(In which Burke and Hare master the irredeemable art of procuring the freshest specimens of cadaver by the most nefarious means imaginable) “'Knowst thou not any, whom corrupting gold Would tempt unto a close exploit of death?' 'I know a discontented Irishman, whose humble means match not his haughty mind. Gold were as good as twenty orators, and will, no doubt, tempt him to do any thing'” - Richard III, William Shakespeare “In Edina town, where your friend you may meet At morning, in health, walking forth in the street And, at evening, decoy'd and depriv'd of life His corpse fresh and warm is laid out for the knife” - Edinburgh Broadsheet 1832 Hare: The first corpse was mere happenstance But the second was no accident The end soon followed pitiably Choking out curses 'til his life was spent Dr. Knox: Each morrow the kill comes easier Murder grown precise Axphyxiated bodies bear testament To your mastery - of this most deadly device Dr. Knox: A corpse is but a corpse How they are obtained, is not my concern So long as they come to my door Hare: With coppers o'er blind eyes, like the one you've turned Dr. Knox: Death is the last fact of life, scrawled out by dissecting knives Hare: As I'm taking your life Chorus: You won't survive the harrowing Hare: So gasp your last breath as you choke, incomprehension, of life's final joke Dr. Knox: At the end of your rope Chorus: Now your hope is narrowing You won't survive the harrowing Hare: At first I felt revulsion Which then gave way to fear Finally came apathy And at last I came to see things clearly Dr. Knox: A reaver that hunts by gaslight The stranglehold comes grim and cold But your wallet filled with notes and coins Weighs more 'pon you, then all of the dead you have sold Dr. Knox: A corpse is but a corpse How they are obtained, is not my concern So long as they come to my door Hare: With coppers o'er blind eyes, like the one you've turned Dr. Knox: Death is the last fact of life, scrawled out by dissecting knives Hare: As I'm taking your life Chorus: You won't survive the harrowing Hare: So gasp your last breath as you choke, incomprehension, of life's final joke Dr. Knox: At the end of your rope Chorus: Now your hope is narrowing Death is overpowering You won't survive the harrowing Solo – Michael Burke Duet – Michael Burke / Matthew Harvey Dr. Knox: Death is the last act of life, post-scripted by dissecting knives Hare: To which I'm giving your life Chorus: You won't survive the harrowing Hare: Gasp your last breath as you choke, incomprehension, of life's final joke Dr. Knox: At the end of your rope Chorus: Now your hope is narrowing Death is overpowering Life's but time you're borrowing You won't survive the harrowing