Race: Heat One is the first time we see the characters proving what they've so far only talked about: Racing.
Context[]
The first race we see features Greaseball the reigning champion, and his long-time partner Dinah, squaring off against his rivals. Almost every production has altered the race structure, but the first race is Greaseball's for the taking.
Music[]
The race music combines various melodies to help tell the story of the action, along with specific melodies for the race itself. Race One invariably features one of Greaseball's numbers, either "Pumping Iron" or "Rolling Stock", plus melodies to represent the other competitors. As this varies from one production to the next, so does the music used.
As part of the 30th anniversary revisions that started in London and were rolled out in Bochum, lyrics were added to the build-up to both this heat and heat two. As Control announces them, each competitor briefly sings using a fragment of a melody from a song cut from Starlight Express back in 1988, "No Comeback". The same fragment is sung by Electra and Pearl in "Laughing Stock".
Heat One Participants[]
London 1984 Production[]
RACE ONE - STARLIGHT EXPRESS - LONDON - 1988
Race One, 1988 London
In the original London production, all the races had a live announcer commenting on the races, with recorded Control announcing the racers, the countdown and the winner. Each race had three racers. The first engine to win the heat qualifies for the final.
"Call Me Rusty", "AC/DC", "No Comeback" all feature in the 1984 Recording of "The Race". The track labelled "The Race" is actually "Race: Heat Two". "Pumping Iron" was the only melody to feature onstage, as neither Espresso or Hashamoto have a major melody.
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Winner)
- Track Two: Espresso and Buffy
- Track Three: Hashamoto and CB
Broadway 1987 Production[]
From the opening of the Broadway production in 1987, Control commented on the races, there are four engines competing and the first two engines to finish the win qualifies for the final. The race entries are the same for the 1988 North American Tour and Las Vegas.
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Winner)
- Track Two: Weltschaft and Joule
- Track Three: Turnov and Red Caboose
- Track Four: Electra and Pearl (2nd Place qualifier)
Japanese/Australian Stadium Tour 1987[]
The national engines are given twins so all of the nationals enter in "Race: Heat One" while their twins race in "Race: Heat Two".
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Winner)
- Track Two: Hashimoto and Rocky
- Track Three: Turnov and Red Caboose
- Track Four: Electra and Pearl (2nd Place qualifier)
- Track Five: Bobo and Flat-Top (Volta in 1990)
- Track Six: Weltschaft and Joule
- Track Seven: Espresso and Buffy
German 1988 Production[]
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Winner/Dead Heat)
- Track Two: Hashamoto/Manga and Volta/Wrench
- Track Three: Turnov and Red Caboose
- Track Four: Electra and Pearl (2nd place qualifier/Dead Heat)
The races have been re-choreographed on several occasions, but the basic plot is that everyone is playing dirty from the start. Caboose lands Turnov in trouble, and he ends up unable to finish the race. Caboose, possibly aided by Greaseball, then steals Hashamoto from Volta, and by failing to brake his excessive speed, causes Hashamoto to miss the final turn to make the finish line, and Hashamoto crashes. Meanwhile Greaseball and Electra cross the finish line together, and Control calls it a "Dead Heat".
The various revisions have made the races gradually more slapstick comedic than athletic - all choreographed stunts rather than speed skating. The Traxes are included as "Race Marshalls", who perform tricks as they speed round the track before the race begins. They also serve to clear away the wrecked Turnov. In 2018, Hashamoto was renamed Manga and Volta was replaced by Wrench.
Musically, Race One originally included the guitar solo from "Pumping Iron", and "AC/DC" to represent Electra's place in the race. The 2013 version includes "No Comeback", and elements that could relate to "Whole Lotta Locomotion".
London 1992 Production[]
The 1992 revisions to the London production brought the race structure in line with the other productions worldwide. With the removal of Caboose as a character, the races became more random and less plot driven. Krupp took the place of Caboose as the partner of the Japanese Engine - now named Nintendo instead of Hashamoto. Rather than rely on a tightly staged Dead Heat finish to the race, Greaseball wins with Electra in second place. The detailed race commentary is preserved on the "New Starlight Express" cast recording.
The Music features "Rolling Stock" to represent Greaseball, and "No Comeback" to represent the Electric characters.
