prologue
Menken Alan Lyrics
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In an early year of a decade not too long before our own
The human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence
And this terrifying enemy surfaced as such enemies often do
In the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Little shop, little shoppa terror
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Bop sh'bop, little shoppa terror
Watch 'em drop! Little shoppa horrors
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Shing-a-ling, what a freaky thing to be happening!
Look out, look out, look out, look out!
Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air
Yeah!
Sha-la-la, stop right where you are
Don't you move a thing
You better (tellin' you, you better)
Tell your mama something's gonna get her
She better (everybody better beware!
Oh, here it comes, baby
Tell the world, baby
Oh oh, oh no
Oh, hit the dirt, baby
Tell the world, baby, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
Alley oop, hurry off to school child, I'm warnin' you
(Look out, look out, look, out, look out)
Run away, child you gonna pay if you stay, yeah
Look around, something's comin' down down the street for you
You betcha, you betcha, you betcha butt, you betcha
Best believe it, something's come to get ya
You betcha, you better watch your back in this town
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah!
Comma, comma, comma
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Bop sh'bop, you'll never stop the terror
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
No, oh oh, no, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
The opening lyrics of Menken Alan's song Prologue describe a moment of impending doom. Set in an early year of a decade not too long before our own, the human race suddenly encounters a deadly threat to its existence. The terrifying enemy surfaces in the most innocent and unlikely of places--a little shop, where horrors and terrors await the unsuspecting. The refrain that follows reinforces the warning, urging anyone who will listen to call the cops, lest they fall prey to the little shoppa horrors that await them. The lyrics use onomatopoeia, like "shing-a-ling" and "sha-la-la" to emphasize the eerie atmosphere and the impending danger.
As the song progresses, the tempo picks up and the lyrics become more urgent. The singer describes how something freakish and chaotic is happening, something that feels like a storm is brewing in the air. The song implores listeners to stop where they are and to tell their mothers that something is coming to get them. The singer emphasizes the critical nature of the situation, urging everyone to beware and to hit the dirt as the world comes crashing down. The lyrics finally end with a series of warnings about the dangers that lurk in the town--a place where anyone could be a victim of the little shoppa horrors.
Line by Line Meaning
On the twenty-first day of the month of September
It was the twenty-first day of the month of September
In an early year of a decade not too long before our own
The incident happened a few years ago
The human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence
The humans faced a severe danger to their lives
And this terrifying enemy surfaced as such enemies often do
The enemy appeared unexpectedly similar to typical enemies
In the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places
The place where the enemy was found was not thought to be dangerous
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
An indication of horror in the small shop
Little shop, little shoppa terror
A suggestion of fear in the little shop
Call a cop, little shoppa horrors
Asking for help from a cop in the little shop
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Repetitive denial of danger in the small shop
Bop sh'bop, little shoppa terror
The terror in the little shop keeps growing
Watch 'em drop! Little shoppa horrors
The horrors in the small shop are causing people to fall
Shing-a-ling, what a freaky thing to be happening!
'Shing-a-ling' relates to the onset of the situation yet unconfirmed
Look out, look out, look out, look out!
A warning to be cautious
Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air
Expect a bad feeling in the atmosphere
Sha-la-la, stop right where you are
An order to stop moving immediately
Don't you move a thing
Do not move any object
You better (tellin' you, you better)
A repetitive warning to be careful
Tell your mama something's gonna get her
Inform the mother of the danger approaching
She better (everybody better beware!
Warn everyone to be careful
Oh, here it comes, baby
The enemy is getting closer
Tell the world, baby
Spread the news globally
Oh oh, oh no
Indicates the onset of something negative
Oh, hit the dirt, baby
Suggesting that one should go down on the ground for safety
Tell the world, baby, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
Let everyone know the enemy is coming
Alley oop, hurry off to school child, I'm warnin' you
Warns children to leave and go to school quickly
(Look out, look out, look, out, look out)
A repetitive warning to look out
Run away, child you gonna pay if you stay, yeah
Children are warned to run away unless they want to face the negative consequences
Look around, something's comin' down down the street for you
Warns someone of the danger coming down the street
You betcha, you betcha, you betcha butt, you betcha
Repetitive assurance that the enemy is coming
Best believe it, something's come to get ya
The assurance that the danger is coming
You betcha, you better watch your back in this town
A warning to watch out for danger in the city
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah!
An indication of agreement
Comma, comma, comma
Might indicate a pause
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
Horror in the little shop
Bop sh'bop, you'll never stop the terror
The terror in the little shop keeps increasing
Little shop, little shoppa horrors
The horror continues in the little shop
No, oh oh, no, oh oh, no, oh oh, no
A repetitive denial of danger in the small shop
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWARD ELLIOTT ASHMAN, ALAN MENKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind