By the Sea
Helena Bonham Carter Johnny Depp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I′m so happy
I could eat you up, I really could
You know what I'd like to do, Mr. Todd?
What I dream
If the business stays as good?
Where I′d really like to go
Don't you want to know?
Of course!
Do you really want to know?
Yes, I do
By the sea, Mr. Todd, that's the life I covet
By the sea, Mr. Todd, oh, I know you′d love it
You and me, Mr. T, we could be alone
In a house what we′d almost own
Down by the sea
Anything you say
Wouldn't that be smashing?
Think how snug it′ll be underneath our flannel
When it's just you and me and the English Channel
In our cozy retreat kept all neat and tidy
We′ll have chums over every Friday
By the sea
Don't you love the weather?
By the sea
We′ll grow old together
By the seaside, whoa-oh
By the beautiful sea
It'll be so quiet
That who'll come by it
Except a seagull, oh, oh
We shouldn′t try it though
′Til it's legal for two
But a seaside wedding could be devised
Me rumpled bedding legitimized
Me eyelids′ll flutter
I'll turn into butter
The moment I mutter, "I do"
Down by the sea
Married nice and proper
By the sea
Bring along your chopper
To the seaside, whoa-oh
By the beautiful sea
In the song "By The Sea", Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp play as their respective characters Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. In this particular scene, Mrs. Lovett has just raised the business bar by upgrading her pies using new ingredients, unknown to her customers. As a result, she's quite happy and feels that it's only right to dream and converse with Sweeney about their future. In this dream, she suggests that they run away to a house by the sea, live together, and grow old together, while she makes him delicious pies with their odd ingredients.
Both of them sing the song as a duet, and the mood is quite romantic with a hint of the absurd. They're together, dreaming of a future, and enjoying each other's company. However, the lyrics become dark and twisted towards the end, with Mrs. Lovett speaking of legalizing their union and even planning a seaside wedding. The ending hints at the macabre relationship between the two.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, Mr. Todd
Helena is using a playful tone to capture Mr. Todd's attention
I'm so happy
Helena is expressing her delight towards Mr. Todd
I could eat you up, I really could
Helena finds Mr. Todd adorable and desirable
You know what I'd like to do, Mr. Todd?
Helena is expressing her desire to share her dream with Mr. Todd
What I dream
Helena is about to share her dream of a life by the sea with Mr. Todd
If the business stays as good?
Helena is posing the question of whether their current business will remain sustainable
Where I'd really like to go
Helena is about to reveal her desired destination
In a year or so?
Helena is inquiring about a possible timeline for their move
Don't you want to know?
Helena is playfully teasing Mr. Todd's curiosity
Of course!
Mr. Todd is enthusiastically accepting Helena's offer to share her plans
Do you really want to know?
Helena is playfully teasing Mr. Todd again, emphasizing the excitement of sharing her dream
Yes, I do
Mr. Todd is eagerly awaiting Helena's answer
By the sea, Mr. Todd, that's the life I covet
Helena is revealing her dream of a life by the sea to Mr. Todd
By the sea, Mr. Todd, oh, I know you'd love it
Helena is expressing her certainty in Mr. Todd's love for their desired life by the sea
You and me, Mr. T, we could be alone
Helena is emphasizing the potential isolation and privacy of their life by the sea
In a house what we'd almost own
Helena is suggesting the possibility of owning a house by the sea
Down by the sea
Helena is emphasizing the location of their desired life
Anything you say
Helena is eager to accept Mr. Todd's agreement and input on their desired life by the sea
Wouldn't that be smashing?
Helena is expressing her excitement at the prospect of a life by the sea
Think how snug it'll be underneath our flannel
Helena is emphasizing the idea of coziness in their potential house by the sea
When it's just you and me and the English Channel
Helena is using humor to illustrate their potential view of the English Channel from their house by the sea
In our cozy retreat kept all neat and tidy
Helena is emphasizing the importance of cleanliness and tidiness in their potential house by the sea
We'll have chums over every Friday
Helena is suggesting the possibility of weekly social gatherings with friends by the sea
Don't you love the weather?
