Johanna (reprise) | Len Cariou, Merle Louise, Sarah Rice & Victor Garber Lyrics, Meaning & Videos

Johanna
Len Cariou Merle Louise Sarah Rice & Victor Garber Lyrics

Goodbye
(I′ll steal you)

The lyrics of "Johanna" primarily deal with the singer's intense longing for a woman named Johanna, whom he watches from outside her window. He muses on her beauty, describing her as "beautiful and pale/With yellow hair, like her," lamenting that they likely will never meet again. The lyrics also touch on the sense of impending doom caused by a fire in the city, which the singer believes to be caused by a witch. Despite this chaos, the singer remains fixated on Johanna and their potential future together.

The lyrics of "Johanna" are heavily inspired by the Sweeney Todd musical, in which the character of Johanna serves as a primary love interest for the titular character. The song is often interpreted as a representation of Sweeney's obsessive and possessive feelings towards Johanna. However, the song's composer, Stephen Sondheim, has stated that it was not his intention for the song to be read in this way but rather as a lamentation of the loss of pure love in the modern world.

Some have also pointed to the song's use of the leitmotif "Smoke Smoke" as a nod to the fact that the story of Sweeney Todd takes place in a world of industrialization and urbanization. Additionally, the song's use of the witch as an antagonist reflects Sondheim's interest in the history of witchcraft and the persecution of women during the early modern period.

I feel you, Johanna
I sense your presence, Johanna

I feel you
I am aware of your existence

Do they think that walls can hide you
Do others believe that they can keep you hidden behind walls?

Even now I′m at your window
At this moment, I am present at your window

I am in the dark beside you
I am concealed by the darkness and close to you

Buried sweetly in your yellow hair
I am fondly overwhelmed by your yellow hair

Johanna
Addressing the person named Johanna

And are you beautiful and pale
Are you strikingly lovely with a light complexion?

With yellow hair, like her
Possessing hair that is similar to hers in color

I'd want you beautiful and pale
I would prefer that you be beautiful with a light complexion

The way I dreamed, you were
Just as I imagined you would look like in my dreams

Johanna (Johanna)
Addressing the person named Johanna twice

And if you′re beautiful what then
If you are truly attractive, what difference does it make?

With yellow hair, like wheat
Having hair color like that of wheat

I think we shall not meet again
It appears that we may not meet again

My little dove, my sweet
An endearing term for Johanna

Johanna (I'll Steal you, Johanna)
Addressing Johanna twice and expressing a desire to steal her away

Goodbye Johanna
Saying farewell to Johanna

You're gone, and yet your mine
Although you are gone, I still feel attached to you

I′m fine Johanna
Emphasizing that he is doing well despite her absence

I′m fine
Expressing that everything is good

Johanna
Addressing Johanna again

Smoke Smoke
Referencing smoke and repeating the word twice for emphasis

Sign of the devil Sign of the devil
Imagery of the devil represented by smoke

City on fire
The city is burning

Witch! Witch!
Accusing someone of being a witch

Smell it sir? An evil smell
Asking someone if they can smell something putrid

Every night at the vesper's bell
The bell that rings at sunset each day

Smoke that comes from the mouth of Hell
Smoke that looks like it's from Hell

City on Fire
Emphasizing that the city is in flames

City on Fire
Repeating that the city is on fire

Mischief! Mischief! Mischief!
Imagery of evil, represented by the word mischief

And if I never hear your voice
Expressing the possibility of not hearing Johanna's voice again

My turtle dove, my dear
Endearingly referring to Johanna as my turtle dove and my dear one

I still have reason to rejoice
Even without hearing her voice, he still has cause for happiness

The way ahead is clear
The future seems straightforward

Johanna (I′ll marry Anthony Sunday)
Addressing Johanna and stating that he will marry Anthony on Sunday

(I feel you)
Reiterating that he senses Johanna's presence

And in that darkness when I'm blind
Describing a situational darkness where he cannot see

With what I can′t, forget
Referring to something that he cannot forget, even in the dark

(Johanna)
Addressing Johanna again

It's always morning in my mind
Describing an always fresh feeling in his mind

My little lamb, my pet
Using affectionate terms to refer to Johanna

Johanna (I knew you′d come for me one day)
Addressing Johanna, saying that he knew she would come to him one day

(Johanna)
Addressing Johanna again

You stay Johanna
Asking Johanna to stay with him

The way I dreamed you are
Asking Johanna to stay true to the way he envisioned her to be

Oh look, Johanna, a star
Pointing out a star to Johanna

(Buried sweetly in your yellow hair)
Repeating an earlier line about her lovely hair

A shooting star
Noticing a shooting star in the sky

There, there, somebody somebody look up there
Directing someone to look up at something

Didn't I tell you
Asking someone if he had not warned them before

Smell that hair
Referring once again to Johanna's hair

City on fire
Stating that the city is still on fire

Quick sir run and tell
Urging someone to run and inform others

Warn them all of the Witch's spell
Telling someone to warn people of the spell cast by the witch

There it is there it is
Announcing the presence of something

The Unholy smell
Calling the smell unholy or evil

Tell it to the people and the police as well
Instructing someone to inform both the public and the police

Tell em′ tell em′! Help! Fiend!
Expressing the urgency to warn others about the evil presence

Mischief! Mischief! Mischief!
Repeating a previous line related to evil

And though I'll think of you I guess
Acknowledging that he will think of Johanna

Until the day, I die
Saying that he will think of Johanna for the rest of his life

I think I miss you less and less
Feeling like he misses Johanna less with each passing day

As every day, goes by
With each passing day

Johanna (Johanna)
Addressing Johanna twice

And you′d be beautiful and pale
Imagining what she would look like if they were together

And look too much, like her
Worrying that she may look too similar to someone else

If only Angels could prevail
Expressing a desire for ideal circumstances

We'd be the way, we were
Expressing longing for the way things once were

Johanna (I feel you, Johanna)
Addressing Johanna again and reiterating that he feels her presence

Wake up, Johanna
Calling her to wake up

Another bright red day
Referencing a new day with vivid language

We learn Johanna, to say
Implying that he is teaching Johanna something

Goodbye
Saying farewell

(I′ll steal you)
Last words, referencing the hope of taking Johanna with him

Writer(s): Stephen Sondheim

Contributed by Molly D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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