His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, two International Emmys, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship and the Kennedy Center Honor.
He currently owns six London theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the London Palladium.
Notes... / Twisted Every Way...
Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Simply ludicrous
It's the final straw
This is lunacy, well, you know my views
Utter lunacy
But we daren't refuse
Not another chandelier
"Dear Andre, re my orchestrations
We need another first bassoon
Get a player with tone and that third trombone has to go
The man could not be deafer, so please, preferably one who plays in tune"
"Dear Firmin, vis a vis my opera
Some chorus members must be sacked
If you could, find out which has a sense of pitch
Wisely, though, I've managed to assign a rather minor role to those who cannot act"
Outrage!
What is it now?
This whole affair is an outrage!
Signora, please
Now what's the matter?
Have you seen the size of my part?
Signora, listen
It's an insult
Not you as well
Just look at this, it's an insult!
Please, understand
Signor, Signora
The things I have to do for my art
If you can call this gibberish "art"
Ah, here's our little flower
Ah, Miss Daaé, quite the lady of the hour
You have secured the largest role in this "Don Juan"
Christine Daaé, she doesn't have the voice
Signora, please!
Then I take it, you're agreeing
She's behind this
It appears we have no choice
She's the one behind this, Christine Daaé!
How dare you?
I'm not a fool!
You evil woman, how dare you?
You think I'm blind?
This isn't my fault!
I don't want any part in this plot
Miss Daaé, surely
But why not?
What does she say, it's your decision
But why not?
She's backing out
You have a duty
I cannot sing it, duty or not
Christine, Christine
You don't have to, they can't make you
Please monsieur, another note (oh)
"Fondest greetings to you all
A few instructions just before rehearsal starts
Carlotta must be taught to act"
Not her normal trick of strutting round the stage
Our Don Juan must lose some weight
It's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age
And my managers must learn
That their place is in an office, not the arts
As for Miss Christine Daaé
No doubt she'll do her best
It's true, her voice is good
She knows, though
Should she wish to excel
She has much still to learn
If pride will let her return to me
Her teacher, her teacher
Your obedient friend
"And angel"
We have all been blind
And yet the answer is staring us in the face
This could be the chance to ensnare our clever friend
We're listening, go on
We shall play his game
Perform his work but remember we hold the ace
For, if Miss Daaé sings, he is certain to attend
We make certain the doors are barred
We make certain our men are there
We make certain they're armed
The curtain falls, his reign will end
Madness!
I'm not so sure, not if it works
This is madness!
The tide will turn
Monsieur, believe me
There is no way of turning the tide
You stick to ballet
Then help us!
Monsieur, I can't
Instead of warning us, help us!
I wish I could
Don't make excuses
Or could it be that you're on his side?
Monsieur, believe me, I intend no ill
But messieurs, be careful, we have seen him kill
We say he'll fall and fall he will!
She's the one behind this!
Christine!
This is all her doing, this is the truth! (Christine Daaé!) (This is his undoing!)
If you succeed, you free us all
This so called "angel" has to fall (hear my warning)
What glory can she hope to gain (monsieur, I beg you, do not do this)
It's clear to all, the girl's insane (this will seal his fate)
Gran Dio, che imbroglio
If you don't stop, I'll go mad
Raoul, I'm frightened
Don't make me do this
Raoul, it scares me
Don't put me through this
Ordeal by fire
He'll take me, I know
We'll be parted forever
He won't let me go
What I once used to dream, I now dread
If he finds me, it won't ever end
And he'll always be there
Singing songs in my head
He'll always be there
Singing songs in my head (she's mad)
You said yourself
He was nothing but a man
Yet while he lives
He will haunt us 'til we're dead
Twisted every way, what answer can I give?
Am I to risk my life, to win the chance to live?
Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice?
Do I become his prey, do I have any choice?
He kills without a thought, he murders all that's good
I know I can't refuse, and yet, I wish I could
Oh God, if I agree what horrors wait for me
In this, the phantom's opera?
