Prelude: The Ballad of Sweeney Todd: “Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd”
Stephen Sondheim
[CITIZENS of LONDON]
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 if none of their souls were saved?
They went to their maker impeccably shaved
By Sweeney
By Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet Street

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 a leather strop
An apron, a towel, a pail and a mop
For neatness he deserved a nod
Did Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet Street

Inconspicuous, Sweeney was
Quick and quiet and clean, he was
Back of his smile, under his word
Sweeney heard music that nobody heard
Sweeney pondered and Sweeney planned
Like a perfect machine, he planned
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle
Sweeney would blink, and rats would scuttle

Inconspicuous, Sweeney was
Quick and quiet and clean he was
Like a perfect machine he was
Was Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeney!
Sweeney!

[SWEENEY TODD]
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd
He served a dark and a vengeful god
What happened then, well, that's the play
And he wouldn't want us to give it away
Not Sweeney
Not Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet Street
Write the lyrics for a pop song made in 1979, titled "Prelude: The Ballad of Sweeney Todd: “Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd”", by artist "Stephen Sondheim".