In 1988, he played George Green's Brother-in-law Cyril in London's Burning. He has also played character roles in episodes of the popular UK police based Soap "The Bill". He was the winner of the Olivier award for best actor in 1993 for his role in Stephen Sondheim's musical Assassins and in 2000 for his role as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice directed by Trevor Nunn.
Other roles include: Wintergreen in Of Thee I Sing (London 1996 - concert staging), Billy Flynn in Chicago (London 1997), and Buddy in Follies (London 2002).
He was in the middle of some unpleasant publicity when he took over for Nathan Lane in the Broadway production of The Producers in 2001, but his interpretation of Max Bialystock met with the disfavor of the producers of the show and he was replaced by Lane's understudy Brad Oscar in the role before he could be seen by reviewers.
He played the lead role of Tevye in Lindsay Posner's 2007 revival of Joseph Stein's Fiddler on the Roof, and in 2008 played the lead character in the radio serial The Way We Live Right Now. In the 2009 film The Damned United, he played the suave businessman Manny Cussins, chairman of Leeds United.
Razzle Dazzle
Henry Goodman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get set (get set!)
Now ready (ready!) go!
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
If it's all night long
Everyone can do (a-waka-do, waka-do)
It's the hipster's dance (a-waka-do, waka-do)
And the square cats too (a-waka-do, waka-do)
Won't you take a chance (a-waka-do, waka-do)
This is all you do (a-waka-do, waka-do)
You just take your baby
Don't you leave that spot
Then you dance like crazy
Give it all you got
That's the razzle dazzle
If your ready or not
On your mark (on your mark)
Get set (get set)
Now ready (ready) go!
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
If it's all night long
Let's get together (get together)
One, two and three (one, two and three)
Jumping to the setter (to the setter)
Just you and me (just you and me)
Put your best foot forward (waka-do, waka-do)
Baby can't you see (baby can't you see)
When you hear them holler
And you ain't nowhere
Honey, you just foller
'Cause we're sure not square
That's the razzle dazzle
Well, it's everywhere
On your mark (on your mark)
Get set (get set)
Now ready (ready) go!
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
If it's all night long
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everybody razzle dazzle
A-going on and off
If it's all night long
That's the razzle dazzle
Razzle dazzle song
The lyrics to Henry Goodman's song "Razzle Dazzle" are a call to action and a celebration of dance. The song begins with a trio of commands: "On your mark! Get set! Now ready! Go!" which sets the pace for the rest of the song. The repeated refrain "Everybody razzle dazzle" is a chant that encourages everyone to join in the fun. The song goes on to describe a dance that everyone can do, "the hipster's dance" that "the square cats too" can take a chance at. The dance consists of taking your partner and not leaving your spot while giving it all you got.
The song is a testament to the power of dance to bring people together and create a sense of community. It celebrates the joy of movement and the freedom that comes with letting loose on the dancefloor. The lyrics paint a picture of a world where everyone is invited to join in, regardless of their background or skill level. The song encourages us all to take part in the razzle dazzle, to let go of our inhibitions and dance like nobody's watching.
Line by Line Meaning
On your mark (on your mark!)
Get ready, prepare yourself
Get set (get set!)
Get ready for action
Now ready (ready!) go!
Start!
Everybody razzle dazzle
Everyone show off and perform for the audience
If it's all night long
We're going to keep going all night
Now here's a dance (a-waka-do, waka-do)
This is the dance we're going to do
Everyone can do (a-waka-do, waka-do)
This is a simple dance that anyone can do
It's the hipster's dance (a-waka-do, waka-do)
This is a dance that's cool and stylish
And the square cats too (a-waka-do, waka-do)
Even those who aren't cool can do it
Won't you take a chance (a-waka-do, waka-do)
Come on and give it a try
This is all you do (a-waka-do, waka-do)
It's a simple dance, just follow the steps
You just take your baby
Take your partner and let's dance
Don't you leave that spot
Stay right here and don't move
Then you dance like crazy
Once you start dancing, do it with energy
Give it all you got
Put all your effort into it
That's the razzle dazzle
That's the way to shine and impress
If your ready or not
Whether you're prepared or not
Let's get together (get together)
Let's dance together
One, two and three (one, two and three)
Counting for the steps
Jumping to the setter (to the setter)
Moving to the next position
Just you and me (just you and me)
We're the only ones dancing
Put your best foot forward (waka-do, waka-do)
Do your best with each step
Baby can't you see (baby can't you see)
I hope you notice how amazing we look
When you hear them holler
When we hear the audience cheering
And you ain't nowhere
And we're not even doing anything special
Honey, you just foller
Just act like you're doing something awesome
'Cause we're sure not square
We might not be cool, but we can still dance
Well, it's everywhere
This kind of showmanship is all around us
A-going on and off
People are shining and then fading away
That's the razzle dazzle
That's how you become the center of attention
Razzle dazzle song
A song that inspires people to show off and dance
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED EBB, JOHN KANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind