Whilst none of the material in alone together was composed specifically for the show, several of the songs featured had lyrics altered from the original to better suit the character and storyline.  A comparison of the original lyrics with those used in the show offers a valuable insight into the intentions of the creative team.

The final "Good riddance/Goodbye" was added to the end of The Man That Got Away, emphasising the disgust and hurt he felt at his father's behaviour.

Alterations and additions to Say a Little Prayer explore the depth of feeling for his mother and his anguish at her death.  The tense is changed, moving from hopes for the future, to the present, to the past, as she passes away, when all that are left are memories, ending in his present state of heartache:

Alone Together Version  The moment you wake up Before you put on your make-up  I'll say a little prayer for you  While combing your hair now  And wondering what dress you'll wear now  I'll say a little prayer for you  Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart  And I will love you  Forever and ever we never will part  Oh how I love you  Together forever, that's how it must be  To live without you  Would only mean heartache for me  I run for the bus dear  While riding I think of us dear  And I say a little prayer for you  At work I just take time  And all through my coffee break time  I say a little prayer for you  Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart  And I will love you  Forever and ever we never will part  Oh how I love you  Together forever, that's how it must be  To live without you  Will only be heartache for me  At night when I'm lonely  My thoughts are for you, dear, only  And I say a little prayer for you  The memories that find me  Keep coming back to remind me  To say a little prayer for you  Forever and ever you stay in my heart  And I will love you  Forever and ever we never will part  Oh how I loved you  Together forever, that's how it must be  To live without you  Only means heartache for me  So darling believe me  For me there is no one  But you

Original Version The moment I wake up Before I put on my makeup I say a little prayer for you While combing my hair, now And wondering what dress to wear, now I say a little prayer for you Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart And I will love you Forever, forever, we never will part Oh, how I'll love you Together, together, that's how it must be To live without you Would only be heartbreak for me I run for the bus, dear While riding I think of us, dear I say a little prayer for you At work, I just take time And all through my coffee break-time I say a little prayer for you Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart And I will love you Forever, forever we never will part Oh, how I'll love you Together, together, that's how it must be To live without you Would only be heartbreak for me I say a little prayer for you I say a little prayer for you       Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart And I will love you Forever, forever we never will part Oh, how I'll love you Together, together, that's how it must be To live without you Would only be heartbreak for me My darling, believe me For me there is no one But you ....

(Of all the web sites and recordings I've checked this against, Aretha Franklin sings "heartache".  The others cite "heartbreak".)

John Lennon's Mother is changed in the last verse, again to better reflect the theme:
 

Mother, you left me I never left you  I needed you but you didn't want me  So I, I just got to tell you  Goodbye, goodbye  Father, you had me but I never had you  I wanted you but you didn't want me  So I, I just have to tell you  Goodbye, goodbye  Mother, Father, look what you've done  I couldn't walk but I tried to run  So I, I just got to tell you  Goodbye, Goodbye  Mother, Father

Mother, You had Me I never had you I wanted you but you didn't want me So I got to tell you Goodbye , Goodbye Father, You left me but I never left you  I needed you but you didn't need me  So I just got to tell you Goodbye , Goodbye Children, Don't do what I have done I couldn't walk so I tried to run So I got to tell you Goodbye , Goodbye (from  Barry's John Lennon Web Page)

During an interview with Sheridan Morley on the Radio 2 Arts Programme, a couple of weeks before his first appearance at the Donmar, Michael mentioned that new words for Is That All There Is had been commissioned from Eve Ensler (author of The Vagina Monologues).  These were to have replaced the spoken parts of the Lieber/Stoller song, made famous by Peggy Lee (see Interviews).  However Eve Ensler's version was only used for the first preview performance.  Due to copyright problems (we believe - we have no official word on this), every subsequent performance used the original words.

I remember when I was a very little boy our house burned down.  I'll never forget the look on my mother's face as she gathered me up in her arms and carried me through the burning building out on to the pavement.  I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched my whole world go up in flames.  And
then I said to myself "Is that all there is to a fire?"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends
Then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze
And have a ball
If that's all there is

And years later when I was 12 years old my mother took me to the circus.  The greatest show on earth - clowns, elephants, dancing bears and a beautiful lady in pink tights who flew high above our heads.  As I sat there watching this marvelous spectacle, I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. I didn't know what it was but when it was over I said to myself "Is that all there is to the circus?"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends
Then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze
And have a ball
If that's all there is

I fell in love. Head over heels in love with this wonderful person in the world. We used to take long walks along the side of the river. Sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes.  So very much in love. And then one day my love went away. I thought I would die, and when I didn't, when I didn't, I said to myself "Is that all there is to love?"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends
Then let's keep....

Oh, I know what your're thinking to yourself.  If that's the way he feels about it, why doesn't he end it all right now.  But no, not me.  I'm not ready for the final disappointment.  Because I know, as sure as I'm standing here talking to you, that when the final moment comes, when I'm breathing my last breath I'll be saying to myself "Is that all there is?"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends
Then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze
And have a ball
If that's all there is

Eve Ensler's version gave a more modern approach to this world-weary number.  Gone were the mention of the circus and of the house-fire, and the first love became a first sexual experience.  The first monologue spoke of the character's childhood, and reveals much more about his relationship with his father.  As a small boy he used to creep around the house trying to make no sound, but one day, the stairs creaked beneath his feet.  Angry at the disturbance, his drunken father picked him up and threw him against a wall.  "Is that all there is to a beating?"

Instead of the trip to the circus we learnt of his first experience in the limelight.   At the age of seventeen he played the role of Tony in West Side Story.  Michael sang the one word "Maria" as he recalled the experience.  He loved the spotlight, the applause, but afterwards...  an early taste of the feelings expressed after the medley:  Nice Dream/Solitude.

Another significant change was made in There's No Business Like Showbusiness.  Here's the altered verse (on the left) with the original Irving Berlin lyrics on the right:
 
 

[This verse was not used in the show]           Chorus You get word before the show has started  That you're ailing mother died at dawn  Top of that your wife and you just parted  Oh you're broken hearted but you go on

There's no people like show people,  they smile when they are low Angels come from everywhere with lots of jack, and when you lose it, there's no attack Where could you get money that you don't give back?  Let's go on with the show Chorus You get word before the show has started  that your favorite uncle died at dawn Top of that, your pa and ma have parted,  you're broken-hearted, but you go on