Various Artists
The Contest
[PIRELLI, sung]
I am Adolfo Pirelli
Da king of da barbers
Da barber of kings
E Buon Giorno, good day
I blow you a kiss

And I, da so famous Pirelli
I wish-a to know-a who has-a the nerve-a to say
My elixir is piss!
Who says this?

[TODD, spoken]
I do. I’m Mr. Sweeney Todd from Fleet Street. I have opened a bottle of Pirelli’s Elixir and I say to you, it is nothing but
An arrant fraud, concocted from piss and ink. Furthermore, Signor, I have serviced no kings, yet I wager that I can shave a
Cheek with ten times more dexterity than any street mountebank

[PIRELLI, spoken]
You hear dis foolish man? Now please you will see how he will-a regret-a his-a folly!

[TODD, spoken]
Who’s for a free shave? Will Beadle Bamford be the judge?

[BAMFORD, spoken]
Glad, as always to oblige my friends and neighbors. The fastest, smoothest shave, is the winner!
[PIRELLI, sung]
Now signorini, signori
We mix-a da lather
But first-a you gather

Around signorini, signori
You looking a man
Who have had-a da glory
To shave-a da pope

Mister Sweeney, whoever
I beg-a your pardon
You’ll probably say it was only a cardinal
NOPE!
It was-a da Pope!

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 the lip a bit beyond-a repair
To shave-a da face
Or even a part
Widout it-a smart
Require da heart

Not just-a da flash
It take-a panache
It take-a da passion for da art

To shave-a da face
To trim-a da beard
To make-a da bristle
Clean like a whistle
Dis is from early infancy
Da talent give to me by God

It take-a da skill
It take-a da brains
It take-a da will
To take-a da pains
It take-a da pace
It take-a da graaaaaaaaaaaaace

[BAMFORD, spoken]
The winner—is Todd!