Race One - London 1993 audio
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Winner)
- Track Two: Espresso and Buffy
- Track Three: Nintendo and Krupp
- Track Four: Electra and Pearl (2nd place qualifier)
US/UK/NZ Tour - 3D Race Films[]
Race One - US Tour 2004
With the removal of Bobo and Espresso from the touring productions, the number of entries revert back to three entries and the race is filmed in 3D footage. The filmed race footage means that staging a dead heat finish is no difficulty, so the tension between the two main rivals is maintained.
Musically the race includes "Rolling Stock" for Greaseball and "AC/DC" for Electra.
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Dead Heat winner)
- Track Two: Ruhrgold and Caboose
- Track Three: Electra and Pearl (Dead Heat winner)
Wembley 2024 Production[]
Blue Lightning crashes early in the race, veering into a barrier and unable to continue. Silver Bullet crashes on the final turn, having not stopped in time to turn, allowing Electra and Pearl, and Greaseball and Dinah, to cross the finish line together as joint winners.
The entries for "Race: Heat One" are as follows:
- Track One: Greaseball and Dinah (Dead Heat winner)
- Track Two: Electra and Pearl (Dead Heat winner)
- Track Three: Blue Lightning and Lumber
- Track Four: Silver Bullet and Belle
Lyrics[]
1992 "New Starlight Express" (London)[]
| CONTROL: | Get lost, Rusty. |
| This is Control. | |
| Race time minus two minutes. | |
| Listen up, 'cause these are the rules. | |
| We have two eliminator heats. | |
| The first two trains in each heat make the final. | |
| Got that? Two heats, two qualifiers from each. | |
| Any foul play, you're back in the box. | |
| Heat one. | |
| Heat one. | |
| Race time minus one minute. | |
| Race time minus one minute. | |
| In track one: the reigning champion, Greaseball the diesel with Dinah the dining car. | |
| In track two: Espresso the Riviera Express with Buffy the buffet car. | |
| In track three: Nintendo the Japanese bullet train with Krupp the armament truck. | |
| In track four: Electra the engine of the future with Pearl the observation car. | |
| Trains to your tracks. | |
| 20 seconds... | |
| 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... | |
| Trains gone! | |
| Two trains going for two final places. | |
| And it looks like Greaseball and Espresso are the early leaders, | |
| with Nintendo pressing in third. | |
| Well that's not in the rulebook! | |
| But it shows Nintendo who's boss. | |
| No one messes with the champion! | |
| Up the nursery slope, it's still Greaseball. | |
| But Espresso's looking good... | |
| Wuh-oh! He don't look so good now! | |
| It's the double whammy from Electra and the champion! | |
| Across the high level, it's Greaseball, Electra, Nintendo and Espresso. | |
| And that's how it stays as they ??? the ??? | |
| It's Nintendo! Nintendo takes Electra! | |
| And Nintendo passes Greaseball! | |
| Ow! | |
| Electra takes time out to teach Nintendo a lesson: | |
| Don't play with electricity! | |
| But that puts the champ back in. | |
| The champ leads. | |
| And now Electra takes it up! | |
| This is getting hot! | |
| Nintendo makes his play | |
| He takes Espresso... | |
| He takes Greaseball! | |
| He takes Electra! | |
| Nintendo must win! | |
| He's overdone it! | |
| Nintendo crashes! | |
| Winner of heat one: Greaseball the diesel with Electra in second place. | |
| Greaseball and Electra have a place in the final! |
1997 Mexico + Translation[]
This production follows the running order of the German production.[1]
| CONTROL (Spanish): | Desaparece Ferro | CONTROL (English): | Disappear Rusty |
| Aquí Control, faltan 2 minutos | Here is Control! Two minutes | ||
| Para carrera | Until the race | ||
| Escuchen bien estas son las reglas | Listen good, these are the rules | ||
| Tendremos dos eliminatorias | We have two elminator heats | ||
| Los dos trenes que ganen en cada una | The two trains that win each one | ||
| Pasarán a la gran final, ¿entendieron? | Will race in the final. Understand? | ||
| Dos finales, dos fianlistas en cada una | Two finals, two finalists in each one | ||
| El que haga trampa lo mando a su caja | Anyone that causes trouble will be back in the box | ||
| Primera Ronda de Alaska a Nueva York | First race from Alaska to New York | ||
| Falta un minuto para la carrera | One minute away from the race! | ||
| Hagan sus apuestas | Make your bets | ||
| En el primer Andén el campeón Turbo | In track one, the champion, Greaseball | ||
| La maquina Diesel, con Vianda | The diesel engine with Dinah | ||
| Abranle paso al campeón | Open the way for the champ | ||
| Y recibanlo con un gran aplauso | And welcome him with a round of applause | ||
| En el segundo Andrén | In track Two | ||
| Boris, la maquina Rusa | Boris, the Russian Engine | ||
| Con el Cabús Rojo | With the Red Caboose | ||
| Denle la bienvenida al poder ruso | Give a welcome to the Russian Power | ||
| En el tercer Andén, Nintendo | In track three, Nintendo | ||
| El tren bala, con Volta | The Bullet Train, with Volta | ||
| Venga una obasión para el | An ovation for the | ||
| Poderoso tren del Sol Naciente | Powerful train of the Rising Sun | ||
| En el cuarto Andén, Electra con Perla | In track four, Electra with Pearl | ||
| Damas y caballeros, Electra | Ladies and Gentlemen, Electra | ||
| Trenes a sus carriles | Trains to your tracks | ||
| Faltan 20 segundos | 20 seconds away | ||
| Se cierran las apuestas | Close the bets | ||
| 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Fuera!! | 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 They're off! | ||
| Electra le va a quitar la corona | Electra is going to win the crown | ||
| No!! hay un empate | No! There is a tie! | ||
| Electra y Turbo califican para la gran final. | Electra and Greaseball qualify for the final! |
2017 London Workshop Lyrics[]
| CONTROL: | In track 1: the reigning champion, |
| Greaseball the diesel, with Dinah the dining car. | |
| GREASEBALL: | Clear my track, I am the champion! |
| Diesel rules the day Clear my track | |
| CONTROL: | In track 2: Nintendo the Japanese engine with Volta. |
| NINTENDO: | Clear my track, The bullet's coming. |
| Now the sun will rise, Clear my track | |
| CONTROL: | In track 3: Electra, the engine of the future, |
| With Pearl, the first-class carriage. | |
| ELECTRA: | Clear my track, I am the future! |
| Electric taking charge, Clear my track | |
| CONTROL: | And in track 4: Turnov the Russian engine with the Red Caboose. |
| TURNOV: | Clear my track for Mother Russia! |
| Putin's shooting star! Clear my track | |
| GREASEBALL: | Hey Caboose! |
| Do we have a deal? Usual fee? | |
| CABOOSE: | Usual fee! |
| Turnov won't know why he's going so slow! |
2018 German Lyrics[]
| GREASEBALL: | Aus dem Weg, hier kommt der Champion! |
| Diesel hat die Macht, Gleise frei! | |
| MANGA: | Aus dem Weg, macht Platz für Manga! |
| Bereit für meinen Kampf, Gleise frei! | |
| ELECTRA: | Aus dem Weg, ich bin die Zukunft |
| Der Strom kommt jetzt zum Zug, Gleise frei! | |
| TURNOV: | Bahn frei für Mütterchen Russland, |
| Putin's shooting star, Gleise frei!* | |
| GREASEBALL: | Hey Caboose! |
| Sind wir uns noch einig? Üblicher Preis? | |
| CABOOSE: | Üblicher Preis. |
| Alles okay, dafür bremse ich Turnov! |
*shortly after Russian troups invaded Ukraine in 2022, Richard Stilgoe officially changed this line to 'Hashtag Oligarch, Gleise frei!'
2018 German Lyrics Translation[]
| GREASEBALL: | Get out of my way, here comes the champion! |
| Diesel has the power, clear the tracks! | |
| MANGA: | Get out of my way, give way for Manga! |
| Ready for my fight, clear the tracks! | |
| ELECTRA: | Get out of my way, I am the future |
| Electricity is taking charge, clear the tracks! | |
| TURNOV: | Clear trails for Mother Russia, |
| Putin's shooting star, clear the tracks!* | |
| GREASEBALL: | Hey Caboose! |
| Do we still agree? Usual price? | |
| CABOOSE: | Usual price. |
| It‘s all okay, I will slow down Turnov! |
2024 Wembley Lyrics[]
| GREASEBALL: | Clear my track |
| I am the champion | |
| Diesel rules the day | |
| Clear my track | |
| ELECTRA: | Clear my track |
| I am the future | |
| Hear all shout defeat | |
| Clear my track | |
| BLUE LIGHTNING: | Clear my track |
| No one is faster | |
| I'm the one to beat | |
| Clear my track | |
| SILVER BULLET: | Clear my track |
| I'll be victorious | |
| Watch me take the lead | |
| Clear my track |
*shortly after Russian troups invaded Ukraine in 2022, Richard Stilgoe officially changed this line to 'Hashtag Oligarch, clear the tracks!'