Master Of The House
Thénardier Madame Thénardier and Chorus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And meet the best innkeeper in town
As for the rest, all of 'em crooks:
Rooking their guests and cooking the books
Seldom do you see
Honest men like me
A gent of good intent
Master of the house, doling out the charm
Ready with a handshake and an open palm
Tells a saucy tale, makes a little stir
Customers appreciate a bon-viveur
Glad to do a friend a favor
Doesn't cost me to be nice
But nothing gets you nothing
Everything has got a little price!
Master of the house, keeper of the zoo
Ready to relieve 'em of a sou or two
Watering the wine, making up the weight
Pickin' up their knick-knacks when they can't see straight
Everybody loves a landlord
Everybody's bosom friend
I do whatever pleases
Jesus! Won't I bleed 'em in the end!
Master of the house, quick to catch yer eye
Never was a passerby to pass him by
Servant to the poor, butler to the great
Comforter, philosopher, and lifelong mate!
Everybody's boon companion
Everybody's chaperone
But lock up your valises
Jesus! Won't I skin you to the bone!
Food beyond compare. Food beyond belief
Mix it in a mincer and pretend it's beef
Kidney of a horse, liver of a cat
Filling up the sausages with this and that
Residents are more than welcome
Bridal suite is occupied
Reasonable charges
Plus some little extras on the side!
(Oh Santa!)
Charge 'em for the lice, extra for the mice
Two percent for looking in the mirror twice (Hand it over!)
Here a little slice, there a little cut
Three percent for sleeping with the window shut
When it comes to fixing prices
There are a lot of tricks I knows
How it all increases, all them bits and pieces
Jesus! It's amazing how it grows!
(Oh, sorry love
Must get something done about that)
I used to dream that I would meet a prince
But God Almighty, have you seen what's happened since?
Master of the house? Isn't worth my spit!
Comforter, philosopher and lifelong shit!
Cunning little brain, regular Voltaire
Thinks he's quite a lover but there's not much there
What a cruel trick of nature landed me with such a louse
God knows how I've lasted living with this bastard in the house!
Master of the house!
Master and a half!
Comforter, philosopher
Don't make me laugh!
Servant to the poor, butler to the great
Hypocrite and toady and inebriate!
Everybody bless the landlord!
Everybody bless his spouse!
Everybody raise a glass
Raise it up the master's arse
Everybody raise a glass to the Master of the House!
In the song "Master of the House," Thénardier, Madame Thénardier, and the Chorus introduce themselves as the best innkeepers in town, while also acknowledging that they are dishonest individuals who cheat their guests and manipulate their financial records.
Thénardier proudly describes himself as an honest man with good intentions, someone who is charming and generous to his customers. He tells entertaining stories and creates a playful atmosphere, earning the appreciation of his patrons. However, he emphasizes that his kindness has its limits and everything comes with a price.
As the keeper of the inn or "house," Thénardier sees himself as the ruler of his domain. He takes advantage of his position to deceive guests and extract additional payments from them. He waters down the wine, manipulates the scales to cheat on portion sizes, and steals their belongings when they are not looking. Despite his dishonest practices, he believes that everyone loves a landlord, and he takes pleasure in exploiting his guests' trust.
Thénardier also claims to be a servant to the poor and a companion to the rich, a versatile and accommodating personality. However, he reveals that this is all a façade and he is just as selfish when it comes to taking advantage of others. He mocks his customers for their naivety and warns of his ability to ruin them financially.
In the final section, Thénardier boasts about the quality of his food, even though it is made from questionable ingredients. He describes mixing various meats together and serving them as gourmet dishes. He then brags about charging customers extra for lice, mice, and even for looking in the mirror twice. Thénardier is proud of his ability to manipulate prices and increase profits through various means, despite the moral implications.
However, in a turn of self-reflection, Madame Thénardier expresses her disappointment in Thénardier. She reveals that she used to dream of marrying a prince, implying that she had higher expectations in life. She describes her husband as a wretched, deceitful individual with a cunning mind but lacking true substance or love. She wonders how she has managed to tolerate and live with such a despicable person.
In the final chorus, the entire cast sarcastically praises and toasts the master of the house, highlighting the irony of their previous flattery. While they raise a glass in mock celebration, it is evident that they are all well aware of his true nature and have a low opinion of him.
Overall, "Master of the House" portrays Thénardier as a conniving innkeeper who takes advantage of his guests, manipulates prices, and deceives everyone around him, including his own wife. The song exposes the hypocrisy, greed, and lack of integrity found in the character of Thénardier.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome, Monsieur, sit yourself down
Greetings, sir. Please take a seat.
And meet the best innkeeper in town
Allow me to introduce myself as the finest innkeeper in this vicinity.
As for the rest, all of 'em crooks:
In contrast, the others in this business are dishonest individuals.
