All the World's a Stage (Music Background)

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.
His acts being seven ages.
ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE...

At first the INFANT
Mewling and puling, in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining SCHOOL BOY with his satchel and shining morning face,
creeping like a snail unwilling to go to school

And then the LOVER sighing like furnace,
With a woeful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow.

Then a SOLDIER, full of strange oaths and bearded like a pard.
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth!

And then the JUSTICE in fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut.
Full of wise saws and modern instances,
And so he plays his part.

The SIXTH AGE shifts into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon.
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side.
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide,
For his shrunk shank;
And his big manly voice turning again toward childish treble,
pipes and whistles in his sound.

Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history
Is second childishness and mere OBLIVION,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE