Prologue
Alan Menken/Glenn Slater Lyrics
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In an early year of a decade not too long before our own
The human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence
And this terrifying enemy surfaced as such enemies often do
In the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Little shop, little shoppa terror
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Bop sh'bop, little shoppa terror
Watch 'em drop! Little shoppa horrors
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Shing-a-ling, what a freaky thing to be happening!
Look out, look out, look out, look out!
Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air
Yeah!
Sha-la-la, stop right where you are
Don't you move a thing
You better (tellin' you, you better)
Tell your mama something's gonna get her
She better (everybody better beware!
Oh, here it comes, baby
Tell the world, baby
Oh oh, oh no
Oh, hit the dirt, baby
Tell the world, baby, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
Alley oop, hurry off to school child, I'm warnin' you
(Look out, look out, look, out, look out)
Run away, child you gonna pay if you stay, yeah
Look around, something's comin' down down the street for you
You betcha, you betcha, you betcha butt, you betcha
Best believe it, something's come to get ya
You betcha, you better watch your back in this town
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah!
Comma, comma, comma
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Bop sh'bop, you'll never stop the terror
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
No, oh oh, no, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
The Prologue of the musical Little Shop of Horrors sets the tone for the rest of the show. In the opening lines, the singer informs the audience of the setting - the 21st day of September in a decade before our own. He continues to explain how the human race suddenly encounters an ominous and dangerous threat to its existence, which emerges from an unlikely place. This serves as the introduction to the main plot point and antagonist of the show - a man-eating plant that is discovered by one of the singers, Seymour, in a local flower shop. The following verses repeat the phrase “little shop, little shoppa horrors,” reinforcing the main location of the story, while also creating a catchy chorus for the audience to sing along to. The verses contain warnings of the dangers that lie within the flower shop, urging listeners to “watch ‘em drop” and “stop right where you are.” The bridge of the song features the onomatopoeic refrain, “shing-a-ling, what a freaky thing to be happening,” which adds to the eerie tone and sense of foreboding. The chorus continues with the repeated phrase “little shop, little shoppa horrors,” ending with a final warning that “something’s come to get ya.”
Line by Line Meaning
On the twenty-first day of the month of September
It was September 21st, just another day like any other.
In an early year of a decade not too long before our own
It was an early year in a decade not too far in the past, not too different than our current decade.
The human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence
All of humanity was suddenly faced with a life-threatening danger.
And this terrifying enemy surfaced as such enemies often do
This enemy appeared to be harmless and innocent, only to later reveal its dangerous nature.
In the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places
It was in a place that appeared to be safe and innocent, where this enemy emerged.
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
The horror was located in a small, ordinary shop.
Little shop, little shoppa terror
The terror was concentrated in this insignificant shop.
Call a cop, little shoppa horrors
The situation was so dire that the people need to call for help from the authorities.
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
The situation was so bad that it made people feel hopeless and scared.
Shing-a-ling, what a freaky thing to be happening!
The sudden and inexplicable occurrence of the horror was strange and unsettling.
Look out, look out, look out, look out!
Everyone needs to be alert and vigilant because of the danger that is present.
Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air
The environment is filled with tension and agitation, so much so that people could feel it.
Sha-la-la, stop right where you are
People should stop everything they are doing and pay attention to what is happening.
Don't you move a thing
People should not move or take any actions that could make the situation worse.
You better (tellin' you, you better)
The situation is so dire that people need to take it seriously and do what needs to be done.
Tell your mama something's gonna get her
People need to warn their loved ones about the danger they are facing.
She better (everybody better beware!
Everyone should be cautious and wary of what is happening around them.
Oh, here it comes, baby
The horror is about to happen, and it's going to be bad.
Tell the world, baby
People need to spread the word about what is happening so that everyone can know.
Oh oh, oh no
The situation is so serious that it makes people feel afraid and uncertain.
Oh, hit the dirt, baby
People need to take cover and prepare to defend themselves against the threat.
Alley oop, hurry off to school child, I'm warnin' you
People need to be quick and hurry off, perhaps even to the point of running away, to avoid the danger.
(Look out, look out, look, out, look out)
People need to watch out and be cautious all the time.
Run away, child you gonna pay if you stay, yeah
Staying would be dangerous and could result in the person being harmed.
Look around, something's comin' down down the street for you
People need to pay attention to their surroundings because the horror could be coming from anywhere.
You betcha, you betcha, you betcha butt, you betcha
People need to take it seriously and believe that the horror is really happening.
Best believe it, something's come to get ya
People need to know and accept that they are in danger and need to act accordingly.
Bop sh'bop, you'll never stop the terror
There is no end in sight to the terror that people are experiencing.
No, oh oh, no, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
The situation is so serious that it leaves people feeling hopeless and afraid.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWARD ELLIOTT ASHMAN, ALAN MENKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind