Little Do They Know (Reprise) Lyrics
Little Do They Know (Reprise)
Chorus:So the star needs a stage
To change her clothes
And the natives are restless
Their anxiety shows
He:
And their hostile posture
Seems to say
She:
When will she be back?
He:
Who the hell are they?
Chorus:
But the knowledgable gypsy knows
It's ridiculous to throw a fit
That's the way things are
When they pay to see a star
He:
But...
Chorus:
Little do they know
And little do they see
Without us paying court
Without us in support
How lousy she might be
She:
When we go...
[Music plays]
He:
They don't even stir
Chorus:
When we go...
[Music plays]
Chorus:
They only look at her
Girls:
Such inequality
Men:
Little do they know
Girls:
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah
Men:
That we are even there
Girls:
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah
Chorus:
Yes, that's the gypsy's curse
And what is even worse
Little do they care
Men:
Mornings at the bar
Women:
Mornings at the bar
Men:
Sweating through the class
Girls:
Sweating through the class
Girl #1:
Yet she's the one they spot
Girl #2:
No matter what you got
Girl #3:
On how you posturesque
Chorus:
If the like...
[Music plays]
Chorus:
We didn't hear the proof
Yet she goes...
[music plays]
Chorus:
And hear them raise the roof
Talk about equity
Gotta have a dream
Girls:
Ah ah ah ah
Men:
That isn't mine alone
Girls:
Ah ah ah
Chorus:
Each gypsy that you see
Is just the same as me
The fact is why we know
Someday I'll go so far
That I'll become a star
With gypsy's of my own!
Song Overview
TL;DR: A quick callback that tightens the screw: the chorus repeats the complaint, but with less patience. It is a short reprise that lands like a final underline before the show rushes onward.
Review and Highlights
Quick summary
- Where it sits: Act II, credited to the ensemble labeled "Boys and Girls" in the Broadway song list.
- Track identity: Track 11 on the cast album; about 1:18 to 1:19 depending on listing.
- What it is: A reprise that reframes the earlier chorus commentary as a late-show reminder.
- How it plays: Short and pointed, with the hook doing the heavy lifting rather than new material.
- Why it matters: It keeps the show honest: the star system is still the star system, even after the applause.
The Act (1977) - stage musical - not strictly diegetic. Act II placement: the ensemble steps forward again and reminds the room what the public misses. Why it matters: reprises are usually comfort food, but this one reads like a receipt. The chorus is still doing the labor, and the audience is still watching the star.
Creation History
The show is built as a vehicle for Michelle Craig, with most numbers designed to keep the spotlight welded to the lead. That is exactly why this reprise stands out: it is not about her feelings, it is about the ecosystem around her. On record, the reprise is trimmed to the essentials - a tight callback that sounds engineered for pacing, the way a director might say, "We need the point again, then we move." The cast album sequence documents that strategy by placing this reprise late, just before the final run of big solo material.
Song Meaning and Annotations
Plot
The Act presents Michelle Craig as a movie star rebuilding herself as a Las Vegas headliner, with the plot functioning mostly as a frame for a sequence of new songs. The chorus numbers are the outliers: they comment on the business around her rather than her internal monologue. This reprise returns to that chorus lens late in Act II, when the audience has had time to enjoy the star machine and can now be reminded of its price tag.
Song Meaning
The earlier "Little Do They Know" argues that the public sees the star and forgets the supporting workers. The reprise does not expand the argument so much as tighten it. The hook becomes a final warning: you can applaud the center, but the edges are still holding the picture together. In that sense, it plays like stagecraft about stagecraft, a little wink that is also a nudge.
Annotations
Little do they know
The title line returns as verdict, not setup. In a reprise, repetition is the point, and here the point is accountability.
Boys and Girls
The ensemble credit matters. The reprise is less about a character and more about a working group speaking as one, which is the right tool for this kind of commentary.
Reprise
In practical terms, it is the show reclaiming an earlier idea to keep the evening coherent. In dramatic terms, it is the chorus insisting they still exist.
Style and rhythm
The reprise lives on immediacy. It is short enough that the listener barely has time to settle in, which is part of the theatrical effect. A reprise that overstays becomes a new song. This one stays what it is: a fast re-statement, a quick chorus gesture, and then a hard cut back to the star.
Technical Information (Quick Facts)
- Artist: Liza Minnelli
- Featured: Boys and Girls (ensemble credit in the Broadway song list)
- Composer: John Kander
- Lyricist: Fred Ebb
- Producer (cast album): Hugh Fordin
- Release Date: June 1978 (original cast album)
- Genre: show tune
- Label: DRG Records
- Mood: brisk, wry, pointed
- Length: 1:18 (some listings show 1:19)
- Track #: 11
- Language: English
- Album: The Act (Original 1977 Broadway Cast Recording)
- Music style: reprise callback with chorus emphasis
- Poetic meter: accentual, speech-driven stresses
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who sings the reprise in the Broadway show?
- The Broadway song list credits "Little Do They Know (Reprise)" to the ensemble labeled "Boys and Girls".
- Is the reprise on the cast album?
- Yes. Standard track lists include it as Track 11.
- How long is it?
- Common listings put it at 1:18, with some platforms rounding to 1:19.
- What does the reprise add that the earlier number does not?
- Compression and timing. It reasserts the idea without rebuilding the whole argument, which makes it feel like a late-show reminder.
- Is it a separate song or just a snippet?
- It is a distinct track and a staged reprise, but it functions like a snippet by design: quick, focused, and there to pivot the evening to the next number.
- Why is the ensemble voice important here?
- Because the content is about the unseen workforce. A chorus speaking as a group is part of the message, not only the sound.
- Was it released as a single?
- It is best documented as part of the cast recording rather than as a standalone single release.
Awards and Chart Positions
The reprise itself is not tracked as a standalone chart item in standard discographies, but the production and album around it have a documented footprint. The show earned major Tony attention including Minnelli's Best Actress win, and the cast album is documented as briefly charting on the Cash Box Top Albums list, peaking at 188 in mid-July 1978. For a reprise this short, that context is the point: it lives as part of a larger machine, exactly the machine it is teasing.
| Item | Result | Year / Date |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards (The Act) | Best Actress in a Musical - Liza Minnelli (win); additional nominations included score | 1978 season |
| US Top Albums (Cash Box) | Cast album peak position: 188 | July 15, 1978 |
Additional Info
A reprise can be lazy, a simple reminder for people returning from the lobby. This one is more like a stage manager clearing the throat. By Act II, the audience has enjoyed the polish, the wit, the star voltage. The reprise slides in and says: yes, and do not forget who is holding the ladder. I like that it does not beg for sympathy. It is too brisk for that. It just states the fact and keeps walking.
Key Contributors
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| John Kander | composed | "Little Do They Know (Reprise)" |
| Fred Ebb | wrote lyrics for | "Little Do They Know (Reprise)" |
| Boys and Girls | sing | the reprise in the Broadway song list |
| Liza Minnelli | performed | the reprise track on the cast album |
| Hugh Fordin | produced | The Act (cast album) |
| DRG Records | released | The Act (cast album) |
Sources
Sources: IBDB production page for The Act (song list and Act II credits), The Act (cast recording) reference entry (release history and Cash Box peak), Discogs track listing for The Act (duration of the reprise), AllMusic album track list (track timing), DRG Records YouTube delivery page for the track, Shazam album page listing the reprise in the track sequence