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"Little People"
Little People
Information
Composer

Claude-Michel Schönberg

Lyricist

Herbert Kretzmer

Performers

Gavroche
Javert
Les Amis de l'ABC

Song Order
Previous

"Javert's Arrival"

Next

"A Little Fall of Rain"

"Little People" takes place at the barricades. Gavroche tells the revolutionaries that Javert is a spy and is really a police inspector.

"Little People" is Gavroche's most famous song in the musical Les Misérables.

The lyrics were written by Herbert Kretzmer

On the original French concept album, "Little People" is known as "La Faute à Voltaire."  This was then shortened on a more recent French album to "C'est la faute à...".  When Les Misérables was originally in London in 1985, "Little People" was over two minutes long and had extra verses and a second chorus, and it mentioned nothing about Inspector Javert.  It was sung in between "The First Attack" and "Drink With Me:.

"Little People" was cut down to what it is today when it came to Broadway in 1987. It was also moved so that it now is sung in between "At the Barricade / Upon These Stones" and "A Little Fall of Rain". As of when the new orchestrations were added to the musical, the chorus from "Little People" has been cut as well, but it is still somewhat known to those that knew the song before the cuts. While the cuts were first made for the 2006 Broadway revival, they became widespread starting with the 25th anniversary 2010 tour.

Lyrics[]

Current Version[]

Gavroche: [Spoken, to Javert] Liar!


[Singing] Good evening, dear inspector
Lovely evening, my dear.
I know this guy, my friends
His name is Inspector Javert
So don't believe a word he says
Because none of it's true
This only goes to show
What little people can do!


And little people know
When little people fight
We may look like little weaklings
But we've got some bite
So never kick a dog
Because he's just a pup
We'll fight like twenty armies
And we never give up
So you'd better run for cover
When the pup grows up!


Grantaire: Bravo, little Gavroche, you're the top of the class.


Prouvaire:
So what are we going to do
With this snake in the grass?

Enjolras:
Tie this man and take him
To the tavern in there
The people will decide your fate
Inspector Javert!


Various Students:
Take the bastard now and shoot him!
Let us watch the devil dance
You'd have done the same Inspector
If we'd let you have your chance!


Javert: Shoot me now or shoot me later
Every schoolboy to his sport
Death to each and every traitor
I renounce your people's court!


Combeferre:
Though we may not all survive here
There are things that never die

Grantaire:
What's the difference? Die a schoolboy
Die a policeman die a spy!


Enjolras:
Take this man, bring him through
There is work we have to do!
[Javert is bundled away.]

1985 Original London Cast Version[]

Gavroche: They laugh at me, these fellows, just because I am small.
They laugh at me because I'm not a hundred feet tall.
I tell 'em there's a lot to learn down here on the ground.
The world is big but lil' people turn it around.

A worm can roll a stone.
A bee can sting a bear.
A fly can fly around Versailles 'cos flies don't care
A sparrow in a hat, can make a happy home.
A flea can bite the bottom of the pope in Rome

Goliath was a bruiser who was as tall as the sky.
But David threw a rock, and gave him one in the eye.
I never read the Bible but I know that it's true.
It only goes to show what little people can do.


All: A worm can roll a stone.
A bee can sting a bear.
A fly can fly around Versailles 'cos flies don't care
A sparrow in a hat, can make a happy home.
A flea can bite the bottom of the pope in Rome


Gavroche: So listen here, professor with your head in the clouds​
It's often kinda useful to get lost in a crowd
So keep your universities - I don't give a damn
For better or for worse it is the way that I am.
Be careful as you go
'Cos little people grow...

And little people know...
When little people fight,
We may look easy pickings but we got some bite!
So never kick a dog
Because it's just a pup
You'd better run for cover when the pup grows up!
And we'll fight like twenty armies
And we won't give up


All: A worm can roll a stone.
A bee can sting a bear.
A fly can fly around Versailles 'cos flies don't care
A sparrow in a hat, can make a happy home.
A flea can bite the bottom of the pope in Rome
A flea can bite the bottom of the pope in Rome

Trivia[]

  • In the 2012 film, the second verse of Gavroche's song is not sung. It cuts to Grantaire's part, which was sung by Courfeyrac in the movie. Also not sung is the part before Javert's part, and Javert's part is the part that finishes the song.
    • In Gavroche's second part it was sung when he tried to recover ammo from the dead soldiers until he gets killed right before he finished his sentence.
  • In Enjolras' part in the 2012 film ("Tie this man and take him to the tavern in there. The people will decide your fate, Inspector Javert."), "Tie this man and take him" is changed to "Take this man and throw him"
  • In the 2012 movie, Marius states after Javert's part: "We keep looking forward."

Videos[]

Les_Miserables_-_Little_People

Les Miserables - Little People

Les Miserables - Little People

   

Les_Miserables_10th_Anniversary_(HD)_-_Javert's_Arrival_Little_People_(25_41)

Les Miserables 10th Anniversary (HD) - Javert's Arrival Little People (25 41)

Les Miserables (10th Anniversary Concert) - Little People

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