Christine, Christine
Don't think that I don't care
But every hope and every prayer
Rests on you now
So, it is to be war between us
But this time, clever friend
The disaster will be yours
Don Juan, Signor Piangi, here is the phrase
Those who tangle with Don Juan
If you please?
Those who tangle with Don Juan
No, no, nearly but no
"Those who tan, tan, tan"
Those who tangle with Don Juan
His way is better, at least he make it sound like music
Signora, would you speak that way in the presence of the composer?
The composer is not here and if he were here, I would say to him
Are you certain of that, Signora?
So, once again, after seven
Five, six, seven
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Ah, piu non posso
No one really cares
Those who tan, tan
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Poor young maiden for the thrill
On your tongue of stolen sweets
You will have to pay the bill
Tangled in the winding sheets
In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name
The lyrics to "Twisted Every Way" by Andrew Lloyd Webber are complex and multi-layered, giving us an insight into the various characters' innermost thoughts and emotions. The song is set against the backdrop of an opera company where the principal players are rehearsing and arguing, trying to deal with the challenges of producing a successful show. The lyric presents several conversations, alluding to disputes over orchestrations, roles, cast, and performers' preferences, eventually leading to a confrontation with the phantom, who has been manipulating the events.
Throughout the song, there is an underlying sense of anxiety and desperation, as the characters deal with the various pressures of their roles. The lyrics demonstrate how they are "twisted every way" by the demands of the phantom, their own insecurities, and the overwhelming need to succeed. Christine, in particular, is struggling with a moral dilemma as she contemplates whether to help the phantom or betray him.
The song's lyrics are enriched by the lush orchestrations, which showcase Webber's musical genius. The score is full of intricacies, reflecting the complex interactions between the characters. As Christine sings to the phantom, the music echoes the pain and confusion that she feels. The use of different melodic themes for each character and their emotions enriches the music, making it an essential part of the storytelling.
Line by Line Meaning
Ludicrous, have you seen the score?
This situation is absurd and ridiculous. Can you believe what is happening?
Simply ludicrous
It's absolutely ridiculous
It's the final straw
This is the last unacceptable action or event in a series of them
This is lunacy, well, you know my views
This is complete madness, you are aware of my opinion
Utter lunacy
Total insanity
But we daren't refuse
But we cannot decline or say no
Not another chandelier
Not another disaster or catastrophe
Look, my friend, what we have here
Look, my friend, at what we are dealing with
Dear Andre, re my orchestrations
Dear Andre, in regards to my musical arrangements
We need another first bassoon
We require another first bassoon player
Get a player with tone
Find a player with a good tone or sound quality
and that third trombone has to go
And we need to replace the third trombone player
The man could not be deafer
The man is completely tone-deaf
so please, preferably one who plays in tune
So please, preferably someone who can play in tune
Dear Firmin, vis a vis my opera
Dear Firmin, regarding my opera
Some chorus members must be sacked
Some chorus members need to be fired
If you could, find out which has a sense of pitch
If you could, determine which chorus members have a good sense of pitch
Wisely, though, I've managed to assign a rather minor role to those who cannot act
However, I have cleverly given insignificant roles to those who are unable to act well
Outrage!
This is outrageous!
What is it now?
What is the problem now?
This whole affair is an outrage!
This entire situation is completely unacceptable!
Signora, please
Madam, please calm down
Now what's the matter?
What is the issue or problem now?
Have you seen the size of my part?
Have you seen the small and unimportant role I have been given?
Signora, listen
Madam, please pay attention
It's an insult
This is offensive and disrespectful
Not you as well
Even you are involved in this
Just look at this, it's an insult!
Just look at this, it is a clear insult!
