Poor Thing
Helena Bonham Carter & Johnny Depp Lyrics
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There was a barber and his wife.
And he was beautiful...
A proper artist with a knife,
But they transported him for life.
And he was beautiful...
(spoken)
Barker his name was.
Todd: (spoken)
What was his crime?
Mrs. Lovett:(spoken)
Foolishness...
(sung)
He had this wife, ya see.
Pretty little thing,
Silly little nit
Had her chance for the moon on a string...
Poor thing!
Poor thing!
There were this judge, ya see...
Wanted her like mad!
Every day he sent her a flower
But did she come down from her tower?
Just sat up there and sobbed by the hour
Poor thing!
Poor fool!
Ah, but there was worse yet to come,
Poor thing!
Well, Beadle calls on her all polite
Poor thing!
Poor thing!
The judge, he tells her, is all contrite
He blames himself for her dreadful plight
She must come straight to his house tonight!
Poor thing!
Poor thing!
Of course when she goes there,
Poor thing,
Poor thing!
They're having this ball all in masks
There's no one she knows there
Poor dear,
Poor thing!
She wonders, tormented and drinks,
Poor thing!
The judge has repented, she thinks,
Poor thing!
"Oh where is Judge Turpin?" she asks...
He was there, alright--
Only not so contrite!
She wasn't no match for such craft, ya see
And everyone thought it so droll
They figured she had to be daft, ya see
So all of them stood there and laughed, ya see!
Poor soul!
Poor thing!
Sweeney Todd: (spoken)
(screams) NO!!
Would no one...have mercy on her?!
Mrs. Lovett: (spoken)
(whispers) So it is you...Benjamin Barker!
Sweeney Todd (spoken)
(yells) NO!
Not Barker. It's Todd now--Sweeney Todd. And he will have his revenge.
The song "Poor Thing" from the musical "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is a conversation between the two main characters, Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. The song tells the story of Benjamin Barker, a skilled barber who was unjustly sent away for life, leaving behind his wife, Lucy. The foolishness referred to in the lyrics is Barker's supposed attempt on the life of a judge who had taken a fancy to Lucy. Mrs. Lovett explains that the judge continued to pursue Lucy, but when she refused him, he had her confined to a tower, leading to her eventual demise. The song ends with Sweeney Todd, who is revealed to be Benjamin Barker, in a fit of rage.
The lyrics of "Poor Thing" are a commentary on the corrupt nature of those in power and the tragic consequences of their actions. The character of Lucy represents the innocent victim of the judge's lust and the societal norms that allowed him to act on his desires. Barker's unjust punishment reveals the shortcomings of the legal system and the arbitrary nature of justice. The song also sets the stage for Sweeney Todd's desire for revenge against those who wronged him.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a barber and his wife.
There once was a barber with a wife.
And he was beautiful...
He was a master of his trade.
A proper artist with a knife,
He was skillful with the blade.
But they transported him for life.
However, he was unjustly exiled for life.
And he was beautiful...
Despite his circumstances, he remained skilled.
Barker his name was.
His name was Barker.
What was his crime?
What did he do to deserve this punishment?
Foolishness...
He was punished for frivolous reasons.
He had this wife, ya see.
He had a wife, you know.
Pretty little thing,
She was attractive.
Silly little nit
But she was not intelligent.
Had her chance for the moon on a string...
She had an opportunity to have everything she wanted.
Poor thing!
What a sad existence.
There were this judge, ya see...
There was this judge, you know.
Wanted her like mad!
He was obsessed with her.
Every day he sent her a flower
He sent her flowers every day.
But did she come down from her tower?
Did she leave her isolated life?
Just sat up there and sobbed by the hour
She just cried alone.
Poor thing!
She was pitiable.
Poor fool!
How foolish she was.
Ah, but there was worse yet to come,
But the worst was still to come.
Well, Beadle calls on her all polite
Then the Beadle came to visit her.
Poor thing!
She remained pitiable.
Poor thing!
Her situation was dire.
The judge, he tells her, is all contrite
The judge apologized to her.
He blames himself for her dreadful plight
The judge took responsibility for her suffering.
She must come straight to his house tonight!
She was to go to his house immediately.
Poor thing!
How unfortunate for her.
Poor thing!
She was still pitiable.
Of course when she goes there,
When she got there.
Poor thing!
She became more pitiable.
Poor thing!
She was really in trouble.
They're having this ball all in masks
The people there were all wearing masks.
There's no one she knows there
There was nobody she recognized.
Poor dear,
How tragic.
Poor thing!
She was extremely unfortunate.
She wonders, tormented and drinks,
She drank because of her inner turmoil.
Poor thing!
She was really pitiable.
The judge has repented, she thinks,
She believed the judge felt guilty.
"Oh where is Judge Turpin?" she asks...
She asked where Judge Turpin was.
He was there, alright--
He was there after all.
Only not so contrite!
But he was not sorry at all!
She wasn't no match for such craft, ya see
She was no match for their trickery.
And everyone thought it so droll
Everyone found it amusing.
They figured she had to be daft, ya see
They believed she must have been foolish to come.
So all of them stood there and laughed, ya see!
So they all laughed at her.
Poor soul!
How sad.
Poor thing!
She was really pitiable.
NO!!
An exclamation of protest.
Would no one...have mercy on her?!
Could no one show her compassion?
So it is you...Benjamin Barker!
It's you, Benjamin Barker!
NO!
Angrily disagreeing.
Not Barker. It's Todd now--Sweeney Todd. And he will have his revenge.
My name is no longer Barker, but Todd. I will have my revenge.
Contributed by Harper B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.