Favourite Sondheim lyric

[devonian.t]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:05am

Another thread set me to thinking: what is the very best Sondheim lyric?

I'm sure more will come to mind, but for utter simplicity, response to the music and truth I think I would go for:

Children can only grow
From something you love
To something you lose.

Please remind me of other moments of genius.

[pab]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 3:28am

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=801373#808911

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=265029#266668

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 4:06am

I used to have one. now I forgot it...

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 4:07am

I love the lyrics to Somewhere, from WSS. ALthough they are by no means his best, they are my favourite. They are so simple, yet say so much.

[DTBG2]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 4:10am

There's a hole in the world
Like a great black pit
And it's filled with people
Who are filled with s**t
And the vermin of the world
Inhabit it...

-Sweeney Todd
Updated On: 4/24/05 at 04:10 AM

[scooter38432]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 7:19am

I've always liked...

"While her whithers wither with her."

[suchclumsytime]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 9:46am

My favorites:

Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours,
Making my entrance again with my usual flair,
Sure of my lines,
No one is there.

^^ Because they always bring out an emotion, and it's a different one every time.

You don't live for her,
You do live with her,
You're scared she's starting
To drift away,
And scared she'll stay.

You're sorry-grateful,
Regretful-happy.
Why look for answers
When none occur?
You'll always be what you always were,
Which has nothing to do with, all to do with her.

^^ I can't think of a good reason. I just love them.

Also, 'Marry Me A Little'--the entire song (also from 'Company') is amazing in hundreds of thousands of different ways.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 9:48am

TALL AND TENDER, LIKE AN APOLLO,
HE GOES WALKING BY, AND I HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM,
THE BOY FROM TACAREMBO LA TUMBE DEL FUEGO SANTA MALIPAS ZATATECAS LA JUNTA DEL SOL Y CRUZ. ("crooth")


WHEN WE MEET, I FEEL I'M ON FIRE
AND I'M BREATHLESS EVERYTIME I ENQUIRE,
"HOW ARE THINGS IN TACAREMBO LA TUMBE DEL FUEGO SANTA MALIPAS ZATATECAS LA JUNTA DEL SOL Y CRUZ." ("crooth")


WHY, WHEN I SPEAK, DOES HE VANISH?
OO-OO-OO-OO-OO-OO-OO.
WHY IS HE ACTING SO CLANNISH?
OO-OO-OO-OO-OO-OO-OO.
I WISH I UNDERSTOOD SPANISH.
WHEN I TELL HIM I THINK HE'S THE END,
HE GIGGLES A LOT WITH HIS FRIEND.


TALL AND SLENDER, MOVES LIKE A DANCER,
BUT I NEVER SEEM TO GET ANY ANSWER
FROM THE BOY FROM TACAREMBO LA TUMBE DEL FUEGO SANTA MALIPAS ZATATECAS LA JUNTA DEL SOL Y CRUZ. ("crooth")
I GOT THE BLUETH.


WHY ARE HIS TROUSERS VERMILLION?
HIS TROUSERS ARE VERMILLION.
WHY DOES HE CLAIM HE'S CASTILIAN?
HE THAYTH THAT HE'TH CATHTILIAN.
WHY DO HIS FRIENDS CALL HIM LILLIAN?
AND I HEAR AT THE END OF THE WEEK
HE'S LEAVING TO START A BOUTIQUE.


THOUGHT I SMILE, I'M ONLY PRETENDING
'CAUSE I KNOW TODAY'S THE LAST I'LL BE SPENDING
WITH THE BOY FROM TACAREMBO LA TUMBE DEL FUEGO SANTA MALIPAS ZATATECAS LA JUNTA DEL SOL Y CRUZ. ("crooth")


TOMORROW HE SAILS.
HE'S MOVING TO WALES,
TO LIVE IN LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYR NDROBULLLLANDYSILIOGOGOGOCH.*

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 10:58am

Thanks so much, Mef. I was almost correct on the country's name. :)

[kelzama]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:10pm

Ahh, if life were only moments
Even now and then a bad one
But if life were only moments
Then you'd never know you had one.
---ITTW

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 2:36pm

Well, Pab, apparently you and I are the only ones here who've EVER heard of the Search function.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 4:00pm

"you are why i am alive" - i don't know why, there's just something so simple about it.

"i thought that you'd want what i want. sorry, my dear" - again, so simple but so sad.

and "you're sorry-grateful. regretful-happy" etc. just because i think it conveys the emotion so well...the dichotomy is awesome :)

maggie

[mattvcrewse]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 5:32pm

"Oh that was many years ago.
I doubt if anyone would know."

-Sweeney Todd

Perfect rythym and rhyme AND perfect dialogue. It flows so naturally and perfectly.

[John Darling]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 5:40pm

"Hard to see the light now,
Just don't let it go.
Things will come out right now...
We can make it so.
Someone is on your side..
No one is Alone."

Definitely.

Posted: 4/24/05 at 5:41pm

"Every day a little death..."

"sometimes people leave you, halfway through the woods....No one leaves for good."

"In Buddie's eyes, I'm young & beautiful"

So many, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention

"Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick! And I'm telling you, them **** cats is QUICK!"

[Elizabeth_DeBris]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 5:44pm

Uh, wow... you'd be better off asking me what Sondheim lyrics I don't adore.

[FolliesofYouth]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 5:44pm

I always too "You said you loved me
or were you just being kind"
very personally
http://excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=10956

[style_not_sincerity]

Posted: 4/24/05 at 6:09pm

I don't remember the exact quote, but the reference to the girl with a weakness for sazarac swings from "Have I got A Girl For You" from Company always makes me smile.

[rawleygirl]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:10am

I GOT THROUGH ALL OF LAST YEAR
AND I'M HERE

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:13am

I was watching him crawl,
Back over the wall-!
Then bang! Crash!
And the lightning flash!
And- well, that's another story,
Never mind-
Anyway, at last
The big day came,
And I made my claim.
"Oh, don't take away the baby,"
They shrieked and screeched,
But I did,
And I hid her
Where she'll never be reached.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:17am

I can't even narrow it down to a show, much less a song or lyrics. I'll try to think of my favorites though at some point.

Those links were over two months old, and half the time people complain that people bring back "dead threads." I understand if someone posts something that was on the first couple pages as a time to complain, but in cases like this it seems unnecessary.

[Chip1012]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:34am

There are mouths to be kissed before mouths to fed.

Tend to your dreams,
dreams take time.

Best to take the moment present as a present for the moment.

Anything you do
let it come from you
then it will be new.
Updated On: 4/25/05 at 01:34 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:36am

Agreed. There will always be a previous incarnation of a thread like this, but they're old. There are new members and people are in different moods. Get over it guys.

These are some of my favorites:

No,
You are complete, George,
You are your own.
We do not belong together.
You are complete, George,
You are alone.
I am unfinished,
I am diminished
With or without you.

We do not belong together,
And we should have belonged together.
What made it so right together
Is what made it all wrong.

No one is you, George,
There we agree,
But others will do, George.
No one is you and
No one can be,
But no one is me, George,
No one is me.
We do not belong together.
And we'll never belong-!

You have a mission,
A mission to see.
Now I have one too, George.
And we should have belonged together.
I have to move on.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:40am

the entire Opening Doors sequence in Merrily...

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 4/25/05 at 1:42am

You don't live for her
You do live with her
You're scared she's starting
To drift away
And scared she'll stay

Good things get better
Bad get worse
Wait, I think I meant that in reverse

You're sorry-grateful
Regretful-happy
Why look for answers
Where none occur
You'll always be
What you always were
Which has nothing to do with
All to do with her