The Judge's Return
Read The Judge's Return lyrics by Stephen Sondheim on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
The Judge's Return
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.
Judge? Where is she? where is the girl?
Todd. Ielow, your honor. in the care of my neighbor,
Mrs. Lovett.
Thank heavens the sailor did not molest her.
Thank heavens too, she has seen the error of her ways.
Judge: She has?
Todd: Oh yes, your lesson was well learned, sir.
She speaks only of you, longing for forgiveness.
Judge. Snd she shall have it. she'll be here soon, you
Say?
Todd:
I think I hear her now.
Judge: Oh, excellent, my friend!
Todd:
Is that her dainty footstep on the stair?
Judge: I hear nothing.
Todd:
Yes, isn't that her shadow on the wall?
Judge: Where?
Todd: There!
Primping,
Making herself even prettier than usual —
Judge:
Even prettier...
Todd:
If possible.
Judge:
Ohhhhhhh,
Pretty women!
Todd:
Pretty women, yes...
Judge: Quickly, sir, a splash of bay rum!
Todd: Sit, sir, sit.
Judge:
Johanna,johanna...
Todd:
Pretty women...
Judge: Hurry, man!
Todd:
Pretty women
Are a wonder...
Judge: You're in a merry mood again today, barber.
Todd:
Pretty women!
Judge:
What we do for
Todd:
Pretty women! Pretty women!
Blowing out their candles blowing out their candles
Or combing out their hair — or combing out their hair,
Then they leave —
Even when they leave you even when they leave,
And vanish, they somehow they still
Can still remain are there,
There with you there... They're there...
Judge: How seldom it is one meets a fellow spirit!
Todd: With fellow tastes — in women, at least.
Judge? What? what's that?
Todd: The years no doubt have changed me, sir.
But then, I suppose, the face of a barber — the face of
A prisoner in the
Dock — is not particularly memorable.
Judge:
Benjamin barker!
Todd:
Rest now, my friend,
Rest now forever.
Sleep now the untroubled
Sleep of the angels...
Company:
Lift your razor high, sweeney!
Hear it singing, "yes!"
Sink it in the rosy skin
Of righteousness!
Mrs! Covett: die! die! god in heaven — die! you! can it
Be?
How all the demons of hell come to torment me!
Todd? Dhy did you scream? does the judge still live?
Mrs: Hovett: he was clutching, holding on to my skirt,
But now — he's finished.
Todd. Oeave them to me. open the doors.
Mrs! Dovett: no! don't touch her!
Todd: What is the matter with you?
It's only some meddling old beggar - oh no, oh
God..."don't I know you?" she said...
You knew she lived.
From the first moment that I walked into your shop you
Knew my lucy lived!
Mrs: Iovett: I was only thinking of you!
Todd:
Lucy...
Mrs: Yovett: your lucy!
A crazy hag picking bones and rotten spuds out of alley
Ash-cans!
Would you have wanted to know that was all that was
Left of her?
Todd: You lied to me.
Mrs. Lovett:
No, no, not lied at all.
No, I never lied.
Todd:
Lucy...
Mrs. Lovett:
Said she took the poison — she did —
Never said that she died —
Poor thing,
She lived —
Todd:
I've come home again...
Mrs. Lovett:
But it left her weak in the head,
All she did for months was just lie there in bed —
Todd:
Lucy...
Mrs. Lovett:
Should've been in hospital,
Wound up in bedlam instead,
Poor thing!
Todd:
Oh, my god...
Mrs. Lovett:
Better you should think she was dead.
Yes, I lied 'cos I love you!
Todd:
Lucy...
Mrs. Lovett:
I'd be twice the wife she was!
I love you!
Todd:
What have I done?...
Mrs. Lovett:
Could that thing have cared for you
Like me?
Todd:
Mrs. Lovett,
You're a bloody wonder,
Eminently practical and yet
Appropriate as always.
As you've said repeatedly,
There's little point in dwelling on the past.
Mrs. Lovett:
Do you mean it?
Everything I did I swear
I thought
Was only for the best,
Believe me!
Can we still be
Married?
No, come here, my love..
Not a thing to fear,
My love...
What's dead
Is dead.
Todd:
The history of the world, my pet —
Mrs. Lovett:
Oh, mr. Todd,
Ooh, mr. Todd,
Leave it to me...
Todd:
Is learn forgiveness and try to forget.
Mrs. Lovett:
By the sea, mr. Todd,
We'll be comfy-cozy,
By the sea, mr. Todd,
Where there's no one nosy...
Todd:
And life is for the alive, my dear,
So let's keep living it —!
Both:
Just keep living it,
Really living it —!
Todd:
There was a barber and his wife,
And she was beautiful.
A foolish barber and his wife,
She was his reason and his life.
And she was beautiful.
And she was virtuous.
And he was —
Naive.
Tobias:
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker man.
Bake me a cake —
No,no,
Bake me a pie —
To delight my eye,
And I will sigh
If the crust be high...
Mr. Todd.
Pat him and prick him and mark him with b, and put him
In the oven for baby and me!
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "The Judge's Return"?
Stephen Sondheim performs "The Judge's Return", and this lyric page sits inside the Stephen Sondheim catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "The Judge's Return"?
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.
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
What people are saying
No listener comments on The Judge's Return yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.