Shrine to Sondheim

Shrine to Stephen Sondheim

"It's the fragment, not the day.
It's the pebble, not the stream.
It's the ripple, not the sea
That is happening.
Not the building but the beam,
Not the garden but the stone,
Only cups of tea
And history
And someone in a tree!"
--Excerpt from 'Someone in a Tree,' (Pacific Overtures) by Stephen Sondheim.

Stephen Sondheim is (in my opinion anyway) the most talented songwriter. Ever. He wrote the music and lyrics to my two favorite musicals, 'Sunday In The Park With George' and 'Into The Woods'.

Here are some of my favorite Sondheim songs -

Putting It Together
Move On
Giants In The Sky
No More
Unworthy Of Your Love
Poems
Kiss Me (excerpt)

Putting It Together from 'Sunday In The Park With George'
Act I is basically about the life of painter Georges Seurat (painter of 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte') and Act II is about his great grandson, also an artist, and coincidentally enough, also named George. This song is sung by George in Act II during the exhibition of his piece 'Chromolume Number Seven'. Another version of this song was sung by Bernadette Peters at the 1993 Academy Awards Ceremony.

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.

Ounce by ounce,
Putting it together...
Small amounts,
Adding up to make a work of art.
First of all you need a good foundation,
Otherwise it's risy from the start.
Takes a little cocktail conversation,
But without the proper preparation,
Having just the vision's no solution,
Everything depends on execution.

The art of making art
Is putting it together
Bit by bit...

Link by link,
Making the connections...
Drink by drink,
Fixing and perfecting the deseign.
Adding just a dab of politician
(Always knowing where to draw the line),
Lining up the funds but in addition
Lining up a prominent commision,
Otherwise your perfect composition
Isn't going to get much exhibition.

Art isn't easy.
Every minor detail
Is a major decision.
Have to keep things in scale,
Have to hold to your vision -

Everytime I start to feel defensive,
I remember lasers are expensive.
What's a little cocktail conversation
If it's going to get you your foundation,
Leading to a prominent commission
And an exhibition in addition?

Dot by dot,
Building up the image.
Shot by shot,
Keeping at a distance doesn't pay.
Still, if you remember your objective,
Not give all your privacy away -
A little bit of hype can be effective,
Long as you can keep it in perspective.
After all, without some recognition
No one's going to give you a commissions,
Which will cause a crack in the foundation.
You'll have wasted all that conversation.

Art isn't easy.
Overnight you're a trend,
You're the right combination -
Then the trend's at an end,
You're suddenly last year's sensation..

So you should support the competition,
Try to set aside your own ambition,
Even while you jockey for position -
If you feel a sense of coalition,
Then you never really stand alone.
If you want your work to reach fruition,
What you need's a link with your tradition,
And of course a prominent commission,
Plus a little formal recognition,
So that you go on exibit -
So that your work can go on exhibition -

Bit by bit,
Putting it together.
Piece by piece,
Working out the vision night and day.
All it takes is time and perseverance,
With a little luck along the way,
Putting in a personal appearance,
Gathering supporters and adherents..

Mapping out the right configuration,
Starting with a suitable foundation...
Lining up a prominent commission -
And an exhibition in addition -
Here a little dab of politician -
There a little touch of publication -
Till you have a balanced composition -
Everything depends on preparation -
Even if you do have the suspicion
That it's taking all your concentration -

The art of making art
Is putting it together -
Bit by bit -
Link by link -
Drink by drink -
Mink by mink -
And that
Is the state
Of the

Art!

Back to the top.

Move On from 'Sunday In The Park With George'
This is the solo version, found in 'Vocal Collection from Sunday in the Park with George'. When Stephen Sondheim was on 'Inside the Actor's Studio,' and this song was performed, James Lipton explained to the audience that Dot is speaking to George, but he believes she is speaking to all of us. It doesn't really need any other explanation, the song speaks for itself. Click on the title to hear a midi of this song made by the incredibly talented Amy.

I chose, and my world was shaken --
So what?
The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not.
You have to move on.

Look at what you want,
Not at where you are,
Not at what you'll be.
Look at all the things you've done for me:
Opened up my eyes,
Taught me how to see,
Notice every tree,
Understand the light,
Concentrate on now.

I want to explore the light.
I want to find how to get through,
Through to something new,
Something of my own --
Move on.
Move on.

Stop worrying if your vision
Is new.
Let others make that decision --
They usually do.
You keep moving on.

Look at what you've done,
Then at what you want,
Not at where you are,
What you'll be.
Look at all the things you gave to me.
Let me give to you
Something in return.

See what's in my eyes
And the color of my hair
And the way it catches light.
And the care
And the feeling
And the life
Moving on..

We've always belonged
Together!
We will always belong
Together!
Just keep moving on.

