Hello Little Girl
Robert Westenberg & Danielle Ferland Lyrics


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Wolf
Good day, young lady
Little Red Riding Hood
Good day, Mr. Wolf

Wolf
Mmh
Uhh
Look at that flesh

Pink and plump
Hello, little girl
This one's especially lush
Delicious

Mmh
Hello little girl
What's your rush?
You're missing all the flowers

The sun won't set for hours
Take your time
Little Red
Mother said, "Straight ahead"

Not to delay
Or be misled
Wolf
But slow little girl

Mark! and hush
The birds are singing sweetly
You'll miss the birds completely
You're traveling so fleetly

Grandmother first
The Miss Plump
What a delectable couple
Utter perfection

One brittle, one supple
One moment, me dear!
Little Red
Mother said, come what may





Follow the path and never stray

Overall Meaning

The song "Hello Little Girl" from the musical Into the Woods, sung by Robert Westenberg and Danielle Ferland, is an allusion to the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. The opening lines set the scene, as the wolf greets Little Red Riding Hood in a friendly manner, but then hints at his ulterior motive by admiring her "pink and plump" flesh. He then addresses her as "little girl" and encourages her to slow down and enjoy the scenery despite her supposed haste. He even tries to distract her from her errand by warning her that she'll miss the birds unless she stops to appreciate them. However, she persists in her mission to visit her grandmother, and the wolf shows his true intentions as he muses about how delicious the two of them will be together.


The lyrics reflect the theme of temptation and the consequences of giving in to it. The wolf represents the devil or the dark side of human nature, tempting Little Red to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh and the distraction of the world around her. Little Red represents humanity, struggling to resist temptation and remain on the straight and narrow path of righteousness. The song can be read as a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to temptation and straying from one's duties and obligations.


Line by Line Meaning

Wolf
The wolf starts the conversation by addressing Little Red Riding Hood.


Good day, young lady
The wolf greets Little Red Riding Hood.


Little Red Riding Hood
The wolf specifies the person he is addressing.


Good day, Mr. Wolf
Little Red Riding Hood returns the greeting.


Mmh
The wolf makes a sound indicating his pleasure.


Uhh
The wolf makes another sound indicating his pleasure.


Look at that flesh
The wolf is admiring Little Red Riding Hood's appearance.


Pink and plump
The wolf comments on Little Red Riding Hood's physical features which he notices very appetizing.


Hello, little girl
The wolf greets Little Red Riding Hood again.


This one's especially lush
The wolf is specifically talking about Little Red Riding Hood, the girl he's addressing.


Delicious
The wolf thinks Little Red Riding Hood looks very tasty.


Mmh
The wolf makes another sound indicating his pleasure.


Hello little girl
The wolf starts talking to Little Red Riding Hood again.


What's your rush?
The wolf wants to know why Little Red Riding Hood is in a hurry.


You're missing all the flowers
The wolf is trying to keep Little Red Riding Hood from getting to her destination, under the pretext that she's missing the things on the way.


The sun won't set for hours
The wolf wants to ensure that Little Red Riding Hood has enough time to delay.


Take your time
The wolf wants Little Red Riding Hood to linger around.


Little Red
The wolf calls Little Red Riding Hood affectionately.


Mother said, "Straight ahead"
Little Red Riding Hood's mother gave her clear instructions about the direction, which the wolf knows about.


Not to delay
Little Red Riding Hood's mother told her not to stop.


Or be misled
Little Red Riding Hood's mother warned her not to be tricked by anyone.


But slow little girl
The wolf is asking Little Red Riding Hood to go slowly.


Mark! and hush
The wolf is forestalling any noise.


The birds are singing sweetly
The wolf is trying to get Little Red Riding Hood's attention to the birds.


You'll miss the birds completely
The wolf repeats his warning that Little Red Riding Hood will miss the sight if she continues on her way.


You're traveling so fleetly
The wolf again draws attention to Little Red Riding Hood's speed.


Grandmother first
The wolf tells Little Red Riding Hood to see her grandmother first.


The Miss Plump
The wolf refers to Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother as plump which indicates again the wolf's desire to eat them.


What a delectable couple
The wolf is again thinking about how delicious both Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother would be to eat.


Utter perfection
The wolf thinks that Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother have the perfect characteristics for his meal.


One brittle, one supple
The wolf describes the texture of each grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood that would make it an ideal meal.


One moment, me dear!
The wolf stops Little Red Riding Hood from leaving.


Little Red
The wolf again calls Little Red Riding Hood affectionately.


Mother said, come what may
The wolf implicitly says that he knows what Little Red Riding Hood's mother advised her but still wants to steer her in his desired direction.


Follow the path and never stray
The wolf tells Little Red Riding Hood to stay on the path.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen Sondheim

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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