Sunday In The Park With George
Mandy Patinkin Lyrics


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Mademoiselles
You end me, pal
Second bottle
Ah, she looks for me

Bonnet flapping
Yapping
Ruff
Chicken
Pastry

Yes, she looks for me good
Let her look for me
To tell me why she left me
As I always knew she would

I had thought she understood
They have never understood
And no reason that they should

But if anybody could, finishing the hat
How you have to finish the hat
How you watch the rest of the world
From a window while you finish the hat

Mapping out a sky
What you feel like, planning a sky
What you feel when voices that come
Through the window
Go

Until they distance and die
Until there's nothing but sky
And how you're always turning back too late
From the grass or the stick
Or the dog or the light

How the kind of woman willing to wait's
Not the kind that you want to find waiting
To return you to the night
Dizzy from the height

Coming from the hat, studying the hat
Entering the world of the hat
Reaching through the world of the hat
Like a window
Back to this one from that

Studying a face
Stepping back to look at a face
Leaves a little space in the way like a window
But to see, it's the only way to see

And when the woman that you wanted goes
You can say to yourself, "Well, I give what I give"
But the women who won't wait for you knows
That, however you live

There's a part of you always standing by
Mapping out the sky, finishing a hat
Starting on a hat, finishing a hat




Look, I made a hat
Where there never was a hat

Overall Meaning

In "Finishing the Hat," the singer seems to be reminiscing on a past relationship and contemplating the creative process of an artist. The opening lines with "Mademoiselles" and "pal" suggest a group of women or perhaps just one woman who has left him. He then reflects on her seeking him out and considers why she left -- a question he always knew he would ask. The lyrics then shift to an artist's perspective, describing the process of finishing a painting or a hat. The image of the bonnet flapping and yapping ruff chicken pastry can be interpreted as an example of what one might be observing while finishing a hat. The lyrics are a metaphor for the creative process and the connection between the artist and the art.


The reference to "mapping out a sky" and "leaving a little space in the way like a window" refers to the artist's perspective of looking at a subject from different angles and distances to create different emotions and meanings. The singer also reflects on the inevitable loss that comes with relationships and the way that an artist must always partially detach from their work to complete it.


Line by Line Meaning

Mademoiselles
Mentioning the women who have inspired him in his artistic pursuit.


You end me, pal
Conveying how the art of creation affects and overwhelms him.


Second bottle
Alluding to the struggles he faces and how a second bottle is needed to unwind after arduous work.


Ah, she looks for me
Referencing the muse that drives his work, always present and waiting to inspire.


Bonnet flapping
Painting a picture of the world outside his window, the inspiration he derives from it.


Yapping
Describing the sounds of the city and the way inspiration can be found in the chaos.


Ruff
Touching on the way artists are drawn to beauty, and beauty can be found in unexpected places.


Chicken
Referencing how the arts are nourished by the unexpected.


Pastry
Alluding to how the different elements of the artistic process come together to create something unique.


Yes, she looks for me good
Expressing the artist's gratitude for the inspiration provided by his muse.


Let her look for me
Acknowledging that the artist cannot create without his inspiration, and he welcomes it.


To tell me why she left me
Accepting that inspiration is fleeting and cannot be forced; when it returns, the artist takes it as it comes.


As I always knew she would
Referencing the cyclical nature of artistic inspiration and how it ebbs and flows over time.


I had thought she understood
Acknowledging the complexity and importance of artistic inspiration to the artist.


They have never understood
Expressing how those who are not artists may not understand the creative process and its importance to the artist.


And no reason that they should
Recognizing that artistic inspiration is something beyond explanation and cannot always be understood by others.


But if anybody could, finishing the hat
Acknowledging that the creative process is challenging but worth it, and how artists must push through to finish their work.


How you have to finish the hat
Expressing how artists must follow their inspiration wherever it leads to complete their work.


How you watch the rest of the world
Alluding to how the artist must isolate himself from the outside world to be fully present in his work.


From a window while you finish the hat
Describing the physical space the artist finds himself in while working.


Mapping out a sky
Describing the art of creation and how the artist must envision something from nothing, like a blank sky.


What you feel like, planning a sky
Explaining how the artist must immerse himself in his work to create.


What you feel when voices that come
Describing the process of creating something and how it begins to take shape and come to life.


Through the window
Describing how inspiration comes from outside the artist's mind and how he must capture it as it passes by.


Go
Using a simple word to communicate complex feelings of inspiration and artistry.


Until they distance and die
Describing the fleeting nature of inspiration and how it is only truly captured when acted upon in time.


Until there's nothing but sky
Referencing the limitless nature of creativity and how it can carry the artist beyond boundaries.


And how you're always turning back too late
Acknowledging how the artist always feels as though they could have done more and how their work is never truly finished.


From the grass or the stick
Referencing how the real world keeps turning, while the artist is in a state of working on their project.


Or the dog or the light
Acknowledging how life events continue, independent of the artist's work, and how that can be a distraction.


How the kind of woman willing to wait's
Describing the sacrifices that may be required of those close to the artist.


Not the kind that you want to find waiting
Acknowledgment that the creative process requires time, focus and attention that cannot always be directed to loved ones.


To return you to the night
Recognizing the power of inspiration and how it can lead into a productive workflow at night.


Dizzy from the height
Acknowledging that the creative process can be a lot to take in, and how it makes one feel elevated.


Coming from the hat, studying the hat
Referencing how the artist creates, through a long creative process.


Entering the world of the hat
Describing how the artist immerses themselves in their creative project.


Reaching through the world of the hat
Acknowledging how the artist brings their project to life.


Like a window
Using a metaphor to describe the creative process and how it brings light to the artist's life.


Back to this one from that
Describing how the artist moves in and out of their work, to and from the outside world.


Studying a face
Describing how the artist might use real-world observations to inform their creative process.


Stepping back to look at a face
Acknowledging the importance of distance and perspective in the creative process.


Leaves a little space in the way like a window
Describing how observing the world can help the artist create context, like looking through a window.


But to see, it's the only way to see
Emphasizing how important observation and connection to the world outside are to the artist.


And when the woman that you wanted goes
Referencing struggles the artist may face in their personal and professional lives and how they may deal with it artistically.


You can say to yourself, "Well, I give what I give"
Encouraging the artist to recognize the hard work they put into their work, irrespective of events in the outside world.


But the women who won't wait for you knows
Alluding to how the artist may choose to put more attention on their work than their personal relationships.


That, however you live
Emphasizing the unique nature of artistic inspiration.


There's a part of you always standing by
Highlighting how artists need to maintain a connection to their creative work, even when away from it.


Mapping out the sky, finishing a hat
Referencing the work of the artist, and how it is all interconnected.


Starting on a hat, finishing a hat
Emphasizing the creative process and how it is a continuous and endless pursuit.


Look, I made a hat
Celebrating the artist's work and success.


Where there never was a hat
Acknowledging that artistic work can create something unique and captivating, even out of simple elements.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN SONDHEIM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@cferrante

Came back to watch this today with heavy heart. This song has a gravitas when they sing it now, compared to when they were younger. It’s almost like their life experiences inform their performances now.

@happygucci5094

They were chefs kiss perfection together- forever my favorite Dot and George. The love the emotion the understanding their interpretation of maestro Sondheim is pitch perfect

@MrLemongravy

"anything you do, let it come from you, then it will be new
give us more to see"
wow.

@jm7804

She is a stone cold legend goddess. There will never be another one like her. He can be a real asshat, but that voice can make a grown man shed a tear. The combination of voices is something very special.

@0217ldp

I had no idea Mandy Pantinkin could sing like this. Such projection and breath control.

@ralphsepulveda5335

This is the perfect clip to celebrate the great Master's final passage into eternity. In the last 24 hours, I've watched it over 10 times and each time, I break up. No one - ever - has given us a richer, more sustained vision of heaven than Stephen Sondheim. We have all been blessed to live at a time to be directly touched by the amplitude of his genius. Long may his legacy live on. Move on, indeed!

@lizziescott459

I know nothing about this musical but this song moves me deeply in ways I can’t explain.

@lovenotegestapo

My favourite part of this is the very end, when they're hugging and Mandy clearly says, "I love you," and Bernadette clearly says, "I love you too." Two amazing artists entirely admiring and caring for each other. You love to see it <3

@cannibalisticrequiem

I get choked up every time I watch this! It's such a beautiful moment, and you can just see the warmth and tenderness Bernadette and Mandy have for each other in their eyes and body language.

It's literally the ending of the musical, but now it's life imitating art.

@theogoldberg8919

#lovenotegestapo EXAAAAAAAAACTLYYYYYY

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