“Machiavelli Was Right”

November 2, 2020

Click on the arrow on the left above to listen to “Machiavelli Was Right” from the musical The American Foxe, book and lyrics by Karen Gottlieb, music by Michele Brourman.  (Lyrics below.)

“Machiavelli Was Right” is sung by George Ball, vocal recorded by Rob Trow, and engineered and mixed by Stephan Oberhoff.

In the mid 70’s, Karen Gottlieb and Michele Brourman wrote a musical called The American Foxe about the first woman president of the United States. The show at the time was described this way:
“At a time of chaos and crisis, one figure rises above the nation’s petty politics and divisive discord to make America trust again, and heal its wounds with compassion, wit, vision, and a sustainable designer wardrobe. The American Foxe is the musical journey of Eva Mae Foxe, the first woman President of the United States.”
Though the show was optioned by various groups of Broadway producers, it never made it to the stage. At the time, there were people who insisted that this country was not ready for a woman president.
As Gottlieb stated recently,  “The show was conceived four decades before its time, and is still waiting for the country to catch up.”
Gottlieb’s book and lyrics were full of prescient moments, including this one, sung by a nameless and corrupt incumbent president as he tangoed a young woman around the Oval Office.
Early presentations of The American Foxe had Amanda McBroom and George Ball (McBroom’s real-life husband) as the warring candidates. The song you hear is a new recording  from Ball.

MACHIAVELLI WAS RIGHT

IT’S ADVISABLE TO APPEAR

MERCIFUL, HUMANE, JUST AND SINCERE

MAKE YOURSELF TOE THAT MORAL LINE

AND WHEN THAT ILL WIND BLOWS 

IT’S ALWAYS BEST TO BE DISPOSED 

TO CHANGE YOUR TACTIC IN THE NICK OF TIME

STOP ME IF I’M HANDING YOU A LINE

BUT THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS EVERYTIME

I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO SAY

THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER, NEVER STRAY 

FROM WHATEVER YOU FEEL  – IS THE GREATER GOOD

BUT WHEN THE NEED ARISES

AND YOU’RE FACING YOUR FIRST CRISIS

MY ADVICE IS – YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD

YOU’VE GOT A RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND

AND THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS EVERYTIME.

THE ONLY WAY TO PUSH A PLAN – 

IS SIMPLY ANY WAY YOU CAN

YOU’LL THANK ME FOR TELLING YOU SO

FOR WHAT IS TRUTH BUT COMPROMISE 

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE IT “LIES”

AND JUST HOW FAR IT GOES

OH, I’VE FOUND TO MY DELIGHT

MACHIAVELLI WAS QUITE RIGHT 

TO LOSE IT ALL – NOW THAT WOULD BE A CRIME

SO  SINCE I’M ALREADY IN IT

I MIGHT AS WELL WIN IT 

CAUSE THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS EVERYTIME

STOP ME IF I’M HANDING YOU A LINE

BUT THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS EVERYTIME

YES, THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS EVERYTIME

OH, THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS  EVERYTIME

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About the Author

Sherry Eaker has been the producer of the annual Bistro Awards since the awards’ inception in 1985. She is the former editor of "Back Stage" and, during her 30-year run, produced panel discussions and workshop events on an ongoing basis, including the programming for Back Stage’s annual Actorfest. She compiled and edited four editions of the "Back Stage Handbook for Performing Artists," and compiled and edited "The Cabaret Artists Handbook." She is a member of the National Theatre Conference and the American Theatre Critics Association (and produced eight of ATCA’s New York weekend conferences). She is an advisor to the boards of both the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and the Women in the Arts & Media Coalition.