Sondheim has been writing for the American Musical Theatre for the past four decades. His breakthrough musical Company revolutionized the art form. He is considered by many to be the finest living composer of our time.
His scores include Passion, Assassins, Bounce, Into The Woods, Sunday In The Park With George, Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd, Pacific Overtures, A Little Night Music, Follies, Company, The Frogs, Anyone Can Whistle, and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to The Forum, as well as the lyrics for Gypsy and West Side Story.
He studied composition with the legendary avant-garde composer Milton Babbitt. Sondheim says that when he asked Babbitt if he could study atonality, Babbitt replied "You haven’t exhausted tonal resources for yourself yet, so I’m not going to teach you atonal." Sondheim agreed, and despite frequent dissonance and a highly chromatic style, his music remains resolutely tonal.
A notable aspect of Sondheim's songwriting is the use of complex and innovative rhyme patterns that "delight the ear."
Wait
Stephen Sondheim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It’s not much of a chair but it’ll do. Was me poor Albert’s chair. Sat in it all day long he did till half his leg give out with gout.
Sweeney Todd (spoken)
Why doesn’t the beadle come? Before the week is out. That’s what he said.
Mrs. Lovett (spoken)
He said ‘before the week is out’. It’s only Tuesday.
Easy now,
Hush, love, hush,
Don't distress yourself,
What's your rush?
Keep your thoughts
Nice and lush,
Wait.
Hush, love, hush,
Think it through.
Once it bubbles, then
What's to do?
Watch it close.
Let it brew.
Wait.
I've been thinkin' flowers,
Maybe daisies,
To brighten up the room!
Don't you think some flowers,
Pretty daisies,
Might relieve the gloom?
Ah, wait,
Love, wait.
Sweeney Todd (spoken)
And the judge? When will I get to him?
Mrs. Lovett (spoken)
Can't you think of nothin' else?
Always broodin' away on your wrongs
what happened heaven knows how many years ago!
(sung)
Slow, love, slow.
Time's so fast.
Now goes quickly, see
Now it's past!
Soon will come,
Soon will last.
Wait.
Don't you know,
Silly man?
Half the fun is to
Plan the plan!
All good things
Come to those who can
Wait.
Gillyflowers, maybe,
'Stead of daisies...
I dunno though...
What do you think?
In Stephen Sondheim's song "Wait," Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd engage in a conversation on patience and waiting. As they wait for their revenge against those who have wronged them, Mrs. Lovett talks Sweeney Todd into slowing down and waiting for the right time to strike. She muses on adding flowers to the pie shop to brighten up the room, while Todd impatiently asks about the progress on their plan. Mrs. Lovett encourages him to wait and think through their plan, suggesting that half the fun is in planning. Ultimately, they both come to the conclusion that waiting is necessary for their revenge to be successful.
The song "Wait" serves as a crucial moment in the musical where the two characters seem to come to an understanding about their situation. Mrs. Lovett's character is often portrayed as cunning and manipulative, but this scene shows a more vulnerable side of her. She is trying to ease Sweeney Todd's mind and convince him to be patient. Meanwhile, Sweeney Todd is shown to be more vulnerable and emotional when discussing his past traumas.
Some other interpretations of the song suggest that it is about the dangers of impatience and how waiting for the right moment is important for success. The flowers that Mrs. Lovett talks about adding to the shop can be seen as a metaphor for how beautiful things can sometimes be grown out of dark places, like revenge.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s not much of a chair but it’ll do. Was me poor Albert’s chair. Sat in it all day long he did till half his leg give out with gout.
Mrs. Lovett is showing Sweeney Todd a chair and explains how it used to belong to her late husband. Her husband Albert would sit in it all day, but due to his gout, one of his legs stopped working. The chair is not in good condition but it works.
Why doesn’t the beadle come? Before the week is out. That’s what he said.
Sweeney Todd is eager to get his revenge on the judge and impatiently questions why the beadle has not come yet. The beadle promised to come before the week ends, and Sweeney is worried that he won't be able to get his revenge in time.
He said ‘before the week is out’. It’s only Tuesday.
Mrs. Lovett reminds Sweeney that the beadle gave them until the end of the week, and it is still only Tuesday. She tells him to relax and not be in a hurry.
Easy now, Hush, love, hush, Don't distress yourself, What's your rush? Keep your thoughts Nice and lush, Wait.
Mrs. Lovett sings to Sweeney to calm him down and take things slowly. She tells him not to worry and to enjoy the moment. She advises him to wait patiently for the right moment to take his revenge.
Hush, love, hush, Think it through. Once it bubbles, then What's to do? Watch it close. Let it brew. Wait.
Mrs. Lovett advises Sweeney to think carefully about his plan and wait until it is the right time to execute it. She uses brewing metaphor to convey that vengeance is like a drink that needs to be prepared correctly, and then savored at the right time.
I've been thinkin' flowers, Maybe daisies, To brighten up the room! Don't you think some flowers, Pretty daisies, Might relieve the gloom? Ah, wait, Love, wait.
Mrs. Lovett suggests adding some flowers to the room to lighten the mood. She asks Sweeney if he thinks daisies would be a good option, but then ponders if another kind of flower would be better. She advises waiting until they make a decision.
And the judge? When will I get to him?
Sweeney is curious about when his chance to get revenge on the judge will come. He is eager to carry out his plan and is impatient for the opportunity to arise.
Can't you think of nothin' else? Always broodin' away on your wrongs what happened heaven knows how many years ago!
Mrs. Lovett is exasperated with Sweeney's constant focus on getting revenge. She tells him to stop dwelling on the past, as he has done nothing but think of his past wrongs for many years.
Slow, love, slow. Time's so fast. Now goes quickly, see Now it's past! Soon will come, Soon will last. Wait.
Mrs. Lovett reminds Sweeney that time is fleeting, and that he should take things slowly. She tells him to wait as the right opportunity will come, and advises him to be patient.
Don't you know, Silly man? Half the fun is to Plan the plan! All good things Come to those who can Wait.
Mrs. Lovett argues that half the enjoyment of revenge is in the planning process, and that good things come to those who wait. She suggests that Sweeney should enjoy the work of planning his revenge as much as carrying it out.
Gillyflowers, maybe, 'Stead of daisies... I dunno though... What do you think?
Mrs. Lovett continues to suggest types of flowers to Sweeney, but has second thoughts about daisies. She is unsure if gillyflowers would be a better option, and asks for Sweeney's opinion, implying that they have time to decide.
Contributed by Maria H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.