"Not While I'm Around" is a song from the

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

musical '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. It is a

duet A duet (italian language, Italian: ''duo'') is a musical composition for two Performing arts, performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a har ...

between

Tobias Ragg Tobias Ragg (also spelled as Tobias Wragg and sometimes referred to as Toby) is a fictional character who appears in various adaptations of the story ''Sweeney Todd''. The character is an apprentice to the abusive barber Adolfo Pirelli, Pirelli u ...

and Mrs. Lovett that first appeared on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

in 1979. A screen adaptation for the 2007 film of the same name features Edward Sanders as Tobias and

Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, List of awards and nominations received by Helena Bonham Carter ...

as Mrs. Lovett. In the 2023 revival, it is sung by

Gaten Matarazzo Gaetano John "Gaten" Matarazzo III ( , ; born September 8, 2002) is an American actor. He began his career on the Broadway stage as Benjamin in '' Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' (2011–12) and as Gavroche in ''Les Misérables'' (2014–15) ...

and

Annaleigh Ashford Annaleigh Ashford (née Swanson; born June 25, 1985) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Her early roles on Broadway include in the musicals '' Wicked'' (2007), '' Legally Blonde'' (2007), and ''Hair'' (2010). She received the Tony Award ...

Josh Groban Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, ...

, who played the barber in the 2023 production, has also released his own version.

Synopsis

In the pie shop that Mrs. Lovett owns, Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pie Emporium, she has taken in young

, who was homeless, to be her helper. When Mrs. Lovett tells Tobias to run and get a piece of toffee, she inadvertently takes out a coin purse she stole from Tobias' old master, Adolfo Pirelli, whom

Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial '' The String of Pearls'' (1846–1847). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet St ...

killed. Tobias expresses suspicions about Todd and states his desire to protect Mrs. Lovett, whom he has come to view as a mother figure. However, Mrs. Lovett tells him not to be afraid.

Critical reception

Scott Foundas of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described this song as "tender and haunting", noting that street urchin Tobias "becomes, for a moment, her surrogate son". Reviewing the 2007 film, Peter Travers of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' wrote " elenaBonham Carter evokes chills in 'Not While I'm Around,' a ballad of devotion she croons to her young apprentice, Toby, just before she arranges his demise". The scoresheet website JW Pepper wrote "This unforgettable ballad from ''Sweeney Todd'' will create a moment of tenderness in your concert". ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote (of a regional stage production): "The contrast of lush ballads and menacing circumstances...occurs with 'Pretty Women,' sung by Sweeney and Judge Turpin, and 'Not While I’m Around,' sung protectively to Mrs. Lovett by her young aide, Tobias Ragg".

Covers

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...

recorded a version of the song for her album ''

The Broadway Album ''The Broadway Album'' is the twenty-fourth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released by Columbia Records on November 4, 1985. Consisting mainly of classic show tunes, the album marked a major shift in Streisand's career. She ha ...

'' in 1985. The very first line of the song was briefly covered in the 1995 ''

The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish wikt:fashionista, fashionista from Flushing, Queens, who becomes the nanny of three children ...

'' episode from season 2 titled "The Will", in which Fran Fine (

Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress and trade unionist. She is currently serving as the national president of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). She pla ...

) mistakenly believes her boss Maxwell Sheffield (

Charles Shaughnessy Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy (born 9 February 1955) is a British actor. His roles on American television include Shane Donovan on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', Maxwell Sheffield on the sitcom ''The Nanny ...

) could suffer a fatal

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

if he doesn't follow a strict

diet Diet may refer to: Food * Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group * Dieting, the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake ** Diet food, foods that aid in creating a diet for weight loss ...

prescribed by a

cardiologist Cardiology () is the study of the heart. Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery di ...

(which is actually intended for one of Sheffield's clients). Maggie Sheffield (

Nicholle Tom Nicholle Tom (born March 23, 1978) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Maggie Sheffield on the CBS sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993 to 1999). She appeared as Ryce Newton in the film ''Beethoven'' (1992) and its sequel '' B ...

) tells Fran she's feeling upset due to

acne Acne ( ), also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term Cutaneous condition, skin condition that occurs when Keratinocyte, dead skin cells and Sebum, oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include comedo, ...

problems in her face and asks her to cover it with

makeup Cosmetics are substances that are intended for application to the body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance. They are mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources or created sy ...

. In an anxiety attack, Fran hugs her while singing "Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around!" trying to comfort her, believing Maggie's feeling upset about losing her father.

References

External links

''Sweeney Todd'' Listing at sondheimguide.com
1979 songs 1970s ballads Songs written by Stephen Sondheim Songs from musicals Sweeney Todd Male–female vocal duets {{1970s-song-stub