Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

#1

Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:29pm

What does the lyric mean/context of:
"Tis your delight sir catching fire from one man to the next"

TIA!

#2

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:30pm

He's talking about the Judge's happiness about marrying Johanna.

#3

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:33pm

well, the judge says, rather miserably, "you're in a rather lively mood" or something to that affect.

Todd is basically saying "you should be glad i'm in my merry mood, since you recieve nothing but s**t from every other man because of the position of your job.

---

"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

#4

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:34pm

I have a question too. Wasn't there a point where Todd sang "They all deserve to die. Even you Mrs. Lovett, even I."? What happened to that lyric?

#5

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:35pm

Thanks all!

#6

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:36pm

It's in the movie. He shoves her up against the wall at that point.

#7

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:36pm

CATS, I think that line was in the movie, though I may be mistaken.

---

"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

#8

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:41pm

I guess it's just missing from a few on-line lyrics sites. I was going crazy the other day looking up the lyrics on different sites not being able to find it. I thought maybe I'd imagined it.

#9

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:42pm

Todd is basically saying "you should be glad i'm in my merry mood, since you recieve nothing but s**t from every other man because of the position of your job.

What the HELL are you talking about?!?!

The lyric: "Tis your delight sir catching fire from one man to the next" does not mean what you wrote.

Todd is simply saying that Turpin's merry mood has jumped to Todd and, thus, has made him merry as well. Sort of like the saying "Your smile is contagious." It basically means you're happy mood has made me happy as well.

---

"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde

#10

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:44pm

FOAnatic is right

CATSNY, it may be because that lyric is not part of the original production. Instead, the line "Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why" was simply repeated. The lyric site you were looking at may have been of the Original Cast Album.

#11

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:46pm

FOAnatic is right. He just means that the judge's joy at being in love is catching.

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 04:46 PM

#12

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:46pm

well, that's simply how I interpreted the line. no need for the cusses.

---

"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

#13

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:47pm

And the Judge is all joyous because he plans on marrying Johanna.


Pippin, no harm meant. But I really didn't understand a word of what you were saying either.

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 04:47 PM

#14

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:53pm

sometimes I think backwards, and things like that make perfect sense to me, and no one else

but wait, now I'm (more) confused, because I don't think the judge IS in a merry mood. It is Sweeney that starts the humming, and, at least the way Rickman delivers the line, it almost sounds as if the subtext is "what do you have to be so happy about, Todd?" is it just me?

---

"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 04:53 PM

#15

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:57pm

Sweeney starts the humming after Judge Turpin confesses that he's in love and his being in love is the reason he's come to get a shave and some cologne to woo the object of his desire.

---

"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde

#16

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 4:58pm

That is a very interesting interpretation, Pippin. I have never thought of it that way, but it makes sense. Turpin is obviously happy at his impending marriage to Johanna and now that you mention it, it would make sense for Turpin to be condescending towards Sweeney. Interesting! So many inerpretations...god, I love this show!!!!

---

"When you're a Jet, / You're a Jet all the way, / From your first pirouette / To your last grand jete." --Brian Kaman

#17

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 5:00pm

And don't forget, Pippin, that in the show itself, Turpin is the one who starts singing first. He starts going "Bum bum bum bum..." and Sweeney joins in whistling. THEN the judge says, "You're in a merry mood today, Mr. Todd." The first "Bum bum bum bum..."s were cut from the movie.

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 05:00 PM

#18

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 5:00pm

The judge is in a merry mood - and has just sung something of that effect to Sweeney. Sweeney Todd picks up Turpin's tune and whistles pleasantly, either out of joy that he's about the slit Turpin's throat or to keep up the ruse of a pleasant environment, or both. Sweeney telling the judge his mood is catching is a way of explaining his inexplicable pleasant whistling.

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 05:00 PM

#19

re: Lyric question re: Sweeney Todd

Posted: 1/3/08 at 5:02pm

oh, yes, Shbrt, thank you for reminding me. I had honestly forgot that Sweeney joins in after the judge starts.

---

"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."