An enjoyable album with catchy melodies and haunting lyrics
Disadvantages:
slightly sinister
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
--x--My overall opinion--x--
Well, these are songs that I love and believe capture the mood of the film/play very well indeed. Written by Stephen Sondheim, the disk includes some unforgettable musical theatre tracks, some which you may have heard before seeing the film and some which the film may set in your head. Either way , their is a unique "catchy" feeling to these somewhat dark, but sometimes in places rather satirical melodies and lyrics. If you have seen the film, there will be a couple which will definately stick out more than others....but more about that in my film review:) My all time favourite is "Not while I'm around" which I feel is sang brilliantly by Helena Bonham Carter in her role as Mrs. Lovett , the pie maker. There will of course be some that dislike the accent of Johnny Depp, I did not find it irritating , nor particularly "bad" -- I feel that as a lot of these songs involve "talking/speaking" the lyrics, that there was a lot of scope for Depp and that he made a good job of the lyrics --even though London, did sound like "LUndEn" a lot of the time! He managed to keep timing, which was often crucial to the dark humour a lot of the lyrics contain and perfomed some excellent duets with Mrs Lovett (aka Helena Bonham Carter ), who did, in my opinion did out shine Depp in the singing department, but their duets worked very well , I really felt, and bought a lot of life to the the lyrics. Any body familiar with Depp's character "Jack Sparrow" from pirates of the Caribbean will notice a quirky, family tone to his voice, however with these lyrics, his voice somehow becomes slightly more gruff and sinister sounding --well, it's what you need from the demon barber of fleet street really, isn't it?!?. Okay so maybe it's not perfect, but the CD is enjoyable, a good listen --even when you are typing --the melodies are catching, the lyrics well written (though there may be some you wish to refrain from getting into your head and singing aloud with your ipod;) and, I feel that the whole story is told in song very well by Depp and his fellow actors. Helena Bonham Carter also does a great job of keeping alive some of the mystery and suspense in the story through the work of Somdheim. If you doubt Depp's abilities , I would urge you to listen to the passion he puts into singing these songs -he really does become the character and I feel does well to sing this score, which is fairly complex and has been sang on stage for more than thirty years. We go from the fast paced intoduction to the slow melodic ending with a few duets and haunting solos in between -- a hard score to sing by any body's standards, so I felt the cast of this film did a great job to act the part, sing the part and thus , ultimately become the newest cast of an old classic --bravo!!
--x--The songs--x--
--x-- 1. Opening Title--x--
This gives an overview to the whole score, it is a dark, haunting, subtle overview of things still to come....
--x--2. No Place Like London--x-- (Johnny Depp, Jamie Campbell Bower)
Next, Sweeney Todd, the man who has re-ivented himself, returning to London after all these years tells his bitter tale about his hatred of London (underlying we see that his is actually confessing to hating the people who took his life away from him) --well sang by Depp --a fast paced and somewhat catchy song which tries to portray Sweeney's character from the beginning of the film. A song which contains contempt for London and it's people, in spite of the satirical title "There's no place like London"--
"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit and the vermin of the world inhabit it and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit and it goes by the name of London."
This verse gives a feeling of how Sweeney sees London, after all his time, returning to a place where he feels so unsettled -the melody is split between this "ranting" in regard to London and a softer ballad explaining his past life with his wife and child--
"There was a barber and his wife and she was beautiful... a foolish barber and his wife. She was his reason for his life... and she was beautiful, and she was virtuous. And he was nieve."
--x--3. Worst Pies In London--x-- (Helena Bonham Carter)
Mrs Lovett tells of her business as a pie maker -- she lets us know that she has neither the means or the money to make decent pies, so she doesn't! This is a dark humoured song, sang to Sweeney as he sits eating one of the pies described!!
"The worst pies in London... Even that's polite! The worst pies in London! If you doubt it take a bite!"
--x--4. Poor Thing--x--- (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter)
"There was a barber and his wife. And he was beautiful... A proper artist with a knife, but they transported him for life. And he was beautiful...
Barker his name was. Benjamin Barker."
