Stephen Sondheim > quotes

"I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface."
— Stephen Sondheim

"They all deserve to die.
Even you, Mrs. Lovett
Even I.

Because the lives of the wicked should be made brief
For the rest of us death would be relief."
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"If I cannot fly, let me sing."
— Stephen Sondheim

"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos. "
— Stephen Sondheim

"Music blows lyrics up very quickly, and suddenly they become more than art. They become pompous and they become self-conscious ... I firmly believe that lyrics have to breathe and give the audience's ear a chance to understand what's going on. Particularly in the theater, where you not only have the music, but you've got costume, story, acting, orchestra. There's a lot to take in."
— Stephen Sondheim

"Now, this one might be a little stringy, but then again, it's fiddle player."
That isn't fiddle player, it's piccolo player."
How can you tell?"
It's PIPING hot!"
Then blow on it first!"
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
and the vermin of the world inhabit it
and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit
and it goes by the name of London.
At the top of the hole sit the privileged few
Making mock of the vermin in the lonely zoo
turning beauty to filth and greed...
I too have sailed the world and seen its wonders,
for the cruelty of men is as wonderous as Peru
but there's no place like London!"
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"The worst thing you can do is censor yourself as the pencil hits the paper. You must not edit until you get it all on paper. If you can put everything down, stream-of-consciousness, you'll do yourself a service."
— Stephen Sondheim

"Alright! You sir, you sir, how about a shave?
Come and visit your good friend Sweeney.
You sir, too sir? Welcome to the grave.

I will have vengenance.
I will have salvation.

Who sir, you sir?
No ones in the chair, Come on! Come on!
Sweeney's. waiting. I want you bleeders.
You sir! Anybody!
Gentlemen now don't be shy!

Not one man, no, nor ten men.
Nor a hundred can assuage me.
I will have you!
And I will get him back even as he gloats
In the meantime I'll practice on less honorable throats.
And my Lucy lies in ashes
And I'll never see my girl again.

But the work waits!
I'm alive at last!
And I'm full of joy!"
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"Work is what you do for others, liebchen. Art is what you do for yourself."
— Stephen Sondheim (Sunday in the Park with George)

"One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music."
— Stephen Sondheim

"TODD:
The history of the world, my love --
LOVETT:
Save a lot of graves,
Do a lot of relatives favors!
TODD:
Is those below serving those up above!
LOVETT:
Ev'rybody shaves,
So there should be plenty of flavors!
TODD:
How gratifying for once to know
BOTH:
That those above will serve those down below!"
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"The dumbing down of the country reflects itself on Broadway. The shows get dumber, and the public gets used to them. "
— Stephen Sondheim

"Let Pirelli's / Miracle Elixir / Activate your roots, sir...

Keep it off your boots, sir- / Eats right through.

Yes, get Pirelli's! / Use a bottle of it! / Ladies seem to love it...

Flies do, too!"
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"Swing your razor wide! Sweeney, hold it to the skies! "
— Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)

"The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure."
— Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods)

"Oh if life were made of moments
Even now and then a bad one--!
But if life were only moments,
Then you'd never know you had one."
— Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods)

"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..."
— Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods)

"They hear drums, we hear music."
— Stephen Sondheim (Passion: A New Musical : Vocal Score)

"Sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood. Others may decieve you - you decide what's good. You decide alone, but no one is alone.

People make mistakes. Fathers, mothers, people make mistakes, holding to their own, thinking they're alone. Honor their mistakes. Fight for their mistakes.

Witches can be right. Giants can be good. You decide what's right. You decide what's good."
— Stephen Sondheim

"Was that me? Yes it was. Was that him? No it wasn't..
Just a trick of the woods!
Just a moment,
One peculiar passing moment.
Must it all be either less or more,
Either plain or grand?
Is it always 'or'?
Is it never 'and'?
That's what woods are for:
For those moments in the woods...
Oh, if life were made of moments,
Even now and then a bad one--!
But if life were only moments,
Then you'd never know you had one.
First a witch, then a child, then a Prince, then a moment--
Who can live in the woods?
And to get what you wish, only just for a moment--
These are dangerous woods..
Let the moment go..
Don't forget it for a moment, though.
Just remembering you had an 'and,' when you're back to 'or,'
Makes the 'or' mean more than is did before.
Now I understand--
And it's time to leave the woods."
— Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods)

"Bit by bit, putting it together...
Piece by piece, only way to make a work of art.
Every moment makes a contribution,
Every little detail plays a part.
Having just the vision's no solution,
Everything depends on execution,
Putting it together, that's what counts."
— Stephen Sondheim (Sunday in the Park with George)

"The man i'll never be,
Who remembers him?"
— Stephen Sondheim

"Children can only grow from something you love to something you lose."
— Stephen Sondheim

"Having just the vision's no solution, everything depends on execution"
— Stephen Sondheim (Sunday in the Park with George)