Sweeney Todd
Lyric guide

The Contest

Read The Contest lyrics by Sweeney Todd on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

Sweeney Todd visibility1 visits
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot

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.

Page type: lyric reference Artist: Sweeney Todd Canonical path: /sweeney-todd/the-contest Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

The Contest

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.

PIRELLI (sung)

I am Adolfo Pirelli

Da king of da barbers

Da barber of kings

E Buon Giorno, good day

I blow you a kiss

And I, da so famous Pirelli

I wish-a to know-a who has-a the nerve-a to say

My elixir is piss!

Who says this?

TODD (spoken)

I do. I'm Mr. Sweeney Todd from Fleet Street. I have opened a bottle of Pirelli's Elixir and I say to you, it is nothing but

an arrant fraud, concocted from piss and ink. Furthermore, Signor, I have serviced no kings, yet I wager that I can shave a

cheek with ten times more dexterity than any street mountebank.

PIRELLI (spoken)

You hear dis foolish man? Now please you will see how he will regret his folly!

TODD (spoken)

Who's for a free shave? Will Beadle Bamford be the judge?

BAMFORD (spoken)

Glad, as always to oblige my friends and neighbours! The fastest, smoothest shave, is the winner!

PIRELLI (sung)

Now signorini, signori

We mix-a da lather

But first-a you gather

Around signorini, signori

You looking a man

Who had-a da glory

To shave-a da pope

Misterr Sweeney, whoever

I beg-a da pardon

You'll probably say-a it was only a cardinal

Nope!

It was-a da pope!

To shave-a da face

To cut-a da hair

Require a grace

Require da flare

For if-a you slip

You nick da skin

You clip-a da chin

You rip-a da lip a bit beyond-a repair

To shave-a da face

Or even a part

Widout it-a smart

Require da heart

Not just-a da flash

It take-a Panash

It take-a da passion for da art

To shave-a da face

To trim-a da beard

To make-a da bristle

Clean like a whistle

Dis is from early infancy

Da talent give to me by God

It take-a da skill

It take-a da brains

It take-a da will

To take-a da pains

It take-a da pace

It take-a da grace

BAMFORD (spoken)

The winner--is Todd!

Quick answers

What this page can answer fast

Who performs "The Contest"?

Sweeney Todd performs "The Contest", and this lyric page sits inside the Sweeney Todd catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "The Contest"?

Yes. The related section below points to A Barber And His Wife and A Little Priest with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Sweeney Todd?

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

Song Room

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.

Open Song Room
0 followers Selected insights only surface after moderation
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Add a short interpretation or memory

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.

No listener comments on The Contest yet.