"Hydrogen" is a song composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Joe Stilgoe[1] for the Wembley 2024 production. It appears in Act 2 after the Starlight Sequence, replacing Rusty and Dustin. Rusty finds Hydra who convinces Rusty to race using hydrogen from his tank to win the final race.
Its motif features many times across the show, in Freight, after Make Up My Heart, and during Rusty Why You Looking Sad.
The version of "Hydrogen" that appears on the 2024 cast recording is not the version that appears in the show, but an extended version that combines lyrics from the song as performed in Wembley with Hydra's introduction in Freight and some extra lyrics. That version was released as a single on 27 November 2024 to promote the album.
Lyrics[]
2024 Wembley Production Lyrics[]
| HYDRA: | It's not a matter of if, |
| It's a matter of when, | |
| For hydrogen. | |
| CONTROL: | I know who you're gonna race with. |
| HYDRA: | It's not a matter of if, |
| It's a matter of when, | |
| For hydrogen! | |
| RUSTY: | No way Hydra, my way is steam! |
| HYDRA: | I'm still steam and we can work as a team. |
| Trust me, you’ll thank me, | |
| Hook up to my tank. | |
| I've power to spare | |
| This steam is lighter than air. | |
| RUSTY: | If I convert |
| Will I still whistle? | |
| HYDRA: | Of course you will. |
| RUSTY: | Then maybe this’ll work. |
| It’s not a matter of if, | |
| It’s a matter of when, | |
| For hydrogen! | |
| BOTH: | It’s not a matter of if, |
| It’s a matter of when, | |
| For hydrogen! | |
| COMPANY: | It’s not a matter of if, |
| It’s a matter of when, | |
| For hydrogen! | |
| It’s not a matter of if, | |
| It’s a matter of when, | |
| For Hydra! |
Extended version[]
This version combines the lyrics from "Hydrogen" as performed in the Wembley production with Hydra's introduction in Freight and some extra lyrics that turn the song into a 3-minute pop song. Lyrics that Hydra performs in the show are bolded.
| Hydra | It's not a matter of if |
| It's a matter of when (when when when when) | |
| Ensemble | Hydrogen |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| Hydra | Give a hurricane a name |
| It's still a killer just the same | |
| But you treat this precious planet | |
| Like a video game | |
| Tell the world to give up smokin' | |
| Stop your coalin' and your cokin' | |
| Fossil fuel is a colossal tickin' | |
| Time bomb for the globe | |
| When the world is barbecued | |
| Where you gonna grow your food? | |
| You will starve | |
| 'Til you halve the population | |
| 'Til there's nobody | |
| Nobody left unless you place some reliance | |
| On the college with the knowledge | |
| Pay attention to the scientific truth! | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| + Ensemble | It's not a matter of if |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| Hydra | You're rollin' with your coal |
| You melt the snow at the pole | |
| You cause commotion in the ocean | |
| And the ocean's rise | |
| You set the world on fire | |
| You drive the temperature higher | |
| You're attacking all the forests | |
| And you're blackening the skies | |
| Trust me, you'll thank me | |
| Hook up to my tank | |
| I've power to spare | |
| This steam is lighter than air | |
| I can offer a solution | |
| To your future of pollution | |
| But you never seem to listen | |
| Like you just don't care | |
| + Ensemble | It's not a matter of if |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| Hydra | I'm the hero of net zero |
| I'm shaking up this status quo | |
| This world is so unstable | |
| Any moment it may blow | |
| + Ensemble | It's not a matter of if |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| It's not a matter of if | |
| It's a matter of when | |
| For hydrogen | |
| Hydrogen |