The Spirit of Allah
a musical about Ruhollah Khomeini and the Iranian Revolution
Posted by Jew from Jersey
15 July 2003
Scene6. “Freedom”
Googoosh, the Shah, Dariush Foruhar, townspeople, gendarmes[The Background is the same, but with the addition of a number of spanking new oil refineries, smokestacked factories, and skyscrapers, hotels, etc. Dress is more Western than in earlier scenes. In the foreground is a stage. On the stage is a full orchestra and rock band and in front of them is a microphone. Orchestra begins to play. Enter Googoosh with very impressive hairdo and flashy evening gown.]
[Enter Mohammed-Reza Shah Pahlavi, in full monarchial Regalia.]
- G: Baby, baby, baby, you know you do me right.
- You got that freedom thing, baby, that I like
- You got that good thing, baby, you got it goin’ on
- You got that freedom thing and I just wanna have fun
[Enter Dariush Foruhar, in black turtleneck sweater and sports jacket.]
- MRP: That’s right, people, I got freedom, you know I do
- Freedom is my gift tonight from me to you
- Freedom, wealth, prestige, and whoop-de-doo
- And just remember, your Shah gave it to you
- Behold I give you electric light
- I give you artificial stars to dream by at night
- I give you household gadgets to help you dream
- And I got rid of the clergy, so your consciences are clean
- G: Wooooooooo!
- MRP: I seized some islands from the Arabs to help our country grow
- And the imperialist powers know they can’t push us around no mo’
- I’ve created a new party and everyone has to join
- Just my way of showing it’s yours just as much as it’s mine
- You don’t need the clergy when you’ve got me
- When they were around you never felt this free
- We’re the biggest and the best and the richest and the freest
- We’re the new America of the Middle East
[Music plays on. Spoken:]
- DF: You think you can dispense freedom like candy, sitting on your throne
- You can’t fool me, I’ve been to the Sorbonne
- Freedom is something that is taken, not given
- Freedom is when people stop obeying, and start livin’!
- And what’s more your party is a fascist joke
- To hide your autocratic rule behind participatory smoke
- You pretend to be benevolent, and your government spends
- But most of the wealth goes to your family and friends
- G: Baby, baby, baby, you know you got me all hot
- I like that cool cool dissent thing, baby, that you got
- You got that good thing, baby, you got it workin’ on me
- You got that dissent thing and I just gotta be free
[MRP attempts to physically restrain DF.]
- DF: Say: “yeah!”
- Chorus: Yeah!
- DF: Say: “yeah!”
- Chorus: Yeah!
- DF: Say: “Gharbzadegi!” (=”westoxication”)
- Chorus: Gharbzadegi!
- DF: Say: “Ali Shariati!” (patron saint of national-religious intellectuals 1933-77)
- Chorus: Ali Shariati!
- DF: Oh yeah...
- MRP: But, but I’m your Shah. I give all of this wonderful freedom. Can’t you at least say my name, too?
- DF: No way, old man, you’re through. [does some dance steps.]
- MRP: Stop that, stop that right now. You can’t talk to me like that, I’m the Shah.
- DF: You see that? He’s showing his true colors. Freedom my eye. My friends, we’re living in a fascist dictatorship, and —
[Upon hearing the name “Khomeini,” MRP desists and in a calmer manner, summons gendarmes to put an end to the event.]
- DF [obviously not taking any of this seriously]: Help! Help! I’m being repressed by this horrible dictator. Iranians, countrymen, this is the same tyrant who ordered his troops to fire on our crowds at the Feiziyeh Mosque, this is the man who is selling our beloved homeland to foreign — [begins to yell]: Khomeini! Khomeini! Yeah, yeah! We support Khomeini! Only Khomeini can save us!
- Townspeople: Khomeini! Khomeini! etc.