They almost all knows how to read.
Jack Kelly: So this snooty mug says to me, 'You can't see Mr. Pulitzer. No one sees Mr. Pulitzer.' Real hoity-toity, you know the type?
Les Jacobs: Real hoity-toity.
Jack Kelly: So that's when I says to him, 'Listen, I ain't in the habit of transacting no business with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly's here to see him now!'
Les Jacobs: That's when he threw us out.
Les Jacobs: Real hoity-toity.
Jack Kelly: So that's when I says to him, 'Listen, I ain't in the habit of transacting no business with office boys. Just tell him Jack Kelly's here to see him now!'
Les Jacobs: That's when he threw us out.
Jack Kelly: Got no brains. Why we starting to fight each other? Its just what the big shots wanna see. That we're street trash, street rats with no brains. No respect for nothin' including ourselfs. So heres how it is if we don't act together then we nothin'. if we don't stick together we nothin'. And if we can't even trust each other, then we nothin'. So whats it gunna be?
Joseph Pulitzer: Know what I was doing at your age, boy? I was in a war. The Civil War.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, I heard of it. So, did ya win?
Joseph Pulitzer: People think war is about right or wrong and not power.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, I heard of that too. I don't just sell your papes, Joe. Sometime I read 'em
Jack Kelly: Yeah, I heard of it. So, did ya win?
Joseph Pulitzer: People think war is about right or wrong and not power.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, I heard of that too. I don't just sell your papes, Joe. Sometime I read 'em
Jack Kelly: One thing's for sure, if we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes. Nobody comes through those gates until they put the price back to where it was.
David Jacobs: You mean like a strike?
Jack Kelly: Yeah, like a strike!
David Jacobs: Are you out of your mind?
Jack Kelly: It's a good idea!
David Jacobs: Jack, I was only joking. We can't go on strike, we don't have a union.
Jack Kelly: But, if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?
David Jacobs: No! We're just a bunch of angry kids with no money.
David Jacobs: You mean like a strike?
Jack Kelly: Yeah, like a strike!
David Jacobs: Are you out of your mind?
Jack Kelly: It's a good idea!
David Jacobs: Jack, I was only joking. We can't go on strike, we don't have a union.
Jack Kelly: But, if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?
David Jacobs: No! We're just a bunch of angry kids with no money.
Spot Conlon: I've been hearing things from little birds. Things from Harlem, Queens, all over. They been chirpin' in my ear. Saying Jacky-boy's Newsies is playing like they're going on strike.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, well we are.
David Jacobs: But we're not playing. We are going on strike.
Spot Conlon: Oh yeah? Yeah? What is this, Jacky-boy? Some kind of walking mouth?
Jack Kelly: Yeah, it's a mouth. A mouth with a brain, and if you got half a one, you'll listen to what he's got to say.
David Jacobs: Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone. So, we're talking to Newsies all around the city.
Spot Conlon: Yeah, so they told me. But what'd they tell you?
David Jacobs: They're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous Newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike then they join, and we'll be unstoppable. So you gotta join, I mean... well, you gotta!
Spot Conlon: You're right Jacky-boy, brains. But I got brains too, and more than just half a one. How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes at ya with a club? How do I know you got what it takes to win?
Jack Kelly: Because I'm telling you, Spot.
Spot Conlon: That ain't good enough Jacky-boy. You gotta show me.
Jack Kelly: Yeah, well we are.
David Jacobs: But we're not playing. We are going on strike.
Spot Conlon: Oh yeah? Yeah? What is this, Jacky-boy? Some kind of walking mouth?
Jack Kelly: Yeah, it's a mouth. A mouth with a brain, and if you got half a one, you'll listen to what he's got to say.
David Jacobs: Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone. So, we're talking to Newsies all around the city.
Spot Conlon: Yeah, so they told me. But what'd they tell you?
David Jacobs: They're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous Newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike then they join, and we'll be unstoppable. So you gotta join, I mean... well, you gotta!
Spot Conlon: You're right Jacky-boy, brains. But I got brains too, and more than just half a one. How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes at ya with a club? How do I know you got what it takes to win?
Jack Kelly: Because I'm telling you, Spot.
Spot Conlon: That ain't good enough Jacky-boy. You gotta show me.
David Jacobs: Come on, keep running!
Jack Kelly: You shouldn't have done this, Dave. They could put you in jail!
David Jacobs: I don't care.
Jack Kelly: C'mere.
[pushes him against the wall]
Jack Kelly: What about your family? What happens to them if you go to jail? You don't know nothin' about jail. Now, thanks for what you done, but you get out of here.
David Jacobs: I don't understand.
Jack Kelly: I don't understand either, but just get outta here!
[pushes him away]
David Jacobs: No!
Jack Kelly: Go!
Jack Kelly: You shouldn't have done this, Dave. They could put you in jail!
David Jacobs: I don't care.
Jack Kelly: C'mere.
[pushes him against the wall]
Jack Kelly: What about your family? What happens to them if you go to jail? You don't know nothin' about jail. Now, thanks for what you done, but you get out of here.
David Jacobs: I don't understand.
Jack Kelly: I don't understand either, but just get outta here!
[pushes him away]
David Jacobs: No!
Jack Kelly: Go!
