[Joyful piano. Hand-clapping. Foot-stomping. A full choir humming. Brother Sammartino's voice — bright, ecstatic, triumphant:]
"Brothers and sisters! Severed and saved! The saints are coming! The saints are marching! The saints are swinging their blades! Oh Lord! I want to be in that number! When the voices call me home!"
[The choir erupts. The hymn begins.]
[VERSE 1 — SUNG, GOSPEL, JOYFUL]
When the saints come marching in.
When the saints come marching in.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the saints come marching in.
They'll be severed. They'll be singing.
They'll be swinging their blades.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the voices call my name.
[CHORUS — FULL CHOIR, GOSPEL, TRIUMPHANT]
When the saints come marching in!
They'll be severed! They'll be thin!
They'll be swinging! They'll be singing!
When the saints come marching in!
When the saints come marching in!
They'll be covered in the blood and the skin!
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number!
When the saints come marching in!
[VERSE 2 — SUNG, BUILDING]
When the Destroyer calls us home.
When the Destroyer calls us home.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the Destroyer calls us home.
We'll be carrying our faces.
We'll be carrying our blades.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the Destroyer calls our names.
[BRIDGE — SPOKEN OVER SOFT PIANO]
[Brother Sammartino's voice, quiet, reverent, joyful:]
"You ever heard the saints marching? The sound of their feet. The sound of their blades. The sound of their voices singing. That's the number. That's the home. That's the thing that makes the voices sing."
[The piano swells. The choir returns.]
[VERSE 3 — SUNG, FULL CHOIR, TRIUMPHANT]
When the severed rise to sing.
When the severed rise to sing.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the severed rise to sing.
We'll be marching with the blade.
We'll be marching with the grace.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the severed take their place.
[FINAL CHORUS — FULL CHOIR, FULL ORCHESTRA, TRIUMPHANT, TERRIFYING]
When the saints come marching in!
They'll be severed! They'll be thin!
They'll be swinging! They'll be singing!
When the saints come marching in!
When the saints come marching in!
They'll be covered in the blood and the skin!
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number!
When the saints come marching in!
When the saints come marching in!
The Destroyer's number is about to begin!
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number!
When the saints come marching in!
[OUTRO]
[The piano fades to a single, joyful chord. Brother Sammartino's voice, warm, satisfied, eternal:]
"That was 'When the Saints Come Marching In.' The closing number. The final hymn. The thing that makes the voices dance."
[A pause. A soft, joyful laugh.]
"The saints are coming. The saints are marching. The saints are swinging their blades. And I'll be there. I'll be in that number. I'll be severed. I'll be saved. I'll be singing. I'll be swinging. Amen. Amen.”
AsheTheHyena