This rather sad lyric is sang by Depp as a ballad, here we are given an insight into Benjamin Barker, the man who had a good life in London with his wife,Lucy, and daughter Johnanna....However the song soon takes a darker turn, Todd (Depp) is frustrated that he had to leave his life as Benjamin Barker and has now re-invented himself as "Sweeney Todd" , maddened by his sad life and tortured by time, he starts to sing faster, in a more furious way about his lfe and what could have been -- an up tempo, frantic turn to the song.....before relaxing back in to the ballad. A peice sang well by Depp.
--x-- 5. My Friends--x-- (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter)
Benjamin Barker, now Sweeney decides that his only friends now are his "tools' of his trade --he was a successful barber and has given up on everything else apart from his razors. Looking at the polish on his tools of the trade, Todd sings this haunting melody after Mrs. Lovett re-introduces Todd to "his friends" after all this time.....
"These are my friends. See how they glisten. See this one shine... How he smiles in the light. My friend."
--x--6. Green Finch And Linnet Bird--x--- (Jayne Wisener)
"Green finch, and linnet bird, Nightingale, blackbird, How is it you sing? How can you jubilate sitting in cages never taking wing?"
Johanna, Todd's daughter has been kept locked away from the outside world for all the time that Todd has been away, here, sitting and looking out of the window, longing to be somewhere other than her confined room, she sings to her bird which is, ironically, kept in a cage. A beautiful melody and one which describes the longings and desires that Johanna has to be free....Johanna's song mirrors that of Todd in that he is not set free from his past mentally, just as Johanna is not set free physically.
--x--7. Johanna--x-- (Jamie Campbell Bower)
"I feel you Johanna I feel you Do they think that walls can hide you? Even now I'm at you window I am in the dark beside you Buried sweetly in your yellow hair Johanna"
As Johanna sings looking out on to the street, Anthony, the sailor who picked up Todd see's her and begins to sing this beautiful ballad. Lovely sentement, also very nice after Johanna's song above. The two tie in very well and set the stage for love....a young romance...or the remembrance of a lost daughter and unrequited love.. we are reminded of the different types of love surrounding the life of Benjamin Barker's daughter.
--x-- 8. Pirelli's Miracle Elixir--x-- (Sacha Baron Cohen, Edward Sanders, Helena Bonham Carter)
Sacha Baron Cohen and Edward Sanders sing this with a lot of sarcasm and early East end wit.....at the same time as this song is being sang, Todd, is dismissing the 'Miracle elixir" for something far less miraculous! This song adds a little gentle humour to the music, cutting away from deep love songs and dark haunting melodies, though gently connecting the story through a more jovial form of melody and lyrics and adding some satirical comedy, which comes as a plesent refreshment.
"Does Pirelli's Stimulate the growth, sir? You can have my oath, sir, 'Tis unique.
Rub a minute Stimulatin', i'nt? Soon you'll have to thin it Once a week! "
--x-- 9. Contest--x-- (Sacha Baron Cohen, Johnny Depp, Tomothy Spall)
"To shave-a da face To cut-a da hair Require a grace Require da flare
For if-a you slip You nick da skin You clip-a da chin You rip-a da lip a bit beyond-a repair "
Cohen and Depp perfrom this together, thought the song is mainly sang by Cohen. Again, some light entertainment, a contest to see who can give the closest and best shave. Fun melody and false accents make for a fun tune to push the story along a little and to lull the listeners in to a false sense of fun and frivolity...needless to say, there are darker songs to come.
--x--10. Wait--x-- (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter)
Todd becomes impatient, he has made up his mind and knows that one "shave" will be enough to see off his enemies, having discussed his plan with Mrs Lovett, all he can do know is to wait, as the song title suggests....wait for them to come to him.....but he is a frantic man, in need of calming...here , Mrs Lovett takes on that role , singing this cleverly worded song to Mr Todd.....
"Don't you know, Silly man? Half the fun is to Plan the plan! All good things Come to those who can Wait."
--x--11. Pretty Women--x-- (Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman )
A brilliant duet between two brilliant actors. The "acting" is very apparent during this song, so much so that it may have you on the edge of your seat! Another wonderfully written melody with some lovely lyrics becomes frantic and un easy --the timing fastens and the voices loose their whimsical tone just simply singing of "pretty women" and both ultimately allude to something all together rather more sinister.... a favourite of mine because of the way the melody is so cleverly constructed to represented the love these men feel toward "their" women and also the frustrations they are feeling concerned with the women in their life. A very well constructed and immensely well "acted" song.
