This edition was prepared by John Hetland — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Ambition
Staff Notation • Secular, Art songs
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Ambition by Barbara Rosen — Lyrics
When the mailman brings
the mail on through,
in gloom and rain and snow
behaving like a pro.
Nobody looks up to him
or thinks that he's a hero;
he's just an ordinary Jim,
his glamour index zero.
And policemen spend their professional time
on the beat, on the street, preventing crime.
They're expected to be above suspicion,
corageous, calm, without ambition,
except, perhaps, to die in saving
us nice folks from those who are misbehaving.
But until they do we rarely see
Their heroic accountability.
When a Catholic goes to see a priest
inside that dark confessional,
he doesn't worry in the least,
for he knows the man's professional.
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About Ambition
Barbara Rosen sets a witty English text exploring the quiet dedication of everyday professionals. The SA voicing and secular art song genre lend themselves to a direct and often humorous musical treatment. The lyrics contrast the public's lack of recognition for seemingly mundane but vital roles – the mailman, the police officer, the priest – with the expectation of unwavering commitment and even heroic sacrifice. Rosen’s setting captures the essence of these observations, focusing on the internal qualities of service and duty, free from overt displays of personal gain or desire. It’s a thoughtful reflection on what ambition truly means in the context of professional life.