Please, understand
Please, try to comprehend
Signor, Signora
Sir, Madam
The things I have to do for my art
The sacrifices I make for my art
If you can call this gibberish 'art'
If you consider this nonsense to be art
Ah, here's our little flower
Ah, here is our beloved and talented performer
Ah, Miss Daaé, quite the lady of the hour
Ah, Miss Daaé, the center of attention
You have secured the largest role in this 'Don Juan'
You have obtained the most prominent role in this production of 'Don Juan'
Christine Daaé, she doesn't have the voice
Christine Daaé, her singing voice is not adequate
Signora, please!
Madam, please calm down!
Then I take it, you're agreeing
So, I assume you are in agreement
She's behind this
She is responsible for this
It appears we have no choice
It seems like we have no option
She's the one behind this, Christine Daaé!
Christine Daaé is the one responsible for this!
How dare you?
How dare you?
I'm not a fool!
I am not a fool!
You evil woman, how dare you?
You wicked woman, how dare you?
You think I'm blind?
You believe I am oblivious?
This isn't my fault!
I am not to blame for this!
I don't want any part in this plot
I do not want to be involved in this scheme
Miss Daaé, surely
Surely, Miss Daaé
But why not?
But why should she not?
What does she say, it's your decision
What is her opinion? It is your decision
But why not?
But why should she not?
She's backing out
She is retracting her commitment
You have a duty
You have a responsibility
I cannot sing it, duty or not
I cannot perform the role, whether it is my duty or not
Christine, Christine
Christine, Christine
You don't have to, they can't make you
You do not have to do this, they cannot force you
Please monsieur, another note (oh)
Please, sir, another message (oh)
"Fondest greetings to you all
"Warmest greetings to all of you
A few instructions just before rehearsal starts
Some brief directions just before the rehearsal begins
Carlotta must be taught to act"
Carlotta must be taught how to act
Not her normal trick of strutting round the stage
Not her usual habit of showing off on stage
Our Don Juan must lose some weight
Our Don Juan character needs to lose weight
It's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age
It is not healthy for a man of Piangi's age
And my managers must learn
And my managers need to understand
That their place is in an office, not the arts
That their role is in an office, not in the arts
As for Miss Christine Daaé
Regarding Miss Christine Daaé
No doubt she'll do her best
Without a doubt, she will do her best
It's true, her voice is good
It is true, she has a good singing voice
She knows, though
However, she is aware
Should she wish to excel
If she wants to excel
She has much still to learn
She still has much to learn
If pride will let her return to me
If her pride allows her to come back to me
Her teacher, her teacher
I am her teacher, her mentor
Your obedient friend
I am your respectful and obedient friend
"And angel"
"And an angel"
We have all been blind
We have all been oblivious to the truth
And yet the answer is staring us in the face
And yet the answer is blatantly obvious
This could be the chance to ensnare our clever friend
This could be the opportunity to trap our intelligent associate
We're listening, go on
We are listening, continue speaking
We shall play his game
We will participate in his game
Perform his work but remember we hold the ace
Execute his work but keep in mind that we have the advantage
For, if Miss Daaé sings, he is certain to attend
Because if Miss Daaé sings, he will definitely come
We make certain the doors are barred
We ensure that the doors are locked and blocked
We make certain our men are there
We ensure that our men are present
We make certain they're armed
We ensure that they are armed
The curtain falls, his reign will end
When the curtain falls, his reign will come to an end
Madness!
This is insanity!
I'm not so sure, not if it works
I am not completely convinced, but only if it succeeds
This is madness!
This is complete madness!
The tide will turn
The situation will change
Monsieur, believe me
Sir, trust me
There is no way of turning the tide
There is no way to change the situation
You stick to ballet
You continue with ballet
Then help us!
Then assist us!
Monsieur, I can't
Sir, I am unable to
Instead of warning us, help us!
Instead of cautioning us, assist us
I wish I could
I truly wish I could
Don't make excuses
Do not provide excuses
Or could it be that you're on his side?
Or is it possible that you are supporting him?
Monsieur, believe me, I intend no ill
Sir, believe me, I have no harmful intentions
But messieurs, be careful, we have seen him kill
But gentlemen, be cautious, we have witnessed him causing death
We say he'll fall and fall he will!
