'The Prologue to 'Sweeney Todd''

[A Man:]
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.

[Another Man:]
He kept a shop in London town
Of fancy clients and good renown.
And what if none of their souls was saved?
They went to their maker impeccably shaved

  By Sweeney,
  By Sweeney Todd.
  The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

[Company, variously:]
  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 '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.
Sweeney was smooth, Sweeney was subtle,
Sweeney would blink and rats would scuttle.

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!
  Sweeeeeeneeeeey!

[Todd appears from the grave]
[Todd and Company:]
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.
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,
Not Sweeney.

[Company:]
Not Sweeney Todd
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street!

     -- Stephen Sondheim