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Suddenly Seymour is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for the 1982 stage musical Little Shop of Horrors. The song was also included in the 1986 film adaptation, sung by Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene. A duet sung by the characters Seymour and Audrey (with backing vocals by Crystal, Ronnette, and Chiffon), the song takes place in act two of the musical after the death of Orin Scrivello, D.D.S., where Seymour comforts guilt-ridden Audrey and the two finally reveal their feelings for each other.
Unused lyrics for "Suddenly, Seymour," likely a reprise. From The Howard Ashman Papers, The Library of Congress.
Lyrics[]
| Seymour | Audrey | Crystal, Ronnette, Chiffon |
|---|---|---|
| Lift up your head, wash off your mascara | ||
| Here, take my Kleenex, wipe that lipstick away | ||
| Show me your face clean as the mornin' | ||
| I know things were bad but now they're okay | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour is standing beside you | ||
| You don't need no make-up don't have to pretend | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour is here to provide you | ||
| Sweet understandin', | ||
| Seymour's your friend | ||
| Nobody ever treated me kindly | ||
| Daddy left early, Mama was poor | ||
| I'd meet a man and I'd follow him blindly | ||
| He’d snap his fingers, | ||
| Me I’d say “Sure” | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour is standing beside me | ||
| He don't give me orders, he don't condescend | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour is here to provide me | ||
| Sweet understanding, | ||
| Seymour's my friend | ||
| Tell me this feeling last 'til forever | ||
| Tell me the bad times are clean washed away | ||
| Please understand that it's still strange and frightening | ||
| For losers like I've been it's so hard to say | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour | Suddenly, Seymour | |
| He purified me | ||
| He purified you | He purified you | |
| Suddenly, Seymour | ||
| Suddenly, Seymour | Suddenly, Seymour | |
| Showed me I can | ||
| Yes, you can | Yes, you can | |
| Learn how to | ||
| Be more | Be more | |
| The girl that's inside you | The girl that's inside me | The girl that's inside you |
| With sweet understanding | With sweet understanding | |
| With sweet understanding | With sweet understanding | |
| With sweet understanding | With sweet understanding | |
| Seymour’s your | Seymours’ my | Seymour’s your |
| Man | Man | Man |
Trivia[]
- "Suddenly, Seymour" originally featured an extended bridge before the lyric "Tell me this feeling..." The section was cut early in development.
- The song was rewritten as "Suddenly You Are" for 1987 Miss Nevada contestant Stacie James. Though a set of lyrics are present in the Howard Ashman Papers collection at the Library of Congress (dated June 24, 1987), Ashman had no involvement in the rewrite.