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This is the interrogation of a Supreme Court nominee by a congressional committee. The nominee is written as feminine but could be changed to masculine.
This is sung by four people, the nominee [N], and three committee members, [1], [2], and [3]. They usually sing individually, but are together at the end.
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[N]From the bench one con-tem-plates, in-ter-ro-gates, and co-gi- tates. One con-cen-trates and ru-mi-nates, en-ga-ges in pro-found de-bates. All this work so cap-ti-vates that jud-ges o-ften thank the fates, yet one task lies be-yond the gates, off li-mits to all ma-ge-strates. A pro-per ju-stice he-si-tates, she ne-ver, ne-ver, ne-ver, e-ver le-gis-lates. From the bench one ca-li-brates, prog-nos-ti-cates, and for-mu-lates; One ex-pli-cates and ed-u-cates, [1]and now and then in-fu-ri-ates. [N]But just as one de-li-ni-ates the right-ful po-wers of the states, So, too, a ju-stice de-mon-strates re-straint in what she pro-mul-gates; Or, as George Bush ab-bre-vi-ates: [all]She ne-ver, ne-ver, ne-ver, e-ver le-gis-lates. [N]He speaks the word that lu-bri-cates, that a-ni-mates, that mo-ti-vates, That ab-so-lute-ly ju-bi-lates the right and all their sta-ble-mates. He speaks the phrase that va-li-dates, the line that sim-ply sa-li-vates; [2]The left just hy-per-ven-ti-lates, [3]while li-ver bile ac-cu-mu-lates, [N]No won-der George re-i-te-rates: She con-tem-plates and ru-mi-nates, [1]in-ter-ro-gates and co-gi-tates. [2+3]ed-u-cates and de-mon-strates, de-lin-e-ates and cap-ti-vates, [N+1]But she ne-ver, ne-ver, ne-ver, [all]ne-ver, ne-ver, ne-ver, e-ver le-gis-lates. |