Stephen Sondheim
Lyric guide

Prologue

Read Prologue lyrics by Stephen Sondheim on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Stephen Sondheim Canonical path: /sondheim-stephen/prologue Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

Prologue

The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.

His skin was pale and his eye was odd.

He shaved the faces of gentlemen

who never thereafter were heard of again.

He trod a path that few have trod

did Sweeney Todd

the demon barber of fleet street.

He kept a shop in London town.

Of fancy clients and good renown

and what if none of their souls were saved

they went to their maker impecably shaved.

By Sweeney,

by Sweeney Todd

the demon barber of fleet street.

Company

Swing your razor wide!

Sweeney, hold it to the skies.

Freely flows the blood of those who moralize.

His needswere few, his room was bare.

A lavabo and a fancy chair.

A mug of suds, and a leather strop,

an apron, a towel, a pail, and a mop.

For neatness he deserves a nod,

does Sweeney Todd,

the demon barber of Fleet Street.

Inconspicuous Sweeney was,

quick, and quiet and clean he was.

Back of his smile, under his word,

Sweeney heard music that nobody heard.

Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned,

like a perfect machine he planned,

Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,

Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle

Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle

Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle

Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,

Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle

Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,

Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle

Sweeney! Sweeney! Sweeney! Sweeney!

Sweeney!

Sweeney Todd

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!

Company

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!

Sweeney Todd

He served a dark and avengeful God!

Company

He served a dark and avengeful God!

Sweeney Todd

What happened then, well that's the play,

and he wouldn't want us to give it away...

Company

Not Sweeney

Not Sweeney Todd

The demon barber of Fleet...

Street...

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Who performs "Prologue"?

Stephen Sondheim performs "Prologue", and this lyric page sits inside the Stephen Sondheim catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "Prologue"?

Yes. The related section below points to A Boy Like That, I Have A Love and A Little Priest with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Stephen Sondheim?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Stephen Sondheim's lyric pages.

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