Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd . . .
Oct. 29th, 2008 10:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feliciakwWell, it's that time of year again! Time to share the lyrics to one of my favorite Broadway pieces from one of my favorite Broadway shows! Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Btw, that icon? Is me, circa 1995, as a denizen of Fleet Street (i.e., a member of the chorus). That production remains, to date, hands down one of my best overall theatrical experiences ever--production, musical challenge, director, cast mates, costuming, make-up, everything . . . So sing along, if you've a mind.
(Please note: If you only know the movie, you're missing out on some fantastic lyrics. I have two posts relating to the movie.)
Here, then, are the lyrics to the Prologue, the "Ballad of Sweeney Todd." To get the full effect, you really must hear it, with its layers upon layers of melody and counter melody. But I think you'll get the picture.
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
His skin was pale and his eye was odd.
He shaved the faces of gentlemen
Who never thereafter were heard of again.
He trod a path that few have trod,
Did Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
He kept a shop in London town,
Of fancy clients and good renown.
And what if none of their souls was saved?
They went to their maker impeccably shaved
By Sweeney,
By Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Swing your razor wide, Sweeney!
Hold it to the skies!
Freely flows the blood of those who moralize!
His needs were few, his room was bare:
A lavabo and a fancy chair,
A mug of suds and a leather strop,
An apron, a towel, a pail and a mop.
For neatness he deserved a nod,
Did Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
Quick and quiet and clean 'e was.
Back of his smile, under his word,
Sweeney heard music that nobody heard.
Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned,
Like a perfect machine 'e planned.
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,
Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle.
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,
Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle.
Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
Quick and quiet and clean 'e was.
Like a perfect machine 'e was,
Was Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeeeeeeeeeneeeeeey!
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!
He served a dark and a vengeful god.
What happened then--well, that's the play,
And he wouldn't want us to give it away,
Not Sweeney,
Not Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Tomorrow I'll post the words to the epilogue. The show really is a fantastic morality play. But it presents its stance not as "don't do this because . . ." but rather "here's what happens if you do."
Fantastic.
(Please note: If you only know the movie, you're missing out on some fantastic lyrics. I have two posts relating to the movie.)
Here, then, are the lyrics to the Prologue, the "Ballad of Sweeney Todd." To get the full effect, you really must hear it, with its layers upon layers of melody and counter melody. But I think you'll get the picture.
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
His skin was pale and his eye was odd.
He shaved the faces of gentlemen
Who never thereafter were heard of again.
He trod a path that few have trod,
Did Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
He kept a shop in London town,
Of fancy clients and good renown.
And what if none of their souls was saved?
They went to their maker impeccably shaved
By Sweeney,
By Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Swing your razor wide, Sweeney!
Hold it to the skies!
Freely flows the blood of those who moralize!
His needs were few, his room was bare:
A lavabo and a fancy chair,
A mug of suds and a leather strop,
An apron, a towel, a pail and a mop.
For neatness he deserved a nod,
Did Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
Quick and quiet and clean 'e was.
Back of his smile, under his word,
Sweeney heard music that nobody heard.
Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned,
Like a perfect machine 'e planned.
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,
Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle.
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,
Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle.
Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
Quick and quiet and clean 'e was.
Like a perfect machine 'e was,
Was Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeeeeeeeeeneeeeeey!
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!
He served a dark and a vengeful god.
What happened then--well, that's the play,
And he wouldn't want us to give it away,
Not Sweeney,
Not Sweeney Todd,
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Tomorrow I'll post the words to the epilogue. The show really is a fantastic morality play. But it presents its stance not as "don't do this because . . ." but rather "here's what happens if you do."
Fantastic.
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Date: 2008-10-29 04:00 pm (UTC)You know, you have yet to make good your threats to improve upon my (somewhat lacking) Broadway Musical Education. *grin* Maybe I should ask for lots of iTunes gift cards for Christmas and then have you tell me what to buy with them.
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Date: 2008-10-29 04:26 pm (UTC)As for Sweeney Todd, Angela Lansbury originated the role of Mrs. Lovett. The cast recording I have in the car is Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou (who was, incidentally, Alan on N3 in the test pilot).
Some of these are based on movies (like Victor/Victoria) and many of these I have never seen. But a lot of these I've either seen, been in, or worked back stage on. I can tell you the ones with good music, the ones I really like, the ones I remember as being very popular but I really didn't like, etc.
A - Annie
B - Brigadoon
C - Cats, City of Angels, Chess, Camelot
D - Damn Yankees
E -
F - (The) Fantastics, Fiddler on the Roof
G - Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Grease
H - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hair, Hello Dolly!
I - Into the Woods; Is There Life After High School?; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
J - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat
K - Kismet!
L - Les Miserable, Little Shop of Horrors
M - Mame, Mama Mia, Movin' Out, (The) Mikado
N - No No Nanette
O - Oklahoma!
P - Pirates of Penzance, Phantom of the Opera, (The) Pajama Game
Q - Quilters
R - Rent
S - Sweeney Todd, Sound of Music, South Pacific
T - The Threepenny Opera
U - Urinetown
V - Victor, Victoria
W - West Side Story, Wicked
X -
Y - You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Z -
And because it's a number and doesn't fit anywhere above, 1776.
I need a music icon, obviously
no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 04:29 pm (UTC)