"Light at the End of the Tunnel" is the big, gospel-flavoured finale to Starlight Express.
Context[]
After the big 11th hour duet between Rusty and Pearl, Poppa and the ensemble are led to their location by the crashed Greaseball, Caboose and Electra. Poppa convinces Greaseball and Electra that the future lies in their converting to Steam power.
The first productions, London and Broadway, gave the main vocals to Poppa and Belle, but in subsequent productions, Belle's lines were sung in the main by the ensemble, but occasionally by Ashley and Buffy. Later productions altered what was originally a slow break in the middle to continuing the upbeat pace throughout.
This number is often performed for promotional purposes. In permanent productions, the staging of the finale brings all the characters out into the audience, breaking the 4th wall and encouraging the audience to clap along.
Prior to the Megamix, this number concluded the show, with an instrumental skate-round and individual bows, then the cast singing a final refrain of "At the end of the tunnel there's a light - Starlight!" to finish the show.
Lyrics[]
Original London Lyrics[]
POPPA: | Diesel is for unbelievers! |
Electricity is wrong! | |
Steam has got the power | |
That'll pull you along! | |
There's a light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
There's a light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
The inside might | |
Be as black as the night | |
ALL: | But there's a light |
At the end of the tunnel | |
There's a light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
The inside might | |
Be as black as the night | |
But at the end of the tunnel | |
There's a light. | |
(There's a light) | |
POPPA: | It's the power of James Watt, |
The steaming Scot | |
ALL: | The man who watched the pot |
And said "Hey, I've got | |
A brilliant plot: | |
When the steam is hot | |
It seems to make a lot of power" | |
POPPA: | It could turn a wheel ... |
ALL: | Lots of power ... |
POPPA: | It could drive it down a track ... |
ALL: | Clickety clack, clickety clack... |
POPPA: | It could drive it with a beat ... |
ALL: | Choo-choo-choo... |
With enough left over for a | |
Whoo-whoo! | |
He saw the light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
He saw the light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
POPPA: | Thanks James Watt |
ALL: | (Thank you Mr Watt) |
POPPA: | For watching the pot |
ALL: | He saw a light |
At the end of the tunnel | |
He saw a light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
The inside might | |
Be as black as the night | |
But at the end of the tunnel | |
There's a light. | |
POPPA: | There are dark days ahead |
When the power goes dead. | |
When the oil runs dry | |
What can we try? | |
ALL: | We could use the sunlight |
POPPA: | But it don't shine at night. |
ALL: | Nuclear fission |
Leaves a nasty emission. | |
POPPA: | Soon the pistons will be humming |
Steam will have a second coming | |
Woo-woo-woo! | |
ALL: | We see light |
At the end of the tunnel | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
Just dig a hole | |
And haul out the coal | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
So let the water boil - | |
Goodbye to oil | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
There's a light. | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
(We see the light) | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
(We see the light) | |
When the Angel Gabriel | |
Blows his magic toot | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
(We see the light) | |
We see light | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
(We see the light) | |
We see the distant gleam | |
That tells you it's steam | |
At the end of the tunnel | |
There's a light | |
Starlight! |
1997 Mexico + Translation[]
EL JEFE: | El Diesel debe irse lento | POPPA: | Diesel must make you slow |
Falla la electricidad | Electricity fails | ||
El vapor nos guía os | Steam will guide us, | ||
Lo digo en verdad | I tell you the truth | ||
Siempre hay luz | There's a light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Si, si | Yes, yes | ||
Siempre hay luz | There's a light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Da miedo entrar | It's frightening to enter | ||
Pero ves al final | But see at the end | ||
TODOS: | Que siempre hay luz | ALL: | That there's a light |
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Siempre hay luz | There's a light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Da miedo entrar | It's frightening to enter | ||
Pero ves al final | But you see at the end | ||
Que brillará en el túnel | That the shine in the tunnel | ||
Una luz | Is a light | ||
EL JEFE: | Volverá el vapor | POPPA: | Steam will return |
TODOS: | Con potencia | ALL: | With power |
EL JEFE: | Su poder locomotor | POPPA: | It's locomotive power |
TODOS: | Ferrocarril, Ferrocarril | ALL: | Railroad, railroad |
EL JEFE: | Y que suene al rodar | POPPA: | And it sounds when it's rolling |