Anything you do,
Let it come from you.
Then it will be new.
Give us more to see...

Back to the top.

Giants In The Sky from 'Into The Woods'
'Into The Woods' is a big collage of all kinds of fairy tales, and this is.. you guessed it, Jack's (as in Jack and the Beanstalk) song! Click the title to hear a midi, also made by Amy.

When you're way up high and you look below
At the world you left and the things you know
Little more than a glance is enough to show you
Just how small you are..
When you're way up high and you're on your own
In a world like none that you've ever known
Where the sky is lead
And the earth is stone
You're free
To do
Whatever pleases you.
Exploring things you'd never dare
'Cause you don't care
When suddenly there's
A big tall terrible giant
At the door..
A big tall terrible lady giant
Sweeping the floor..
And she gives you food,
And she gives you rest,
And she holds you close to her giant breast
And you know things now that you never knew before
Not 'till the sky.

Only just when you've made a friend and all
And you know she's big, but you don't feel small
Someone bigger than her comes along the hall
To swallow you for lunch!
And your heart is lead
And your stomach's stone
And you're really scared being all alone..
And it's then that you miss all things you've known
And the world you left
And the little you own
The fun
Is done!
You steal what you can and run
And you scramble down
And you look below
And the world you know begins to grow
The roof, the house and your mother
At the door..
The roof, the house and the world you never thought to explore..
And you think of all of the things you've seen,
And you wish that you could live in between,
And you're back again only different
Then before..
After the sky.

There are giants in the sky!
There are big, tall, terrible, awesome, scary,
Wonderful giants,
In the sky!

Back to the top

No More from 'Into The Woods'
This is a very lovely song sung by The Baker and the Mysterious Man, his father. I was nice enough to put cues too, since this is a duet. Click the title to hear a midi by Amy.

Baker:

Mysterious Man:

They disappoint
In turn I fear,
Forgive though, they won't.

Baker:

Mysterious Man:

Running away,
Go to it.
Where did you have in mind?
Have to take care,
Unless there's a where,
You'll only be wandering blind.
Just more questions,
Different kind.

Where are we to go?
Where are we ever to go..?

Running away,
We'll do it.
Why sit around resigned?
Trouble is son,
The farther you run,
The more you feel undefined
For what you have left undone
And more, what you've left behind..

We disappoint,
We leave a mess,
We die, but we don't.

Baker:

Both:

Baker:

How do you ignore
All the witches..
All the curses..
All the wolves,
All the lies,
The false hopes,
The goodbyes,
The reverses...
All the wondering what even worse
Is still in store.

All the children.
All the giants.
No more....

Back to the top.

Unworthy Of Your Love from 'Assassins'.
In an article by Stephen Schiff, 'Assassins' is described as a show "...which used some of his loveliest music to dress up mildewed insights into why people want to kill the President of the United States." This song is one of Sondheim's loveliest. It is sung by John Hinckley, the man who tried to assissinate President Ronald Regan so Jodie Foster would notice him, and is also sung by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, one of the Manson girls.

Hinckley:

I am unworthy of your love,
Jodie. Jodie,
Let me prove worthy of your love.
Tell me how I can earn your love,
Set me free.
How can I turn your love to me?

Fromme:

I am unworthy of your love,
Charlie, darlin',
I have done nothing for your love.
Let me be worthy of your love,
Set you free--

Hinckley:

Poems from 'Pacific Overtures'
This song is amazing. It's very pretty, and the whole thing is a bunch of haikus. It's a duet by two of the show's main characters, Kayama and Manjiro as they travel and try to keep each other company by writing poems.

Kayama:

Rain
glistening
on the silver birch
like my lady's tears.
Your turn.

Sun,
I see her like the sun
in the center of a pool,
sending ripples to the shore
'till my journey's end.

Kiss Me from 'Sweeny Todd'
This is just an excerpt, my favorite part of the song. It's sung by Johanna and Anthony, as they plan to get Johanna out of marrying Judge Turpin.

Anthony:

Be not afraid.

Johanna:

Anthony:

Johanna:

Anthony:

Johanna:

(unfinished)

"Oscar Hammerstein never wrote lyrics like that."
--Stephen Schiff

Please tell me what you think?

For more news, information and basically /everything/ you want to know about Stephen Sondheim and his shows, visit The Stephen Sondheim Stage.

For more Sondheim, and Broadway related links, see my link page.

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This page last updated April 27th, 1999.

Sondheim fans have been to this page since April 27th, 1999.

'Sunday In The Park With George' (c) 1984, 'Into The Woods' (c) 1989, 'Pacific Overtures' (c) 1976, 'Assassins' (c)1990, 1992. By the way, I had nothing to do with the making of these songs or the shows they're from. Those honors go to Stephen Sondheim, James Lapine, John Weidman, and a number of producers, directors, actors, etc. etc.