Opening Title
Stephen Sondheim Lyrics
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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 were 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, he was
Back of his smile, under his word
Sweeney heard music that nobody heard
Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned
Like a perfect machine, he planned
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle
Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle
Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney
Sweeney
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
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd is a chilling tale of a demonic barber who brutally murders his clients with his razor and then disposes of their bodies in his basement. The song begins by introducing Sweeney Todd, a ghostly figure with pale skin and an odd eye, who carves a path few have ever trod. He runs a barber shop in London, frequented by fancy clients with impeccable reputations. However, beneath their respectable veneers, these simple men have disturbing secrets that make them easy prey for Sweeney. For it is said that once he shaves their faces, they are never seen again. Sweeney Todd is the demon barber of Fleet street who only cares about his needs, which are limited to his razors, fancy chairs, and shaving equipment.
Sondheim's lyrics introduce the character of Sweeney Todd as a subtle, smooth, and calculated killer who operates on the margins of society. The song's repetitive melodies and haunting refrain create a sense of foreboding and menace that builds throughout the song. As the song progresses, we see Sweeney's increasing obsession with his craft, culminating in a manic and almost inhuman persona who revels in his murders. In the end, the song poses a chilling question: what happened to Sweeney Todd, and who was his vengeful god?
Line by Line Meaning
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd
Listen closely to the story of Sweeney Todd
His skin was pale and his eye was odd
His appearance was unusual, with pale skin and strange eyes
He shaved the faces of gentlemen
He provided shaving services to men
Who never thereafter were heard of again
The men disappeared and were never seen or heard from again
He trod a path that few have trod
He followed a unique and uncommon path
Did Sweeney Todd
This path was taken by Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet street
He became known as the demon barber of Fleet Street
He kept a shop in London Town
He owned a shop in London
Of fancy clients and good renown
He served wealthy and respected customers
And what if none of their souls were saved?
Even if his customers didn't seek salvation for their souls
They went to their maker impeccably shaved
Sweeney ensured they left his shop with a perfect shave
By Sweeney
Which he did by providing his services
By Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet street
Swing your razor wide, Sweeney
Sweeney is about to use his razor
Hold it to the skies
He raises his razor in preparation
Freely flows the blood of those who moralize
Those who judge others should beware of Sweeney's wrath
His needs were few, his room was bare
Sweeney had simple desires and a spartan living space
A lavabo and a fancy chair
He had a sink and a nice chair
A mug of suds and a leather strop
He had soap and a leather strap for sharpening his razor
An apron, a towel, a pail and a mop
He had clothing, towels, a bucket, and a mop for cleaning
For neatness he deserved a nod
He was very clean and tidy
Did Sweeney Todd
This was all due to Sweeney's efforts
The demon barber of Fleet street
Inconspicuous, Sweeney was
Sweeney was unremarkable and unnoticeable
Quick and quiet and clean, he was
He was fast, quiet, and sanitary in his work
Back of his smile, under his word
Beneath his pleasant demeanor and words
Sweeney heard music that nobody heard
He had a hidden desire for vengeance that no one else knew about
Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned
He spent a lot of time thinking and plotting
Like a perfect machine, he planned
His planning was precise and flawless
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle
He was sly and shrewd in his actions
Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle
He had control over his environment, able to intimidate even rats
Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney
Repeating his name emphasizes his importance
He served a dark and a vengeful god
Sweeney worshipped vengeance
What happened then, well, that's the play
The story of Sweeney Todd is told in the play (or movie)
And he wouldn't want us to give it away
Sweeney would not want his story to be spoiled
Not Sweeney
Not Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet street
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind