The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd: Attend The Tale Of Swe...

Tobias:
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
His skin was pale and his eye was odd.
He shaved the faces of gentlemen
Who never thereafter were heard of again.
He trod a path that few have trod,
Did Sweeney Todd,
The demon barber of Fleet Street.

He kept a shop in London town,
Of fancy clients and good renown.
And what it none of their souls were saved?
They went to their maker impeccably shaved
By Sweeney,
By Sweeney Todd,
The demon barber of Fleet Street.

Company:
Swing your razor wide, Sweeney!
Hold it to the skies!
Freely flows the blood of those
Who moralize!

His needs were few, his room was bare:
A lavabo and a fancy chair,
A mug of suds and leather strop,
An apron, a towel, a pail, and a mop.
For neatness he deserves a nod,
Does Sweeney Todd,
The demon barber of Fleet Street.

The Women:
Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
Quick and quiet and clean ’e was.
Back of his smile, under his word,
Sweeney heard music that nobody heard.
Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned,
Like a perfect machine ’e planned.

The men:
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,
Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle.
Inconspicuous Sweeney was,
Quick and quiet and clean ’e was,
Like a perfect machine ’e was,
Was Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeney!

Todd:
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.

Company:
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.

Todd:
He served a dark and a vengeful god.

Company:
He served a dark and a vengeful god.

Todd:
What happened then—well that’s the play,
And he wouldn’t want us to give it away—

Company:
Not Sweeney,
Not Sweeney Todd,
The demon barber of Fleet Street.