Agony
Chris Pine Billy Magnussen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or show her disdain
Why does she run from me
If I should lose her
How shall I regain
The heart she has won from me
Agony!
When the one thing you want
Is the only thing out of your reach
High in her tower
She sits by the hour
Maintaining her hair
Blithe and becoming and frequently humming
A lighthearted air
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Agony!
Far more painful than yours
When you know she would go with you
If there only were doors.
Agony
Oh, the torture they teach
What's as intriguing
Or half so fatiguing
As what's out of reach
Am I not sensitive
Clever
Well-mannered
Considerate
Passionate
Charming
As kind as I'm handsome
And heir to a throne
You are everything maidens could wish for
Then why no
Do I know
The girl must be mad
You know nothing of madness
'Till you're climbing her hair
And you see her up there
As you're nearing her
All the while hearing her
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
Agony
Misery
Woe
Though it's different for each
Always ten steps behind
Always ten feet below
And she's just out of reach
Agony
That can cut like a knife
I must have her to wife
The song "Agony" from the musical "Into the Woods" presents a comical and exaggerated comparison between two princes, who are lamenting over their unrequited love for two women. The first prince, played by Chris Pine, expresses his confusion over why his beloved would run away from him, specifically questioning whether he had mistreated her in any way. He then proceeds to call his pain and frustration "agony," highlighting how unbearable it is to want something that one cannot have. In the second half of the song, the prince contemplates his own qualities, believing himself to be everything a girl could wish for and struggling to understand why she still rejects him. The second prince, played by Billy Magnussen, joins in his agony, complaining that his own unrequited love is even more painful than the first prince's, even though his beloved would go with him if only there were doors.
Despite the comical tone of "Agony," the song effectively highlights a universal experience of love and desire. The lyrics perfectly capture the intense pain and frustration that can come with wanting something or someone that is unattainable, emphasizing how different and yet how similar each person's agony can be. Additionally, the song plays with typical gender roles, allowing two male characters to express their feelings of heartbreak and inadequacy, a refreshing deviation from traditional gender expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Did I abuse her
Did I mistreat her in any way?
Or show her disdain
Or did I show her disrespect?
Why does she run from me
What makes her run away from me?
If I should lose her
If I were to lose her,
How shall I regain
How would I win her heart back?
The heart she has won from me
The heart she has captured from me.
Agony!
The pain I feel inside!
Beyond power of speech
I cannot express the depth of my pain!
When the one thing you want
When the only thing you desire
Is the only thing out of your reach
Is the one thing you cannot have!
High in her tower
She sits up high in her tower.
She sits by the hour
She spends hours sitting there.
Maintaining her hair
Taking care of her hair
Blithe and becoming and frequently humming
Cheerful, attractive, and often humming a tune.
A lighthearted air
A happy and carefree attitude.
Agony!
The pain I feel inside!
Far more painful than yours
Much more intense than your pain!
When you know she would go with you
When you know she would come with you
If there only were doors.
If only there were a way to reach her.
Agony
The torment I feel!
Oh, the torture they teach
The agony they teach!
What's as intriguing
What could be as fascinating?
Or half so fatiguing
Or as exhausting?
As what's out of reach
As what is beyond my grasp?
Am I not sensitive
Am I not aware of her feelings?
Clever
Smart and witty.
Well-mannered
Polite and respectful.
Considerate
Thoughtful of others.
Passionate
Enthusiastic and intense.
Charming
Pleasant and attractive.
As kind as I'm handsome
As good-hearted as I am good-looking.
And heir to a throne
And the next in line to be king.
You are everything maidens could wish for
You possess all the qualities that women seek in a man.
Then why no
Then why doesn't she
Do I know
Want me back?
The girl must be mad
The girl must be crazy!
You know nothing of madness
You have no idea what madness is
Till you're climbing her hair
Until you try to reach her at any cost
And you see her up there
And finally see her on top
As you're nearing her
As you get closer to her
All the while hearing her
And all the time listening to her
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
(Humming)
Agony
The pain I feel!
Misery
Suffering and distress!
Woe
Great sorrow and distress.
Though it's different for each
Although it varies for everyone.
Always ten steps behind
Always one step behind!
Always ten feet below
Always a level beneath!
And she's just out of reach
And she's just beyond my grasp.
Agony
The pain I feel
That can cut like a knife
That can be as sharp as a blade.
I must have her to wife
I must marry her.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ramonmtz4372
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Did I abuse her
Or show her disdain?
Why does she run from me?
If I should lose her,
How shall I regain
The heart she has won from me?
Agony!
Beyond power of speech,
When the one thing you want
Is the only thing out of your reach.
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
High in her tower,
She sits by the hour,
Maintaining her hair.
Blithe and becoming and frequently humming
A lighthearted air:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
Agony!
Far more painful than yours,
When you know she would go with you
If there only were doors.
[BOTH]
Agony!
Oh, the torture they teach!
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
What's as intriguing-
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Or half so fatiguing-
[BOTH]
As what's out of reach?
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Am I not sensitive,
Clever,
Well-mannered,
Considerate,
Passionate,
Charming,
As kind as I'm handsome
And heir to a throne?
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
You are everything maidens could wish for!
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Then why no-?
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
Do I know?
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
The girl must be mad!
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
You know nothing of madness
Till you're climbing her hair
And you see her up there
As you're nearing her,
All the while hearing her:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
[BOTH]
Agony!
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Misery!
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
Woe!
[BOTH]
Though it's different for each.
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Always ten steps behind-
[RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE]
Always ten feet below-
[BOTH]
And she's just out of reach.
Agony
That can cut like a knife!
I must have her to wife
@ninarose5852
RIPS SHIRT OPEN AGOONNNNYYYY!
@macyvanwart2514
Skillz.
@bayleycrisp4853
awkwardly unbuttons shirt because I can't rip it
@jasminkauranand2098
Nina Rose rips shirt open and breaks button AGONYYYYYYYYY!
@bayleycrisp4853
MISERY
@bayleycrisp4853
Though it's different for each!
@Jellibunn
In the video, it sounds so serious, but when you watch the actual movie, it's totally a joke.
@mxltifangirl974
Yeah
@girltime-gr7sl
I think that's what they were going for
@jeddies1fan585
ikr 😂