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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
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Music straightjackets a poem and prevents it from breathing on its own, whereas it liberates a lyric. Poetry doesn't need music; lyrics do.Stephen Sondheim
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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
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I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface.Stephen Sondheim
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Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.Stephen Sondheim
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If I cannot fly, let me sing.Stephen Sondheim
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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
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There's a hole in the world like a big black pit who are filled with people who are filled with shit.Stephen Sondheim
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The dumbing down of the country reflects itself on Broadway. The shows get dumber, and the public gets used to them.Stephen Sondheim
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I chose and my world was shaken, so what? The choice may have been mistaken, the choosing was not.Stephen Sondheim
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Unless the object of the singer’s affection is a vampire, surely what Hart means is unphotogenic. Only vampires are unphotographable, but affectionate ‘-enic’ rhymes are hard to come by.Stephen Sondheim
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Automobile in America, Chromium steel in America, Wire-spoke wheel in America, Very big deal in America! Immigrant goes to America, Many hellos in America, Nobody knows in America, Puerto Rico's in America! I like the shores of America! Comfort is yours in America! Knobs on the doors in America! Wall-to-wall floors in America!Stephen Sondheim
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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
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Though it's fearful, Though it's deep, though it's dark And though you may lose the path, Though you may encounter wolves, You can't just act, You have to listen. you can't just act, You have to think. Though it's dark, There are always wolves, There are always spells, There are always beans, Or a giant dwells there. So into the woods you go again, You have to every now and then. Into the woods, no telling when, Be ready for the journey. Into the woods, but not too fast or what you wish, you lose at last. Into the woods, but mind the past. Into the woods, but mind the future. Into the woods, but not to stray, Or tempt the wolf, or steal from the giant-- The way is dark, The light is dim, But now there's you, me, her, and him. The chances look small, The choices look grim, But everything you learn there Will help when you return there. The light is getting dimmer. I think I see a glimmer-- Into the woods--you have to grope, But that's the way you learn to cope. Into the woods to find there's hope Of getting through the journey. Into the woods, each time you go, There's more to learn of what you know. Into the woods, but not too slow-- Into the woods, it's nearing midnight-- Into the woods to mind the wolf, To heed the witch, to honor the giant, To mind, to heed, to find, to think, to teach, to join, to go to the Festival! Into the woods, Into the woods, Into the woods, Then out of the woods-- And happy ever after! .Stephen Sondheim
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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
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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..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
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A folktale without a moral is merely a whimsy.Stephen Sondheim
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Musical comedies aren't written they are re-written.Stephen Sondheim
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Over a period of time it's been driven home to me that I'm not going to be the most popular writer in the world so I'm always happy when anything in any way is accepted.Stephen Sondheim
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I'm interested in the theater because I'm interested in communication with audiences. Otherwise I would be in concert music.Stephen Sondheim
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One of the hardest things about writing lyrics is to make the lyrics sit on the music in such a way that you're not aware there was a writer there.Stephen Sondheim
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I'm very opinionated about movie musicals when they're adapted from live shows. You'll sit still for a three-minute song in a theater. But in movies, a glance from someone's eyes will tell you the whole story in a few seconds.Stephen Sondheim
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Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audience's imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean there's no fourth wall.Stephen Sondheim
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Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.Stephen Sondheim