Rooking their guests and cooking the books
They deceive their customers and manipulate financial records.
Seldom do you see
Rarely will you encounter
Honest men like me
Men of integrity such as myself
A gent of good intent
A well-meaning gentleman
Who's content to be
Who is satisfied being
Master of the house, doling out the charm
As the proprietor, I am highly skilled in displaying charisma
Ready with a handshake and an open palm
Always prepared to greet with a friendly handshake and a welcoming gesture
Tells a saucy tale, makes a little stir
I entertain with humorous anecdotes, creating a lively atmosphere
Customers appreciate a bon-viveur
Patrons enjoy the company of a jovial host
Glad to do a friend a favor
I am pleased to assist a friend in need
Doesn't cost me to be nice
Being pleasant does not require any expense from me
But nothing gets you nothing
However, one must give something to receive something in return
Everything has got a little price!
All things come with a certain cost!
Master of the house, keeper of the zoo
Apart from the inn, I also manage an array of animals
Ready to relieve 'em of a sou or two
Always prepared to take a coin or two from their pockets
Watering the wine, making up the weight
I dilute the wine and deceive by increasing the measurement
Pickin' up their knick-knacks when they can't see straight
Stealing their small belongings when they are too intoxicated to notice
Everybody loves a landlord
Everyone adores a generous host
Everybody's bosom friend
I am a trusted confidant to all
I do whatever pleases
I do whatever brings joy or satisfaction
Jesus! Won't I bleed 'em in the end!
Goodness! I will surely exploit them for their benefit!
Master of the house, quick to catch yer eye
As the master, I am adept at attracting attention
Never was a passerby to pass him by
No one can ignore my presence as they walk by
Servant to the poor, butler to the great
I serve the less fortunate while catering to the wealthy
Comforter, philosopher, and lifelong mate!
I offer solace, wisdom, and lifelong companionship
Food beyond compare. Food beyond belief
The food I provide is unrivaled and beyond imagination
Mix it in a mincer and pretend it's beef
I blend various ingredients and pass it off as beef
Kidney of a horse, liver of a cat
Using horse kidneys and cat livers
Filling up the sausages with this and that
Stuffing sausages with a mixture of different ingredients
Residents are more than welcome
Guests staying at the inn are warmly received
Bridal suite is occupied
The luxurious room for newlyweds is currently in use
Reasonable charges
I apply fair prices
Plus some little extras on the side!
But there are also additional hidden fees!
Charge 'em for the lice, extra for the mice
I even demand payment for lice and an additional fee for handling mice
Two percent for looking in the mirror twice (Hand it over!)
A charge of two percent simply for glancing in the mirror twice (Pay up!)
Here a little slice, there a little cut
A small charge here, a minor deduction there
Three percent for sleeping with the window shut
An extra three percent if you prefer a closed window while sleeping
When it comes to fixing prices
When it comes to establishing the cost
There are a lot of tricks I knows
I possess numerous methods and strategies
How it all increases, all them bits and pieces
It is astonishing how the charges accumulate and every small item adds up
Jesus! It's amazing how it grows!
My goodness! It is astounding how it expands!
(Oh, sorry love
Must get something done about that)
(Oh, my apologies dear. I should attend to that matter)
I used to dream that I would meet a prince
In the past, I fantasized about encountering a noble gentleman
But God Almighty, have you seen what's happened since?
But my word, have you witnessed what has transpired instead?
Master of the house? Isn't worth my spit!
Master of the house? He is not deserving of my attention!
Comforter, philosopher and lifelong shit!
Supposedly a source of solace, wisdom, but truly a despicable person throughout life!
Cunning little brain, regular Voltaire
His clever mind, resembling that of Voltaire
Thinks he's quite a lover but there's not much there
Believing himself to be a great romantic, but lacking substance
What a cruel trick of nature landed me with such a louse
What a cruel twist of fate resulted in me being stuck with such a worthless person!
God knows how I've lasted living with this bastard in the house!
Only God knows how I have endured residing with this despicable individual!
Master of the house!
The alleged master of this establishment!
Master and a half!
Possibly a master, but only half competent!
Comforter, philosopher
Supposedly a provider of solace and wisdom
Don't make me laugh!
But it actually makes me laugh instead!
Servant to the poor, butler to the great
Claiming to serve the underprivileged while being subservient to the wealthy
Hypocrite and toady and inebriate!
In reality, a hypocritical sycophant and a drunkard!
Everybody bless the landlord!
Let everyone show gratitude towards the landlord!
Everybody bless his spouse!
And let everyone appreciate his wife!
Everybody raise a glass
Let everyone raise their glasses
Raise it up the master's arse
As a gesture of respect, toast to the master's success
Everybody raise a glass to the Master of the House!
Cheers to the alleged master of this establishment!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alain Albert Boublil, Claude Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean Marc Natel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind