They Are Your Words

Which Sondheim lyrics mean the most to you?

“They are your words, George,” says Dot, near the end of Sunday in the Park with George. Today, they are your words.

Several weeks ago, we asked a deceptively simple question of our subscribers and social media followers: which Sondheim lyric means the most to you? The response was extraordinary—from a couple who walked down the aisle to “Marry Me a Little” in Derbyshire, to a Tucson-based composer finding solace in the Baker’s Wife’s wisdom, to artists in Singapore and Cyprus finding their creative voice.

I’m so proud that The Sondheim Hub has become a genuinely global community, and it has been deeply moving to read and curate your reflections below. Through them, we can see so clearly how Sondheim’s words continue to illuminate our lives in profound and deeply personal ways. If you would like to add your own lyrics to this collection, simply leave a comment below…

Marry me a little.

Nine years ago today, it was my now husband’s 30th birthday, and while on holiday, I took him for lunch. He unwrapped the present, a pocket watch, engraved with a question. “Marry me a little?” He said yes, and last week we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. We walked down the aisle to a friend of ours playing a piano arrangement of “Marry Me a Little.” His wedding ring has M.M.A.L. engraved inside it. Mine has L.M.J.E.
– Andy Twigg-White, Derbyshire, UK

Hard to see the light now.
Just don’t let it go.

This is one of my favorites. It’s tattooed on my arm and on my brain for eternity, and it keeps me going daily.
– Rafa Piáia Murtinho, São Paulo, Brazil

It’s our time, breathe it in:
Worlds to change and worlds to win.
Our turn coming through,
Me and you, pal,
Me and you!

It reminds me of my purpose in life, my dreams… but also to stay near my friends, family and loved ones. That’s what Merrily is all about. And, in my opinion, love is what Sondheim’s all about.
- Nico Sans, Madrid, Spain

And you think of all of the things you’ve seen,
And you wish that you could live in between.

That line fully captures the ambivalence between the comfortable warmth of nostalgia and the sometimes scary joy of maturing and discovering new things. Who doesn’t want to live in that elusive “in between?”
– Harry Wendorff, Atlanta, Georgia

You’re sorry-grateful,
Regretful-happy,
Why look for answers where none occur?
You’ll always be what you always were,
Which has nothing to do with,
All to do with her.

There’s such truth in complexity, and marriage is a real Schrödinger’s cat. Two things can be true at the same time and, in Bobby/ie’s case, something that people want you to be excited about isn’t necessarily an exciting thing all the time. I really adore the honesty from Harry in this moment because he allows Bobby/ie to acknowledge that the bad things can exist with the good
– Sophia Rubino, Ithaca, NY

Oh, if life were made of moments,
Even now and then a bad one—!
But if life were only moments,
Then you’d never know you had one.

I don’t take this to be a guide for romance, but my life as a composer is informed by the Baker’s Wife’s wisdom. As artists we have days of unbridled happiness and success, where we feel great about what we are accomplishing. Soon after, we can feel a crushing defeat, from an internal perceived failure or an outside criticism. However, that criticism? It was just a moment. That achievement? Also a moment. And things can change on a dime. The artist life can be tough but it is also rewarding. I am reminded to be present in the act of creating, and appreciating it for what it is.
- Misir Wot, Tuscon, Arizona

I think that lyric perfectly encapsulates the rich tapestry of life. How we need the bad to help us appreciate the good, how we need change as much as we need to breathe otherwise we’d be bored to tears. He was able to capture such depth of feeling in such few, simple words, and it makes me continuously enamored with his work, no matter how many times I listen to the songs.
- Nam, Singapore

I think this is his most brilliant lyric because it’s unclear whether the final “one” stands for “a life” or “a moment.”
- Jake Stepansky, Brooklyn, NY

Pretty isn’t beautiful, Mother,
Pretty is what changes.
What the eye arranges
Is what is beautiful.

Every time I hear this lyric, it reminds me why I adore Sondheim’s work. A simple quote, yet it means so much, not only in the show but in everyday life. It forces you to think, to open your eyes to a different perspective.
- Kitti Horváth, Edinburgh, Scotland

No more giants
Waging war.
Can't we just pursue our lives
With our children and our wives?
Till that happier day arrives
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.

When I first tried singing this song, I could not get through it without ending up in tears, as I grew to understand what The Baker is feeling in this pivotal moment near the end of Into the Woods. As a gay man in midlife, I feel like I have been chased by “giants waging war” my entire life. I have had moments of great hopefulness, as I watched friends get married, then walked door to door to get that marriage validated at the state and federal level. “The false hopes” and “the reverses” of the past 16 years have been exhausting. After the most recent election I find myself wondering what “worse is still in store?” For me, for all my LGBTQ+ friends. Like The Baker, I am torn between the urge to walk away from all of this, to leave the seemingly never-ending morass of the woods, or to “stay and fight,” as a friend urged me. There is a fork in this path in the woods, and I have not decided which one to take.
– Anonymous

Some people sit on their butts,
Got the dream—yeah, but not the guts!

My favorite Sondheim lyric (the one that changed my life) is “Some People.” I was a college student in Ohio when I went to Cleveland to see Ethel Merman in Gypsy. I heard her sing “Some people sit on their butts, got the dream, yeah, but not the guts!” I couldn't live with myself after that. I had to prove I had the guts. So, with $16 in my pocket, I got on a bus to New York and arrived here without knowing a soul. What happened after that is another story (including meeting Steve himself on a bus to Long Island. I was going to visit an aunt—he was going to see Lee Remick in Annie Get Your Gun).
– Michael Mooney

You taught me about concentration. At first I thought that meant just being still, but I was to understand it meant much more.

I’m not sure if you’d call this a lyric, but Jenna Russell says it on the cast recording. I just love that. Concentration and being present and feeling peace in the moment.
- Ben Donaghy, London, UK

I chose, and my world was shaken—
So what?
The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not.

Probably the most impactful lyrics I’ve ever heard from a musical. Yes, we have the right to sit and mourn what we could’ve done better, but at some point we have to get up, dust ourselves off, and move on—we have to face the future with a brazen heart and make the next choice, be it for better or worse, because we can
- Eduardo Perez, Waco, Texas

It’s become something of a centring mantra for me - a very, very indecisive and regretful person. Coming at the end of Sunday in the Park with George, you know Georges and Dot go their separate ways, love not enough to hold their lives together, but it is the right thing to do, and everything works out for them in the end. It isn’t how they pictured it, and my life might be similarly improvised and unpredictable, but that’s the beauty.
– Carmen P, Scotland

The line’s meaning could be considered ambiguous. The noun “choice” indicates a foregone conclusion (a consequence) which may be mistaken but it could also mean that it is not the consequence that is mistaken but the fact that the choice had to be made (but one had to do it anyway) if that makes sense. The act of choosing (the verb) is in the simpler clause. Even if the wrong decision was made the act of choosing was inevitable and had to be done, so it is best that it has been done, which is a reassuring thesis. The lyric is so unbelievably clever (even for Steve) and philosophical. Sondheim’s works at their depths were all about people and the nature of man so it very quickly and easily sums up almost every dilemma faced by anyone.
- Arjan Dhatt, London, UK

There are so many reasons why Sondheim was a genius, but one of the things I like most about him is how he always manages to make complicated ideas, whether musically or in his use of text, sound so very simple and direct. This line is a perfect example of that for me.
– Ronan Collett, Aachen, Germany

Careful the things you say,
Children will listen.
Careful the things you do,
Children will see.
And learn.

These lyrics resonate deeply on so many levels. As parents, teachers, and role models, we must remember that children are always watching and listening. They absorb everything we do and say, striving to emulate us. It’s a powerful reminder to reflect on our actions and words—are we demonstrating the values we want them to adopt? Be mindful not to let negativity or poor behaviour shape their understanding of the world. In other words, don’t be a witch.
- Valentine Gale-Sides, London, UK

It reminds us that our words are powerful and that we should be mindful when we speak, especially in front of children.
– Anonymous

Careful the tale you tell.
That is the spell.

I’m not sure it’s the correct interpretation, but my takeaway is that storytelling is manifestation, and words are magic, but magic should be wielded intentionally.
– Natalie Guevara, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Only cups of tea
And history
And someone in a tree!

This lyric, from Pacific Overtures, is so simple, yet so deft in how it transitions from the micro of a cup of tea to the macro of history, and back to the extraordinary ordinariness of someone in a tree. I love that it highlights the idea that even though they are often unrecognised, ordinary people make history.
– Jordan Li-Smith, London, UK

The fact that this was Sondheim’s favorite song/lyric just brings tears to my eyes every time. He covered so many dark subjects, but this one is just shot through with light. It’s the pebble, not the stream. The world is made up of our tiny perspectives, and that’s what’s important. That’s what history is. The “big” stuff is secondary to all of us.
– Lawson Marchetti, Jackson, Mississippi

And though scary is exciting,
Nice is different than good.

