Noel’s Lament [Explicit] by Kholby Wardell, Ride the Cyclone World Premiere Cast Recording Ensemble

“Noel’s Lament” from the musical “Ride the Cyclone” presents a vivid and explicit narrative of a character named Noel Gruber, who worked at Taco Bell but dreamt of a different, more glamorous and simultaneously tragic life as Monique Gibeau in post-war France. The lyrics reveal a stark contrast between Noel’s mundane reality and his vibrant, albeit dark, imagined life as Monique, a hooker with a “heart of black charcoal” in France.

Monique lives a life of sin, indulging in alcohol, engaging with numerous men, and living a seemingly carefree but internally tumultuous life. She is unapologetically herself, living on the edge, and embracing every aspect of her chaotic existence.

The lyrics delve into themes of escapism, self-destruction, and the dichotomy of external appearances versus internal struggles. Noel, through his alter ego Monique, explores a life where he can be wild, free, and unbound by societal norms, even though it leads to a tragic end. This lament is a raw, unfiltered expression of his desires, regrets, and the internal chaos that defines his existence, providing a poignant exploration of identity, longing, and the dichotomies that exist within oneself.