Welcome to the New World lyrics

(San Francisco version)

Lestat:
What more could one expect
Of something new?

A feast of saints and sinners
A home spun web of old beginnings,
This new world holds the most collective stew
For what indeed
Could match this popery.

Here the immigrant is plentiful,
the pagan Indian colorful,
This America seemed the ideal spot for me.
The German and the Irish flock here
With hope and family,
The melody of language fills the streets,
Like myself, there are the French
Who bring their old world common sense
While the Spanish bring their fine nobility.
Here the tribal garb, the manners
Of the free people of colour
Seems strange to me
When others are enslaved.

This New Orleans, this melting pot
Is overflowing with cast offs
Who've been dragged or freely came across the waves.
And here there's (unable to hear lyric) as they shout out the windows

'Welcome to the new world
Of the Cajun and the Creole.
Welcome to the new World.
You preening, puffed up Europeans
Shake loose your prior shackles
For some good old superstition.
Welcome to the new world.
For a wealth at new beginnings.'

This port is filled with sailors
That on drunkenness and leachery
Who captor tavern filled with whores and rum
While priests run rampant blessing
Any malcontent confessor.
It's apparent they're outnumbered by the scum.
The poet and the artist
Find these mean streets most romantic,
Enchanted by the bourgeois
It's a civilized debauchery
A society built on sorcery
Who could inspire the most illiterate of beasts
And here's there's... as they shout out the windows

'Welcome to the new world
Of the Cajun and the Creole.
Welcome to The New World.
You preening, puffed up Europeans
Shake loose your prior shackles
For some good old superstition.
And welcome to the New World
For a wealth at new beginnings.'

So I think for me a mansion
On some reputable plantation
Would well besuit this nouvelle pioneer.
For I'm sold upon this city
And the grand old Mississippi
and the variations of cuisine that are here
(Laughter)

(New York version)

Ensemble:
And there's cheer in the streets
As they shout out the windows.
Welcome to the new world of the cajun and the creole.
Welcome to the new world,
You preening, pufffed up Europeans.
Shake loose your pious shackles
For some good old superstition.
And a wealth of new beginnings!

Lestat:
What more could one expect of something new?
A feast of saints and sinners.
A homespun web of bold beginnings.
This new world boasts a most collective stew.
And so indeed I'll plunge into the stream.
Here regret no longer lingers.
New passions here I'll cling to.
In America, I'll reconstruct my dreams.

Ensemble:
And there's cheer in the streets
As we shout out the windows.
Welcome to the new world of the cajun and the creole.
Welcome to the new world,
You preening, pufffed up Europeans.
Shake loose your pious shackles
For some good old superstition.
And a wealth of new beginnings!

Ensemble & Lestat:
And now it's time to rejoice
Won't you come and join the faithful.

Ensemble:
Welcome to the new world

Ensemble & Lestat:
And the music of the people.

Welcome to the new world,

Ensemble:
You preening, puffed up Europeans.
Shake loose your pious shackles
For some good old superstitions!
It's time to rejoice!
Come join the faithful!
Music of the people!

Ensemble & Lestat:
Welcome to the new world

Ensemble:
All you would-be saints and sinners
Trade in your righteous thinking
For some good old superstition
And a wealth of new beginnings!