This lyric from Into the Woods reflects an important life lesson: excitement often comes from stepping into the unknown, and goodness requires depth and intention beyond surface-level niceties. For me, this lyric is 1) a reminder to embrace the tension between fear and exhilaration in personal growth; and 2) a challenge to look beyond “nice” behaviors and seek authenticity and virtue in myself and others. It’s a succinct reminder to value substance over appearances.
– David Benkof, The Broadway Maven, Israel

A vision’s just a vision
If it’s only in your head.
If no one gets to see it,
It’s as good as dead.

This lyric always acts like an awaking call for me. I’ve always head trouble with this: is something art if it’s only in my head? Is it real when I only have the idea and not the creation? So when I heard this lyric for the first time, it was like a punch! As I kept thinking about it, I realised that even if I have an art piece ready but no one ever sees or hears it, there’s a voice telling me: “Remember, if your work stays inside your apartment, it’ll never truly be finished!” Thanks to this lyric, I’ve learned that it is unfair to my creations, keeping them for myself. And even more unfair if they stay as an idea, rather than letting them “come to light,” like George says.
- Oly, Cyprus

Not a day goes by,
Not a single day.

Too many Sondheim lyrics to choose from? No, not for this question. As one (of the few) who saw the original Broadway production of Merrily (as well, of course, as the recent revival), I have long considered “Not a day goes by / Not a single day” to be the trope that defines Sondheim’s obsession with obsessions… show after show after show after show till the days go by.
– James Penha

There’s no time to sit and dither
While her withers wither with her.

Hearing this for the first time, 35 years ago, hooked me on the genius of his work. A gift I will always be grateful for.
- Philip Jack Bray, Robertsbridge, UK

If I cannot fly,
Let me sing.

Music has been my refuge and healing force generally my entire life, and when I came back to that lyric in my late twenties it has stuck with me since: that even if I cannot fly away from my trials, that music, particularly singing, elevates your mood enough that you can face the day.
- Kimberly Smrcka, Pennsylvania

Stop worrying if your vision
Is new.
Let others make that decision—
They usually do.

I come back to this lyric often because it reminds me that my work doesn’t have to be for anyone but myself, because I can’t control how people will respond to my music. As a composer, self-doubt and anxiousness often interrupts the creative process; making comparisons to other artists or attempting to follow a trend is always destructive, because you can’t allow insecurity to dictate what your work is. You just have to write what’s true to you and let it live, despite what others say.
– Bobby Locke, London, UK

The Ben I’ll never be,
Who remembers him?

As a young aspiring lyricist in musical theatre, I think of this lyric as the gold standard. It says much with so little. Sondheim is why I’m trying to take this road.
- Otis Lemhagen Schalin, Sweden

Don’t be afraid it won’t be perfect… The only thing to be afraid of really is that it won’t be!

As someone who identifies as a bit neurotic, I have a tendency to overthink and be ruled by fear, and that quote is all about taking the first step. As with most things in life, the most difficult part is getting started and even if something doesn’t work out the way I planned, it is often still worth it!
- Luke Liebert, Spokanke, Washington

Sometimes people leave you
Halfway through the wood.
Do not let it grieve you,
No one leaves for good.

I adore this lyric, and the sentiment. It is so comforting and so beautiful when you think about the people you have lost, and how their energy remains, in whatever way it does. And hopefully they are still here, and connected to you in some way. It is such a wonderful lyric!
– Lucy Henig, London, UK

Mother cannot guide you,
Now you’re on your own.

As someone who’s about to enter adulthood, it’s a lyric that resonates so deeply. It’s this idea that you are accountable for yourself. You have to make your own decisions. You are your own person. And yes, you are influenced by your past, and the people you love, and the people around you, but you have to come into your own and be responsible for yourself. It just encapsulates that so beautifully, so concisely, and it really means a lot to me.
- Anonymous, Orlando, Florida

It was marvelous to know you,
And it’s never really through.
Crazy business this, this life we live in—
Can’t complain about the time we’re given!
With so little to be sure of in this world—

I really enjoy the reflective nature of these lyrics, especially considering how young he was when he wrote them. I think the fact that they are relatable at any age is a testament to his genius.
– Renée Shalhoub, New Jersey

There’s a lot I’ll have missed,
But I’ll not have been dead
When I die!