Pretty women Fascinating... Sipping coffee, Dancing... Pretty women Are a wonder. Pretty women!"
"They all deserve to die. Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why. Because in all of the whole human race Mrs Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two There's the one they put in his proper place And the one with his foot in the other one's face Look at me, Mrs Lovett, look at you."
This highlights Todd's frustration at letting his target go. It begins in a very frantic mood....Todd speaking to Mrs.Lovett about how he had him...there....he nearly did the deed....he becomes more frantic and the melody becomes more "hurried" as he realises that the opportunity is gone....for now.....
--x--13. A Little Priest--x-- (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Jamie Campbell Bower)
..."It's fop. Finest in the shop. And we have some shepherd's pie peppered With actual shepherd on top! And I've just begun -- Here's the politician, so oily It's served with a doily, Have one!"
In this dark satirical song, Mrs Lovett and Todd are singing about how different people would taste, if baked in a pie......all somewhat sinister and far fetched, this song really does sum up the story of Sweeney Todd very well, the dark subject which is being suggested in such a fanciful nature is somewhat beyond comprehension and so most audience viewers take the same approach -- laugh! It is, after all funny, the way that a politician may be more oily than a lawyer who would be tough and hard to chew.....really not very nice lyrics when you think about them but stands out as one of the most well remembered song on the album for this reason! -- A taboo subject mixed with an upbeat tune and well performed duet , there is some fun for the actors who sing this song and it is always portrayed in how well the dust is performed and what feeling it conjures up for the audience. Nice work by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Cater is all I can say!
--x-- 14. Johanna--x-- (Jamie Campbell Bower, Johnny Depp, Laura Michelle Kelly )
This haunting reprise of a very familiar song in the musical brings Johanna once again to the fore front of everybody's mind and highlights Anthony's romantic quest for her love as well as Todd's revenge toward those who parted his family......
"You stay, Johanna Johanna The way I dreamed you were Oh look, Johanna, a star Buried sweetly in your yellow hair A shooting star"
--x--15. God That's Good--x-- (Edward Sanders, Helena Bonham)
Suddenly, Mre Lovett's pie shop get's more visits than ever before...well..now that she can afford to make more "pies" she is well liked and customers are choosing to eat at her pie shop by the dozen. Toby sings of her success as he draws in more customers...eager for one of the famous pies!! Well sang and works well as part of the album.
.."There you'll sample Mrs. Lovett's meat pies, Savory and sweet pies, As you'll see. You who eat pies, Mrs. Lovett's meat pies Conjure up the treat pies Used to be!"
--x--16. By The Sea--x-- (Johnny Depp , Helena Bonham Carter)
Here, the infacutuated Mrs Lovett is dreaming of the perfect life with Todd...works well in the film...but is a little dis-jointed on the album.
A fun, tongue in cheek song in which Helena Bonham Carter sings very well, embracing the song and lifestyle surrounding it.
"By the sea, Mr. Todd, that's the life I covet, By the sea, Mr. Todd, ooh, I know you'd love it! You and me, Mr. T, we could be alone In a house wot we'd almost own, Down by the sea! Wouldn't that be smashing?"
--x--17. Not While I'm Around--x-- (Edward Sanders, Helena Bonham Carter)
"No one's gonna hurt you, No one's gonna dare. Others can desert you, Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there.
Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while, But in time... Nothing can harm you Not while I'm around..."
Beautiful song (my fave) where Toby (the servent boy) expersses his fears for Mrs Lovett's life and vows to keep her safe. Mrs Lovett then sings back to Toby, to keep him from thinking that any harm will come to her. A lovely piece which really sets a stage for the ending of the musical and one which you won't forget in a hurry. I feel that this version is performed very well. I have heard different arrangement but this is my favourite to date...a haunting song, but wonderful melody.
x--Overall---x Well worth a listen, a great album which really tells the tale nicely. A must for anybody who enjoyed the film -well sang, well executed and well written this can not fail to impress!
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19th century tale of Sweeney Todd, the cutthroat barber whose tales of murder and most grisly commerce on the streets of London became the stuff of an award winning ...
19th century tale of Sweeney Todd, the cutthroat barber whose tales of murder and most grisly commerce on the streets of London became the stuff of anaward winning 1...
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