Suppertime Lyrics – Little Shop of Horrors

Song Overview

In “Suppertime”, Alan Menken’s funk-tinged bass line slithers beneath Howard Ashman’s devil-on-the-shoulder Lyrics, coaxing Seymour to feed his florist boss to a carnivorous plant. First heard on the 1982 Off-Broadway cast album, the track still clocks 19 k YouTube views and keeps cropping up in school and regional revivals.:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Personal Review

The opening vamp snaps four hi-hat clicks, then drops into organ stabs slick as spilled plant food. Ron Taylor’s Audrey II growls, “He’s got your number now,” on a tritone—instant dread, no crunchy orchestration needed. Menken lets guitar wah-peddles wink at Isaac Hayes, yet Ashman’s inner-city slang keeps the groove firmly on Skid Row. One breath, one promise: supper is coming, whether Seymour likes it or not.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Dramaturgical trigger. Planted near Act I’s cliff-edge, “Suppertime” forces Seymour into his first fully conscious murder. Audrey II dangles love, fame, and escape; the Lyrics list each perk like a late-night infomercial—“Your future with Audrey … the world will be yours.” The Greek-chorus trio Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon echo every “Come on,” turning peer pressure into doo-wop hypnosis.:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Musical tell. Menken shapes the menace with a chromatic bass walk on bars 5-8; every half-step down is a moral step down for Seymour. Listen for the Hammond B3 swell on “… life of crime”—a sonic gulp before the act. Scholars note the sixteen-note vamp resurfaces in later Menken ballads—he reused the pattern in “Part of Your World.”:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Lyric evolution. In the 2003 Broadway revival, Audrey II swaps “He’s got the goods and I’m all set for suppertime” for “He’s USDA prime for my suppertime,” sharpening the carnivore joke.:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

“I swear on all my spores”

Ashman’s gross-botanical oath fuses sci-fi pulp with gospel fervour, reminding us this monster learned its sermonising from late-night TV.

Verse Highlights

First Verse

Audrey II lays out the blackmail dossier; brass hits reinforce each damning line, courtroom-style.

Mid-section Offer

Tempo shade shifts to straight-eight funk, signalling temptation: the plant sweet-talks like a lounge singer.

Final Chorus

Trio stacks three descending “Suppertime”s in parallel sixths, imitating police sirens fading as Mushnik steps toward the jaws.

Song Credits

• Featured Vocalist: Ron Taylor (Audrey II)
• Producers: Cameron Mackintosh, David Geffen
• Composer: Alan Menken
• Lyricist & Bookwriter: Howard Ashman
• Release Date: 1982 (Original Cast Album)
• Genre: Doo-wop Funk / Horror-Pop Show Tune
• Length: 2 min 00 sec
• Instruments: Hammond organ, slap bass, brass section, funk guitar, drum kit
• Label: Geffen Records
• Mood: Seductive, predatory
• Language: English
• Poetic meter: Irregular trochaic with internal rhyme
• Copyright © 1982 Ashman-Menken Partnership / MTI

Songs Exploring Sinister Hunger

“Feed Me (Git It)” – Little Shop of Horrors (1982): The earlier duet introduces Audrey II’s appetite; “Suppertime” reprises the motive with higher stakes, shifting from comic gore to psychological extortion.

“A Little Priest” – Sweeney Todd (1979): Lovett and Todd turn cannibal wordplay into waltzing horror. Menken channels a similar grin-while-you-stab energy but coats it in Motown gloss.

“Poor Unfortunate Souls” – The Little Mermaid (1989): Another Menken villain song—Ursula sells dreams for souls. Swap tentacles for vines and the bargain feels eerily familiar.

Questions and Answers

Why does Audrey II sing instead of Seymour?

The plant vocalises Seymour’s inner debate, externalising guilt while masking its own agenda.:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Did the track ever chart?

No mainstream charts, but the cast album earned a 1983 Grammy nomination for Best Cast Recording.:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

What changed in the 2003 revival?

A new verse, USDA-prime gag, and extended dialogue reinstated Mushnik’s confrontation, lengthening the song to 2 min 30 sec.:contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Who voices Audrey II in the 1986 film?

Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops supplies the iconic baritone, bringing R&B heft to the killer plant.:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Why does the groove feel like 1960s soul?

Menken built the score as a pastiche of doo-wop and early Motown, so the sinister lyric rides a danceable, radio-friendly chassis.:contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Awards and Chart Positions

Little Shop of Horrors snagged the 1983 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Prize, riding on hits like “Suppertime.”:contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9} The cast album’s Grammy nod cemented its cult longevity.

How to Sing?

Range: Audrey II E2–A4; Ensemble A3–E5.
Breath tricks: Inhale on rests after each “Come on” to punch the syncopated shouts.
Tempo: Keep it at 108 bpm—slower drags, faster blurs lyric jokes.
Tone: Use forward placement plus a slight growl; think Barry White possessed by Venus flytrap DNA.
Physical cue: Plant puppeteers: lead with hips, not shoulders, to avoid lag between voice and vine.

Fan and Media Reactions

“Ron Taylor’s octave-dropping ‘suppertime’ is still the smoothest death threat on vinyl.” – Playbill retrospective

“The USDA-prime rewrite in 2003 got the loudest laugh of the night.” – New York Times revival review

“Levi Stubbs made me root for a vegetable.” – YouTube comment under 1986 film clip

“My college pit band called it ‘funk noir’—we still jam that bass riff at parties.” – Music-major blog

“Suppertime proves Menken could do horror long before Disney.” – SDMT analysis