A Few Good Men

Feb. 10, 2014

by Bob Farrell

IMAGINE A WORLD STILL WAITING FOR A MESSIAH

A WORLD THAT HAS NEVER KNOWN HIS INFLUENCE

WORLD GOVERNMENT IS CENTRALIZED UNDER 

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF NATIONS

THE IRON FIST KNOWN AS I.C.O.N. 

NEW YORK CITY IS AN OCCUPIED CITY OF A QUASI-POLICE STATE

RIDDLED WITH ETHNIC GANGS AND REVOLUTIONARIES  

 THERE ARE NO CHURCHES

ONLY ONE SYNAGOGUE IN BROOKLYN

WHERE A YOUNG MAN GROWS UP

AND BEGINS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HATE AND INJUSTICE

TEACHES A PERSON TO LOVE HIS ENEMIES

 PROMISES PERSONAL FREEDOM AND NEW LIFE 

IN A REALM NOT OF THIS WORLD

THE MESSAGE OF LOVE THAT THREATENS THE POWERFUL

FROM THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO THE I.C.O.N. BOSSES

BUT HE WAS BORN TO SPEAK OUT

NO MATTER WHAT IT COST HIM

JUST WHAT THE POWERFUL FEAR MOST

A CHAMPION OF THE PEOPLE 

A HERO

That’s the premise for !HERO, The Rock Opera, which poses the question: “What if He were born in Bethlehem...Pennsylvania?” 

I co-wrote 33 songs, story, and stageplay for !HERO with Eddie DeGarmo in the mid-to late-90’s.  In 2003 we released the double-album, then toured the work nationally, performing 25 shows - 15 of which were sellouts, including two at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in 2004.  Eddie produced the tour, I was show director and played a very creepy Governor Pilate.  In 2004 we released the Live DVD and received three Dove Awards for the work.

!HERO received rave press reviews and ecstatic response from show attendees, comprised of whole families: from adolescents to grandmas - our largest crowd being about 7000 people.

Since the maiden tour several Broadway production companies have approached us and made commitments to tour our work - and none ever have.  One can only speculate about what happens, but I have a suspicion that as news filters down from higher-ups to the troops below, some serious discomfort emerges because of the rock opera’s hard-hitting gospel message.  Couldn’t be !HERO’s crowd appeal or its track record for doing business - ‘cause both are off the chart.

Just do a search on YouTube and you’ll find plenty of excerpts from the live show.

Eddie and I did our very best to make it the complete gospel of Christ - and pull no punches.  I believe we succeeded.  Essentially we just took His miracles and turned them on their heads, not changing the outcome or the truth, only the players, locales, etc.

!HERO’s storyteller is an unbeliever, an ICON agent named Hunter.  In the opener he’s in a jail cell telling us, “This Is How It Happened”.  

Then we hear from Hero.

                                                                    EAST RIVER DOCKS

THE DIVINE ADVENTURE BEGINS    (on screens)

A FEW GOOD MEN (MT 4.18-22)         

HERO, PETROV, JUDE

(Two locals sit at a barrel crate playing cards when a stranger approaches)

HERO: 

I ALWAYS KNEW THIS TIME WOULD COME

I’VE BEEN BURNING WITH THIS MISSION ALL MY LIFE

DIVINE ADVENTURE HAS BEGUN

BUT EVEN NOW ITS END IS CLEARLY IN MY SIGHT

THIS WORLD’S BECOME AN UGLY PLACE

SO MANY RACES FIGHTING BATTLE TOE-TO-TOE

THEIR GREATEST PASSION IS THEIR HATE

THE NEW DETENTE IS WHEN TWO BROTHERS COME TO BLOWS

(turns to two card players)

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT YOU CARED

OR THOUGHT TO SEE THE WORLD BEYOND YOUR NOSE

I’M HERE TO FIND A FEW GOOD MEN

WHO HAVE THE HEARTS TO FOLLOW ME WHERE I MUST GO

LET’S WRESTLE HATRED TO ITS KNEES

IT’S TIME TO PUT LOVE BACK UP ON ITS WEARY THRONE

LET’S GIVE THE NEEDY WHAT THEY NEED

AND WELCOME EVERY SOUL ON EARTH INTO OUR HOMES

I KNOW YOU’VE WAITED ALL YOUR LIVES 

FOR YOUR POLITICAL MESSIAH TO APPEAR

I SAY DON’T LET THESE CLOTHES FOOL YOU

I’M THE ONE  - AND YOU’LL BELIEVE IT IN A YEAR

TRUST ME, YOU’LL BELIEVE IT IN A YEAR

FOLLOW ME - WE’LL SEE THE WORLD THROUGH HEAVEN’S EYES

I WILL BE THE TRUTH IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE LIES

COME WITH ME - LEAVE YOUR EARTHLY THINGS BEHIND

I GUARANTEE IF YOU LOSE YOUR LIFE YOU’LL FIND IT

PETROV:

IS THIS JOB PAYING ANYTHING?

HERO:

OH, YEAH, YOU'LL BE RICH DOWN IN YOUR SOUL

PETROV:

‘CAUSE I’VE WORKED HARD FOR ALL I’VE GOT - YEH

YOU KNOW I’VE WORKED SO HARD FOR EVERYTHING I OWN

HERO:

THERE’S TREASURE UP IN HEAVEN THAT EVERY MAN CAN KNOW

THERE’S FREEDOM FROM THE THINGS OF EARTH 

IF YOU CAN LET THEM GO

JUDE:

LET’S NOT BE TOO HASTY HERE

I THINK WE BETTER THINK AND THINK THIS THING THROUGH

ARE WE TALKIN’ A PERMANENT VACATION HERE

OR CAN WE TRY IT FOR A WEEK OR TWO?

PETROV:

CAN'T YOU SEE, JUDE, HE’S SERIOUS - IT’S COMING CLEAR TO ME

JUST FORGET ABOUT YOUR POCKETBOOK

HE WANTS US TO BELIEVE

(turns to Hero)

THERE’S SOMETHING DOWN INSIDE MY HEART 

THAT TELLS ME WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE

PETROV AND JUDE:

AND IF YOU’RE THE ONE WE’VE WAITED FOR

THEN TELL US WHAT TO DO

HERO:

FOLLOW ME - WE’LL SEE THE WORLD THROUGH HEAVEN’S EYES

I WILL BE THE TRUTH IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE LIES

COME WITH ME - LEAVE YOUR EARTHLY THINGS BEHIND

I GUARANTEE IF YOU LOSE YOUR LIFE YOU WILL FIND IT

LISTEN UP, MY FEW GOOD MEN

‘CAUSE DESTINY AWAITS US DOWN THE ROAD

STAND WITH ME, MY FEW GOOD MEN

YOU HAVE THE HEARTS TO FOLLOW ME WHERE I MUST GO

(The three turn and depart backstage, arm-in-arm)

And you know what?

He’s still looking.

(lyrics from “A Few Good Men” by Bob Farrell and Eddie DeGarmo, circa. 1998, from !HERO, The Rock Opera)