'Whipping up a Tempest': The plot of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' in one lyric video

The plot of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ in one song!
A great way to teach you and your class the basics of the play.

Introduces the main characters!
Covers the main parts of the plot.
Easy to sing for primary and secondary children at Key Stages 2 and 3.

Words and music by me, Liam Maloy, with a few words and phrases from the original text.

This song, and the others I have written for this play, have been used in school productions of ‘The Tempest’ in the East Midlands over the past 4 years.

The words are embedded in the video.
Here they are:

Please let me introduce myself. My name is Prospero.
So sit up in your seat and pay attention.
Open your ears. The hour’s now come to tell you of my woe.
There are many dirty deeds I have to mention.

I’ve been on this stinking island for twelve longs years,
With my lovely teenage daughter Miranda.
But I was once a ‘Prince of power’. It caused me tears.
In fact, I was the Duke of Milan.

So come fire and wind to boil the sea.
I’m whipping up a tempest to set me free.

And from my royal duties I started to rebel.
My personality opposed my position.
I loved reading in my library. I loved books and I learned spells.
And became a very powerful magician.

So my brother did the parties, kissed the babies, met the crowds.
All Milan seemed to love Antonio.
So he called the King of Naples and together they did vow,
That me and Miranda must go.

So come fire and wind to boil the sea.
I’m whipping up a tempest to set me free.

So they stuck us on this ship. A rotten carcass of a butt.
Full of rats but also clothes and books and food.
Then the storm’s mysterious forces seemed to pull us to this spot,
To begin these twelve long years of solitude.

We met a beast called Caliban. I owned him like a slave.
A thing most brutish. I taught him lots of facts.
He cooked and cleaned and fetched the wood. I kept him in a cave.
He was the son of a damned witch called Sycorax.

I also controlled Ariel. A spirit, ghost or sprite.
And he helped me do my magic on a whim.
When by chance my brother and the King came sailing into sight/
Stop this song! Let the tempest begin.

Ooooaaaahhhh!

So come fire and wind to boil the sea.
I’m whipping up a tempest to set me free.
So come fire and wind to boil the sea.
I’m whipping up a tempest to set me free.

So come fire and wind to boil the sea.
I’m whipping up a tempest to set me free.
So come fire and wind to boil the sea.
I’m whipping up a tempest to set me free.