Stephen Sondheim
No Place Like London
[ANTHONY]
I have sailed the world, beheld its wonders
From the Dardanelles
To the mountains of Peru
But there's no place like London
I feel home again
I could hear the city bells
Ring whatever I would do
[ANTHONY & TODD, TODD]
No, there's no place like London
[ANTHONY, spoken]
Mr. Todd, sir?
[TODD]
You are young
Life has been kind to you
You will learn
[TODD, spoken]
It is here we go our several ways. Farewell, Anthony. I will not soon forget the good ship Bountiful nor the young man who saved my life.
[BEGGAR WOMAN]
Alms, alms
For a miserable woman
On a miserable chilly morning
Oh, thank yer, sir, thank yer
'Ow would you like a little muff, dear?
A little jig jig?
A little bounce around the bush?
Wouldn't you like to push me parsley?
It looks to me, dear
Like you got plenty there to push
Alms, alms
For a pitiful woman
Wot's got wandering wits—
Hey, don't I know you, mister?
[TODD, spoken]
Must you glare at me, woman? Off with you, off, I say.
[BEGGAR WOMAN]
Then 'ow would you like to split me muff, mister?
We'll go jig jig
A little—
[TODD, spoken]
Off, I said. To the devil with you!
[BEGGAR WOMAN]
Alms, alms
For a desperate woman
[ANTHONY, spoken]
Oh, pardon me, sir, but there's no need to fear the likes of her. She was only a half-crazed beggar woman. London's full of 'em.
[TODD]
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
At the top of the hole
Sit the privileged few
Making mock of the vermin
In the lower zoo
Turning beauty into filth and greed
I too
Have sailed the world and seen its wonders
For the cruelty of men
Is as wondrous as Peru
But there's no place like London