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Invocation Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Sondheim Sings, Vol. I (1962-72)

2005

[PROLOGUS, COMPANY]
Gods of the theater, smile on us
You who sit up there stern in judgment, smile on us
You who look down on actors (And who doesn't?)
Bless our little company and smile on us
Think not about deep concerns
Think not about dark dilemmas
We offer you rites and revels
Smile on us for a while

Gods of the theater, smile on us
You who sit up there stern in judgment, smile on us
Think not about deep concerns
Think not about dark dilemmas
We offer you rites and revels
Bless our play and smile

Forget war, forget woe
Forget matters weighty and great
Allow matters weighty to wait
For a while
For this moment, this brief time
Frown on reason, smile on rhyme

Forget pomp, forget show
Forget laurels, helmets and crowns
Receive lovers, liars and clowns
For a while
For this moment, this brief span
Celebrate the state of man

Forget war, forget woe
Forget greed and vengeance and sin
And let mime and mockery in
For a while

Gods of the theater, smile on us
Gods of the theater, bless our efforts, smile on us
We offer you song and dance
We offer you rites and revels
Grace and beauty
Joy and laughter
Sly disguises
Wild confusion
Happy endings

If we please you, bless our play
Smile our way
Smile this moment, then at length
Go, and with a new-found strength:

Resume war, resume woe
Resume matters weighty and great
Resume man's impossible state
But now smile

For this moment
This brief stay
Bless these players
Bless this play!

(spoken)
The play begins.

About “Invocation” by Stephen Sondheim

Read the complete lyrics to "Invocation" by Stephen Sondheim from the album "Sondheim Sings, Vol. I (1962-72)" in 2005. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Musicals, Pop.

"Invocation" is performed by Stephen Sondheim. from the album "Sondheim Sings, Vol. I (1962-72)" in 2005 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Invocation", explore more songs by Stephen Sondheim using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Invocation" is credited to Stephen Sondheim. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Invocation" appears on "Sondheim Sings, Vol. I (1962-72)" in 2005.

Visit the Stephen Sondheim artist page at /artist/stephen-sondheim for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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