Discover the story of the song > New Music – original broadway cast of ragtime: the musical

The lyrics tell the story of a family living in New Rochelle in 1902 where everything seems perfect and they enjoy the music of ragtime. However, the story also touches on the lives of other characters, including Coalhouse Walker Jr. who plays ragtime music in Harlem, Booker T. Washington, a famous African-American who advocates for racial harmony, and a Latvian man, Tateh, and his daughter seeking a new life in America. The lyrics highlight the contrast between those living in luxury and those struggling to make a living, all set to the backdrop of the changing times and the rising popularity of ragtime music.