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“I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...” Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Sondheim on Sondheim (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

2010

[STEPHEN SONDHEIM, spoken]
I've often been asked why don't I write my own librettos
Because often the songs seem to be libretto-like songs
And there are two reasons
The first, and more important one, is that
I think playwriting is too difficult and I don't think I could ever write a play
Second, however, is I love collaborations
And it may be because I'm an only child
And I miss the family that you get—
I would miss the family that you get when you're working with someone
Even if it's just one other person, it's like having a brother
Or if it's two or three other people, it's like having a small family
And the putting on of a musical, you get that family feeling
And that gives me a great deal of courage to go on
And it also gives me a feeling of warmth and, and, you know
To put it as a cliché, the show is like having a baby
And it's something you make and you nurture and you give life to
So that's why I love collaborations
Credits
Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim

About ““I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...”” by Stephen Sondheim

Read the complete lyrics to "“I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...”" by Stephen Sondheim from the album "Sondheim on Sondheim (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2010. 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.

"“I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...”" is performed by Stephen Sondheim. from the album "Sondheim on Sondheim (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2010 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 "“I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...”", 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

"“I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...”" 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.

"“I’ve Often Been Asked Why I Don’t Write...”" appears on "Sondheim on Sondheim (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2010.

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