TODOS: | Chu, Chu, Chu | ALL: | Choo, choo, choo |
EL JEFE: | Hasta que se oiga un gran | POPPA: | Until a great one is heard |
TODOS: | Woo, Woo, Woo | ALL: | Woo, Woo, Woo |
Ya veo luz | We see the light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Ya veo luz | We see the light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Da miedo entrar | It may be frightening in side | ||
Pero ves al final | But see at the end | ||
Que brillará en el túnel | That the shine in the tunnel | ||
Una luz | Is a light | ||
(Una luz) | (Is a light) | ||
EL JEFE: | Viene la extinción | POPPA: | The extinction is coming |
Si queremos tracción | If we want traction | ||
Sin petroleo Ya | Without oil now | ||
Que pasará | What happens | ||
Que mueva el sol al tren | To the solar powered train | ||
Y en la noche quién | In the night | ||
TODOS: | Es muy nocivo | ALL: | It is very harmful |
El poder radioactivo | Radioactive power is very dangerous | ||
EL JEFE: | El vapor esta más cerca | POPPA: | Steam is very close |
Su reacción se acerca | It's reaction coming | ||
TODOS: | Ya veo luz | ALL: | We see the light |
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Ya veo luz | We see the light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
EL JEFE: | La solución será el carbón | POPPA: | The answer will be coal |
TODOS: | Ya veo luz | ALL: | We see the light |
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Ya veo luz | We see the light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
EL JEFE: | Ya vemos luz | POPPA: | We see the light |
TODOS: | La necesitaras agua y ya | ALL: | Now you need water |
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
Siempre hay luz | There is light | ||
EL JEFE: | Hay que llegar | POPPA: | You have to come |
TODOS: | Ya vemos luz | ALL: | We see the light |
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
(Ya vemos luz, ya vemos luz) | (we see the light, we see the light) | ||
Canta aleluya con el corazón | Sing "alelujah" with your heart | ||
Y ve la luz | And see the light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
(Ve la luz y ve la luz) | (See the light, see the light) | ||
Y ve la luz | And see the light | ||
Al final del túnel | At the end of the tunnel | ||
(Ve la luz y ve la luz) | (See the light, see the light) | ||
Si miras un fulgor | If you see a light | ||
Y ves el vapor | And see the steam | ||
Esa luz en el túnel | This light in the tunnel | ||
Es la luz | Is the light | ||
Astral | Starlight |
German Lyrics[]
POPPA: | Diesel nimmt dir deinen Glauben! |
Elektrizität schafft es nie! | |
Dampf allein' hat Kräfte, | |
Die uns jetzt vorwärts zieh'n. | |
Es gibt ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Es gibt ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Ist man im Tunnel drin, dann sieht man es nicht, | |
Jedoch am Ende des Tunnels scheint ein Licht. | |
ALL: | Es gibt ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. |
Es gibt ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Ist man im Tunnel drin, dann sieht man es nicht, | |
Jedoch am Ende des Tunnels scheint ein Licht. | |
POPPA: | Es entdeckte James Watt den Dampf im Pott, |
Der Schotte war ganz platt, dass Dampf Kraft hat, | |
Denn in der Tat bringt Dampf in Fahrt, | |
Mit Dampf kann man sehr viel bewegen. | |
Er bewegt das Land - | |
ALL: | Kann bewegen. |
POPPA: | Bringt jeden Zug in Fahrt - |
ALL: | Ratatata, Ratatata. |
POPPA: | Sein Rhythmus tut uns gut - |
ALL: | Shoo Shoo Shoo. |
POPPA: | Und er hat genug Kraft für das - |
ALL: | Wowoo. |
Er sah das Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnel. | |
Er sah das Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnel. | |
POPPA: | Denn dank James Watt bringt Dampf in Fahrt. |
ALL: | Er sah das Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnel. |
Er sah das Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnel. | |
Ist man im Tunnel drin, dann sieht man es nicht, | |
Jedoch am Ende des Tunnels scheint ein Licht. | |
POPPA: | Es kommt eine Zeit großer Dunkelheit, |
Wenn das Öl versieht - | |
Wo es nichts mehr gibt! | |
ALL: | Es gibt Sonnenenergie - |
POPPA: | Doch nachts gibt es sie nie! |
ALL: | Atomenergie - |
POPPA: | Wollen wir nie! |
Lass den Kolben nicht verstummen, | |
Dampf wird schließlich wieder kommen! | |
ALL: | Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. |
Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Drum grabt ein Loch und holt Kohle raus. | |
Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Das Wasser gibt uns kraft, wir haben's geschafft, | |
Ganz am Ende des Tunnels schein ein Licht. | |
Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Wenn der Engel Gabriel uns ein Zeichen gibt, | |
Seh'n wir das Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Wir sehen ein Licht ganz am Ende des Tunnels. | |
Wir sehen den hellen Schein, der Dampf muss es sein, | |
Denn ein Licht scheint uns in der Dunkelheit: | |
Starlight! |