God

Lyrics

[STEPHEN SONDHEIM, spoken] This is my studio. I work lying down, for obvious reasons: it allows you to take a nap whenever you want to. And I also use very soft lead pencils, they're called Blackwings, and it means that they wear out very quickly, so you can spend a lot of time— [Pencil sharpener whirs] —sharpening. These pencils are very hard to find.  [COMPANY] God I mean the man's a god Wrote the score to Sweeney Todd With a nod To de Sade— Well, he's odd Well, he's God [SONDHEIM, spoken] I write on yellow pads. I prefer the kind that have exactly thirty-two lines on them, because it means that you can make alternate choices of words in between the two lines. If there are too many lines, there isn't enough space.  [COMPANY] Smart! [SONDHEIM, spoken] If there are too few lines, there's too much space.  [COMPANY] The lyrics are so smart! And the music has such heart— It has heart? Well, in part Let's not start— Call it art No, call it— God! [SONDHEIM, spoken] I do use a computer to write on occasionally, but mostly to transcribe lyrics. And to make things look professional.  [COMPANY] Well, you have to have Something to believe in Something you can celebrate Celebrate Venerate— Something like Venetian pottery Old movies Butterflies Politics Wine Picasso Skiing Stamps Musicals! It might as well be musicals! And when it comes to musicals— (spoken) I like the score of Rent! Shh, later! Me too! Not now Really, Rent? [SONDHEIM, spoken] The hardest thing about writing, for me, is getting started. It's the first words on the yellow pad. You have to lose your inhibition so that you can afford to say something, perhaps corny or cliched. I use—I've often used, anyway—alcohol to help me lose the inhibitions. I sip out of a, out of a shot glass, because once you're through an ounce and a half of liquor, if you want more, you have to get up and get more.  [COMPANY] Nice smile Sweet face Real style Such grace That wit— That's it! [SONDHEIM spills a bowl of pencils off the piano.] [SONDHEIM, spoken] Oh, shit.  [COMPANY] And does he know how to rhyme! Sublime... He'll surprise you every time You never know just where the Chords are going next Just like the lyrics— No, the "text" You think the tune is going up It's going down You think the tune is going on It stops It doesn't finish, it just stops (spoken) You know what I like best? His flops (sung) Anyone can whistle That's what they say— (spoken) Later Yeah (sung) Still you have to have Something to believe in Something to appropriate Emulate Overrate— Might as well be Stephen [SONDHEIM, spoken] And this box contains my fingernail clippings. I'm thinking of sending them to the Smithsonian.  [COMPANY] Or, to use his nickname God! We've got God! Look who's God! He's still— (spoken) Turn him off and let's just sing the damn songs.  (sung) Amen!