In 1971 Stephen Sondheim gave a lecture concerning the writing of lyrics. Originally, Sondheim thought it was going to be a Q&A, but when he realized this wasn’t the case he quickly cobbled together his thoughts and what came out has become one of the most poignant discourses on musical theater lyrics.  As soon as I learned of it’s existence, I sought out to find a copy for study.

The talk was quickly written down and published in The Dramatists Guild Quarterly in autumn 1973.  Finding a copy was difficult for me.  Local libraries don’t stock back issues of the journal, and, not being a member, I wasn’t privy to the online content. It was, however, re-published in a 1974 book compiled and edited by Otis L. Guernsey: Playwrights Lyricists Composers On Theater.  The local library didn’t have a copy but amazon was able to sell and ship me a used copy for $4 even.

The piece by Sondheim is amazing.  I feel like I have learned as much as I would in a semester long class at Pace University.  What’s crazy is that his prowess with the lyric is already so apparent even before the output of Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park and Into the Woods.

If you are interested in hearing an abridged recording (not even a third of the content, but still very good) it can be found on the Dramatists Guild Website.

There are many nuggets of joy and simple takeaways in the essay, but I was especially struck by a tidbit that Oscar Hammerstein shared with a young Sondheim many years ago: “Say what you feel, not what other song writers feel”