What a manifesto crammed into a handful of words! I think getting older is realizing that you can’t and won’t be able to do everything you dreamed of, but that shouldn’t let it stop you from living your life as fully as possible. Maybe it means things that are mundane and boring, maybe it means extravagance and adventure. Maybe it means periods of swinging between both and everything else in between, and that is the wild and unpredictable song of life. And to sing that is far better than to have never sung at all.
– Angelina Christina, Philadelphia, PA

Years from now,
We’ll remember and we’ll come back.

This lyric means a lot to me now, I think because I know I may answer this question with a different lyric later. I am 19 and have been properly into Sondheim for maybe a year or two? Anyway, I am currently at around the beginning of the Merrily timeline, as I see it. What I love about Sondheim is that I know my perspective on his works will change as I get older, and certain characters and moments will resonate with me differently. Years from now, I will remember this time of my life, just beginning my Sondheim journey, marked by this lyric.
– Autumn

George looks behind:
He had a gift.
When did it fade?

Being an artist myself, it’s such a simple yet deep expression of a feeling we all have. That’s the line that always stands out to me from that song.
– Dillon Rodriguez-Currie, Seattle, WA

I don’t know how I let you
So far inside my mind,
But there you are, and there you will stay.
How could I ever wish you away?
I see now I was blind.
And should you die tomorrow,
Another thing I see:
Your love will live in me….

Almost every lyric in Passion has become my lexicon for talking about Steve. Everything I feel about him has a corollary in the soundtrack, but the final sequence means more to me than anything because it was all I could think about when he passed. He gave me the language with which I will mourn him (and honor him) for the rest of my life.
– Camille Cuzzupoli, USA

We had to go through thick and thin.
We had to lose a lot to win.
I ventured out and saw within.
I never thought I’d be so much I hadn’t been!

It’s hard to choose one but this lyric is one of my favorites because I feel as though I owe part of my growth and empathy to Sondheim. His words and music felt like a light pointing me further down a path of growing into understanding others and myself. And this lyric, to me (within the context of the piece as well), highlights the idea that the growth and hope for a wanting of growth never stop. Taking a moment to look at how far you’ve come while attending to the continuation of the path before you.
– Matthew Nassida, Kentucky

Some people can be content,
Playing bingo and paying rent.

I was in a production of Gypsy when I was 11 and that lyric hit me pretty hard back then, before I ever had a love for, or even feelings about, SS. It’s something that I’ve always thought about and keeps me driving towards living an enchanted existence. Gonna have the whole world on a plate.
– Trey Wolfe, Brooklyn, NY

What’s hard is simple,
What’s natural comes hard.

I’ve always felt out of step with the majority of people who make the most normal and traditional things look so easy and natural. I can write a screenplay or make a movie and it’s like second nature to me, but connecting with a good majority of people out there might as well be like scaling Mount Everest. My art is the only way I feel as if I can make that connection most of the time. Maybe one day, I’ll figure out how to whistle.
– Christopher Wesley Moore, Jackson, Mississippi

A wedding, what’s a wedding?
It’s a prehistoric ritual
Where everybody promises fidelity forever.
Which is maybe the most horrifying word I ever heard.

It makes me comfortable being unmarried for as long as I need to be.
– Clark Larew Jones, Los Angeles, CA

Listen to the stories.
Hear it in the songs.
Angry men don’t write the rules,
And guns don’t right the wrongs.

At a very politically involved time in my life, this is one of those lyrics that “gives me purpose, gives me voice, to say to the world” that there is something to be done; we can fix the USA to make sure everyone has the same freedoms and rights to love and happiness as everyone else. And the specification that the “stories” and “songs” are what’s teaching the public reaffirms my lifestyle as an artist, knowing that I am doing work that matters.
– Zach Hoffman, Los Angeles, CA

Let the moment go.
Don’t forget it for a moment, though.

Reminds me to have no regrets and even though life and people move on, you always have the memory and the experience, and the learning you gained from it.
– Tracy Howells

But what if she goes?
At least, now you have part of her—
What if she had to choose?
Leave it alone.
Hold it all in.
Better a bone.
Don’t even begin.
With so much to win,
There’s too much to lose.

It helps explain the ambivalence and dichotomy that are part of human emotions. When going through a time as a teenager where I couldn’t exactly express how I felt about someone in my world, these lyrics helped frame how to evaluate and make sense of feelings—and what path to take.
– @Thenygalavant, New York, NY

Sometimes people leave you
Halfway through the wood.
Others may deceive you.
You decide what’s good.
You decide alone.
But no one is alone.

My partner of 35 years left me last year - age 52. I introduced her to Sondheim with a production of Sweeney Todd in Cardiff many years ago. I’m now lost in the woods and trying to stay on the path, but without her that journey is tough.
– Paul Stevens, Devon, UK

I’ve often found myself secluding myself from those around me. Feeling like no one cares. No one is there for me. But then I need to remember that it’s not true. And if it ever was, I am there for me. I believe in myself, and who I want to be. And that’s what matters.
– Nate Pilarski, New York, NY

Your love will live in me.

Even when you’ve stopped loving someone, or a loved one passes away, there is always a part of you that will have shared those moments of love inside your memories forever. It changes you and adds to you in some way.
- Anonymous, North Carolina

Just try
And you’re gonna see
How you’re gonna not at all get away from me.

It means so much because it throws grammar out the window and makes poetry out of obstinacy!
– Zahif Corkidi, New York, NY

Loving you
Is not a choice,
It’s who I am.
Loving you
Is not a choice
And not much reason
To rejoice,
But it gives me purpose,
Gives me voice,
To say to the world:
This is why I live.
You are why I live.

I chose these particular lyrics because they stop one cold yet leave one warm with the purposeful yet simple sincerity of unconditional love.
- Maureen Barnes, New York, NY

It may not surprise you to see that the most popular lyric chosen—by far—was this one, from Sunday:

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

It’s so meaningful to me because as people on this earth we really are put here to create, whether you consider an artist or not. And no matter what you make, as long as it’s authentic and true to yourself, it will always be worth it. Every time I’m overcome by self doubt or feeling disenchanted, this is the lyric that helps me push through, stick around, and continue to do what I love to do. Even if it feels futile sometimes, this lyric that nothing that comes from me can ever be a waste.
- Shreya Jathavedan, Dehli, India

“Let it come from you.” That is a line I try to live up to every single day. There’s nothing more beautiful than creating something from yourself. No one can do what you can, the way that you can. I’ve shared the stage with some of the dearest people in my life, and it makes my heart burst to give life to his work with those people.
- Andrew J. Koehler, New York, NY

Sunday wasn’t a show I really ~understood~ until my senior year of college, when Tr*mp was first elected. The Jake Gyllenhaal/Annaleigh Ashford production had just released their cast album, and I was comparing the OBC to it (as a Sondheim nerd does). When Tr*mp was first elected, I was despondent. I did not see hope in living. To paraphrase Sally Durant, “I too have a cornucopia of [mental] imperfections,” and the fear and hopelessness triggered a deep depressive episode that lead to me calling a suicide hotline the night of the election. I’m okay now; I grew from it. I am not numb to the ills of our world, but am able to handle them because I think about these words above. Anything I do is purposeful because it is from me. What I have to say matters because it is new, and the world needs the new things I have created and have yet to create. And the last line, “give us more to see,” is what I imagine Sondheim would have said to me if he were on the other end of that hotline call. “You have more to do in this world. Someone wants to see it. *I* want to see it. Give us more (of you) to see.”
– Molly, New York

It can be really difficult to crowd out the noise and let yourself do things just because they feel true to you. As a performer and creative I often feel the urge to compare myself to others’ journeys, to question whether my contribution to the artistic world is worthwhile. It can be really tempting to copy people we deem more “successful.” Sondheim’s lyrics give me peace in my individuality and a stronger sense of artistic agency.
- Talia Mai, Paris/London

As a parent, to instil that wisdom in your own child is life-affirming. Gosh, that’s been a special connection for my son Frank and I, and truly all four of my children. And we love the special wisdoms and silly connections to Sondheim lyrics as simple as “I wish,” “Right?!”, “You’re so nice,” “Bobby, baby…” We giggle at our little inside jokes.
- Kimberly Smrcka, Pennsylvania

As a performer who’s had imposter syndrome, these lyrics have given so much. Just to know that whatever you make, however good or bad it may be, it’s worth doing because it’s your take, and it’s new by that definition. I’d use it as a mantra, but I can’t even say the lines without tearing up.
– Samuel Bennett, London, UK

I am a Black woman and have spent my whole life growing up in predominantly white spaces, and I’ve felt the pressure of assimilation so strongly in my life. Whether that be culturally, in society, or in the industry and the arts, I’ve felt this pressure to not be myself. And then I was so dissatisfied with the art I was producing. I’ve always felt this pull within me to create authentic, truthful, impactful art, and was confused as to why I wasn’t able to do that. When I heard this lyric, it’s like everything clicked into place for me. You make impactful art by being yourself and sharing your heart, and that’s what people respond to. An so I didn’t need to be like everyone else. All I had to do was share my heart. I love “Move On” so much. Every single time I sing it, I get to that line and I get choked up, because it’s just so good.
- Allyn Faith, New York, NY

This lyric made my mouth open wide when I first heard it because I was in tears. It just spoke to me that as long as it’s from you, it’s already something. It impacted me that much, it was my high school yearbook quote.
– John Madrazo, Tudela, Philippines

I’m thinking of getting “give us more to see” or “anything you do, let it come from you” tattooed because, as an actor and artist, it is so incredibly easy to fall victim to the manufacturing and marketing sides of what I do, and to sell myself as opposed to sharing what I do. It’s a good reminder to honor the fact that rejection is part of my job, and as long as I am being true to myself and what I believe in, I will be doing whatever it is I’m meant to.
– Brian Garay Doolittle Gonzalez, Boston, Massachusetts

It reminds me that anything I do will be unique and nobody can take that singularity away.
– Robert Plattner, San Francisco, CA

It is so beautiful the way that the George of the present begins to change to the George of the past. He meets Dot and they sort of apologize to each other and recognize that life is what it is… So beautiful…
– Marcio Araujo, Sāo Bernardo do Campo, Brazil

As a writer in the theatre I have to face the fear that my work has no point. That it’s already been done, that my voice doesn’t need to be heard. But Sunday reminds me that even my heroes are afraid of the same things… and look how NEEDED their voice was. It keeps me going when I create. If my work is true, if it comes honestly from me, then it’s worthwhile. It matters!
– Wyatt Andrew Brownell, Lubbock, Texas

And finally, some reflections not tied to one specific lyric:

Sondheim’s songs are written for a specific character in a specific moment. Therefore the ones that mean most to me at any given moment are those where I resonate most with the character. As a single man in his late 20s who was convinced he’d never find love, and wasn’t sure that he wanted to, Company buzzed around in my head - “Marry Me a Little” or “Being Alive” getting lots of mental airtime. Conversely, much as London can infuriate me, I have never been murderous enough to swaddle myself in Sweeney. Now a solidly middle aged man, I am too old to believe in “Opening Doors,” which I am sure meant more in my mid 20s, I return to my first two Sondheim scores. Follies strengthens my resolve when things feel uphill (“I’m Still Here”) or I’m facing loss (“One More Kiss”). Sunday is now my refuge. Working on a project, “Putting it Together” feels insightful. When things are stale or toxic, it’s “Move On.” And to remind me that things will all work out in the end: “Sunday” itself.
- Patrickinsoho, London, UK

Less of a specific lyric, but the transition in “Being Alive” from “someone to hold you too close” to “somebody hold me too close” etc. - it just knocks me out flat. The way that changing just a couple of words between the verses captures the whole arc of Company - Bobby finally reaching a place where they can finally and fully open themselves to love, rather than it being something they think of in theory, at a healthy distance. It’s an emotional journey that’s very close to my heart, and it’s my favorite Sondheim song because of how the lyrics tell it. No one like him!!
- Christina Smith, Providence, Rhode Island

Hard for me to pick a single lyric because there’s a billion I could name, but this is one that I love. It’s not really one lyric, I know, but the male sung lyrics of “Who Could Be Blue/Little White House” are probably my favorite. To me, it’s the simplicity and truth in the lyrics. It’s just a short and sweet love song, but the way it’s put is to me so pure and unchangeable. People always point out the complexity of Sondheim’s writing but to me the real power in his voice is the simplicity behind every sentiment. Even when there are a bunch of dissonant chords or niche lyrical references, they are always communicating something so simple and so human. Few other writers capture what it is to be alive like he did.
- Eddie Nicholson, DePaul University, Illinois