Every Monday, we highlight one song that you may not have heard of, may not have heard in ages, or one that we just can’t seem to get out of our heads. Enjoy!
Over the weekend I re-watched one of my all-time favorite movie musicals, Little Shop of Horrors. Directed by Frank Oz and starring Rick Moranis, this 80s horror comedy is so fun with catchy tunes and hilarious performances. After watching it, I knew one of the songs was going to be my pick for this week – but which one? Every song is so great, filled with witty lines and memorable hooks. Do I go with Steve Martin’s masochistic “Dentist” song? The romantic duet “Suddenly Seymour”? In the end, I picked one of the first songs in the production and it’s pretty epic. Featuring no less than 20 singers, starting with a soulful woman decrying her alarm clock, and running through the leading cast and ensemble, it’s a huge production and Frank Oz directed it flawlessly all on one of the largest indoor sets in the world.
Watch “Skid Row” here:
[WOMAN]
Alarm goes off at seven
And you start uptown.
You put in your eight hours
For the powers that have always been.
Till it’s five P.M.
[BUM 1]
Then You go
[COMPANY]
Downtown
Where the folks are broke.
Downtown
Where your life’s a joke.
Downtown
When you buy your token,
you go
Home to skid row.
[BUM 2]
Yes, you go
[COMPANY]
Downtown
Where the cabs don’t stop
Downtown
Where the food is slop
Downtown
Where the hop-heads flop
in the snow
Down on Skid Row
Uptown you cater to a million jerks.
Uptown you’re messengers and
mailroom clerks
eating all your lunches at the
hot dog carts.
The bosses take your money
And they break your hearts.
Uptown you cater to a million whores.
You disinfect terrazzo on their
bathroom floors.
Your morning’s tribulation,
afternoon’s a curse
And five o’clock is even worse
[BUM 3]
That’s when you go
[COMPANY]
Downtown
Downtown
Downtown
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row!
[AUDREY]
Where the guys are drips.
Where they rip your slips.
Where relationships are no go.
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row!
[SEYMOUR]
Poor! All my life I’ve always been poor.
I keep asking God what I’m for,
and he tells me “Gee, I’m not sure
sweep that floor, kid.”
Oh, I started life as an orphan,
a child of the street
Here on skid row.
He took me in, gave me shelter, a bed,
Crust of bread and a job
Treats me like dirt, calls me a slob,
Which I am.
So I live
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR]
That’s your home address.
Ya live
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR]
When your life’s a mess.
Ya live
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR]
Where depressions’ jes’
Status Quo.
[COMPANY]
Down on skid row
Someone show me a way to get
outa here,
’cause I constantly pray I’ll get
outa here
Please, won’t somebody say I’ll get
outa here
Someone gimme my shot or I’ll
rot here.
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
There’s no rules for us.
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
‘Cause it’s dangerous.
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Where the rainbow’s jus a no-show
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Where the sun don’t
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Past the bottom line
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Go ask any wino, he’ll know
I’ll do I dunno what to get outa skid
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
But a hell of a lot to get outa skid
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
People tell me there’s not a way outa skid
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
But believe me I gotta get outa skid row
Have you seen Little Shop of Horrors? Share your favorite song from this musical in the comments!
