In this song, Wu, still a naïve young concubine in the Emperor’s palace, is lectured by her ambitious mother in the ways of the court.
(4′12″)
OPEN YOUR EYES.
TIME TO GROW UP.
YOU’VE STARTED SOMETHING YOU CANNOT ABORT.
TIME TO RISE.
YOU MUST LEARN
TO CONTROL THE SITUATION
OR YOU’LL NEVER SURVIVE IN THE COURT.
NEVER LEAVE A TASK UNFINISHED,
OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL FINISH YOU.
OBSTACLES ARE NOT DIMINISHED,
UNLESS YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO FOLLOW THROUGH.
EVERYONE HAS SOME KIND OF AGENDA.
AND DON’T ASSUME THEY’RE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU.
PROTECT YOURSELF, AND LEARN TO BEND A
RULE, OR TWO.
YOU MUST LEARN.
YOU MUST LEARN.
“RIGHT” AND “WRONG” ARE NOT CRITERIA.
REMEMBER THAT IT’S YOU AGAINST THEM.
SO, BE STRONG
NO MORE SCATTERBRAINED HYSTERIA
DON’T SHY AWAY FROM TACTICS
OTHERS MIGHT CONDEMN
YOU MUST LEARN.
YOU MUST LEARN FINESSE.
BE OBLIQUE,
SO THEY’LL ALWAYS HAVE TO GUESS
WHERE YOU STAND
LEARN TO HIDE
LEARN TO SNEAK
LEARN TO EXECUTE A DIGNIFIED
SLEIGHT-OF-HAND
YOU MUST LEARN.
YOU MUST LEARN.
YOU MUST NEVER LET EMOTIONS GUIDE YOU.
FOCUS ON THE END AND NOT THE MEANS.
AMBIVALENCE WILL JUST DIVIDE YOU,
BUT GETTING WHAT YOU WANT IS IN YOUR GENES.
DON’T THINK GENEROSITY WILL HELP YOU.
COMPETITION ALWAYS INTERVENES.
COMPASSION SMELLS OF BLOOD,
AND THESE ARE HUNGRY WOLVERINES.
YOU MUST LEARN.
YOU MUST LEARN.
REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE IN THE COURT,
AND HERE A GIRL GETS NO SUPPORT,
SO LEARN TO RISE UP AND RESORT
TO GUILE, TO SKILL
TO CUNNING AND DELUSION
EVASION AND ELUSION
TO SUBTERFUGE AND SABOTAGE
AND ALIBIS AND CAMOUFLAGE
FOR YOU MAY EVEN HAVE TO KILL
YOUR DESTINY IS SET, BUT STILL
YOU MUST LEARN
Lyrics Copyright © 2002 by Michael Kaulkin