Helena is reminding Mr. Todd of the potential benefits of living by the sea, including pleasant weather
We'll grow old together
Helena is expressing her desire for a long, shared life with Mr. Todd
It'll be so quiet
Helena is emphasizing the potential quietness of their life by the sea
That who'll come by it
Helena is suggesting the potential isolation of their life by the sea
Except a seagull, oh, oh
Helena is humorously suggesting the potential only visitor to their house by the sea: a seagull
We shouldn't try it though
Helena is acknowledging the potential legal issues surrounding their love and move to the sea
'Til it's legal for two
Helena is suggesting the necessity of legalizing their love before moving to the sea
But a seaside wedding could be devised
Helena is suggesting the possibility of a seaside wedding in the future
Me rumpled bedding legitimized
Helena is humorously acknowledging the potential legitimate nature of her previously illegitimate relationship with Mr. Todd
Me eyelids'll flutter
Helena is humorously suggesting her own excitement and emotion surrounding the possibility of a seaside wedding
I'll turn into butter
Helena is using humor to illustrate her own potential emotional state at a seaside wedding
The moment I mutter, 'I do'
Helena is emphasizing the emotional significance of saying 'I do' at a seaside wedding
Married nice and proper
Helena is expressing her desire for a legitimate, proper marriage to Mr. Todd
Bring along your chopper
Helena is humorously suggesting Mr. Todd bring his razor, or 'chopper', to their seaside wedding
To the seaside, whoa-oh
Helena is emphasizing their shared dream of a life by the sea
By the beautiful sea
Helena is using repetition to emphasize their shared love of the sea
Writer(s): Stephen Sondheim
Contributed by Carson V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marlenaluna2792
Ooh, Mr. Todd! (kiss)
I'm so happy! (kiss)
I could (kiss)
Eat you up, I really could!
You know what I'd like to do, Mr. Todd? (kiss)
What I dream (kiss)
If the business stays as good?
Where I'd really like to go?
In a year or so?
Don't you want to know?
TODD: (spoken) of course.
LOVETT: Do you really want to know?
TODD: (spoken) Yes. I do.
LOVETT: By the sea, Mr. Todd, that's the life I'll covet,
By the sea, Mr. Todd, ooh, I know you'd love it!
You and me, Mr. T, we could be alone
In a house that we'd almost own,
Down by the sea!
TODD: Anything you say
LOVETT: Wouldn't that be smashing?
LOVETT:
Think how snug it'll be underneath our flannel
When it's just you and me and the English Channel!
In our cozy retreat kept all neat and tidy,
We'll have chums over ev'ry Friday!
By the sea!
Don'tcha love the weather?
By the sea!
We'll grow old together!
By the seaside,
Woahh
By the beautiful sea!
It'll be so quiet,
That who'll come by it,
Except a seagull
Hoo, hoo!
We shouldn't try it,
Though, 'til it's legal for two-hoo!
But a seaside wedding could be devised,
Me rumpled bedding legitimized!
Me eyelids'll flutter,
I'll turn into butter,
The moment I mutter I do-hoo!
Down by the sea,
Married nice and proper
By the sea
Bring along your chopper
To the seaside hoo hoo!
By the beautiful sea!
@androidcommandroid7591
Fun fact: this song is EXTREMELY HARD to sing, it leaves barely any room for air. Helena Bonham Carter had to sing with that so kudos to her!
@Justice237
Really? I’ve sung this song in my singing lessons a lot of times, with acting. You just have to take quick breaths
@blackberry8615
She did a amazing job
@cara7579
all while pregnant!
@xinaily
@Cara she was pregnant then? 😯
@cara7579
@xina_ily yep! filming was during 2007 which was when she was pregnant with her daughter nell
@utterqueernightmare
I love that despite this being a fantasy, she doesn't change anything about Sweeny's personality. The only difference is that he loves her.
@cesaralfonsofrancoibarra8895
Does he, tho?
@utterqueernightmare
@Cesar Alfonso Franco Ibarra In the fantasy? Yes. In their real life? Probably not.
@gabrielalamira3587
True! I love that point!