We predict his downfall, and he will indeed fall!
She's the one behind this!
Christine Daaé is the one responsible for this!
Christine!
Christine!
This is all her doing, this is the truth!
This is all her doing, this is the truth!
If you succeed, you free us all
If you succeed, we will all be liberated
This so-called 'angel' has to fall
This supposed 'angel' must be brought down
What glory can she hope to gain?
What glory does she expect to achieve?
It's clear to all, the girl's insane
It is evident to everyone that the girl is insane
Gran Dio, che imbroglio
Great God, what a mess
If you don't stop, I'll go mad
If you do not stop, I will become insane
Raoul, I'm frightened
Raoul, I am scared
Don't make me do this
Do not force me to do this
Raoul, it scares me
Raoul, it terrifies me
Don't put me through this
Do not subject me to this
Ordeal by fire
A challenging and difficult experience
He'll take me, I know
He will capture me, I am certain
We'll be parted forever
We will be separated forever
He won't let me go
He will not allow me to escape
What I once used to dream, I now dread
What I once desired, I now fear
If he finds me, it won't ever end
If he discovers me, it will never come to an end
And he'll always be there
And he will always be present
Singing songs in my head
Singing melodies in my mind
He'll always be there
He will always be present
Singing songs in my head
Singing melodies in my mind
You said yourself
You mentioned yourself
He was nothing but a man
He was merely a human being
Yet while he lives
However, as long as he is alive
He will haunt us 'til we're dead
He will torment us until we die
Twisted every way, what answer can I give?
Confused from every angle, what response can I provide?
Am I to risk my life, to win the chance to live?
Should I endanger my life in order to have a chance at survival?
Can I betray the man who once inspired my voice?
Can I betray the man who once inspired my singing?
Do I become his prey, do I have any choice?
Do I become his victim, or do I have any option?
He kills without a thought, he murders all that's good
He kills without hesitation, he destroys everything that is good
I know I can't refuse, and yet, I wish I could
I know I cannot decline, but I do wish I could
Oh God, if I agree what horrors wait for me
Oh God, if I accept, what horrors will await me
In this, the phantom's opera?
In this, the phantom's opera?
Christine, Christine
Christine, Christine
Don't think that I don't care
Do not think that I do not care
But every hope and every prayer
But all hopes and prayers
Rests on you now
Now rest upon you
So, it is to be war between us
So, it is going to be a war between us
But this time, clever friend
But this time, intelligent friend
The disaster will be yours
You will be the one to face the catastrophe
Don Juan, Signor Piangi, here is the phrase
Don Juan, Signor Piangi, here is the line
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Those who engage with Don Juan
If you please?
If it pleases you?
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Those who become involved with Don Juan
No, no, nearly but no
No, no, close but not quite
"Those who tan, tan, tan"
"Those who tan, tan, tan"
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Those who become entangled with Don Juan
His way is better, at least he make it sound like music
His way is better, at least he makes it sound melodic
Signora, would you speak that way in the presence of the composer?
Madam, would you speak in that manner when the composer is present?
The composer is not here and if he were here, I would say to him
The composer is not present, and if he were, I would say to him
Are you certain of that, Signora?
Are you absolutely sure of that, Madam?
So, once again, after seven
So, once again, after seven
Five, six, seven
Five, six, seven
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Those who become entangled with Don Juan
Ah, piu non posso
Ah, I cannot do any more
No one really cares
Nobody truly cares
Those who tan, tan
Those who tan, tan
Those who tangle with Don Juan
Those who become entangled with Don Juan
Poor young maiden for the thrill
Unfortunate young maiden for the excitement
On your tongue of stolen sweets
With your tongue filled with stolen pleasures
You will have to pay the bill
You will have to face the consequences
Tangled in the winding sheets
Caught in a web of deceit
In sleep he sang to me
In my dreams, he sang to me
In dreams he came
In my dreams, he appeared
That voice which calls to me
That voice which beckons me
And speaks my name
And says my name
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind