[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear "Sweeney Todd" Fans,

The very first lyrics of Anthony's "Johanna" song are "I feel you", but, in some ways, those lyrics seem to fit with today's world much more than they fit with the world of 1979.

"I feel you!", and "Do you feel me?" are very modern phrases, so I tend to think that it's ironic that those old "Sweeney Todd" lyrics should sound sooo very modern.

I wonder if Anthony is using the term in the same way that we use it today. I think that Anthony is using the phrase to express the fact that he feels Johanna's presence everywhere that he goes. I believe that modern people use the phrase to express the fact that they understand someone else on a personal level (Ie: The Lindsay Lohan song lyrics "Do you feel me like I feel you?").

What do you think about the phrase, Anthony's use of that phrase, etc.?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[dolbinau]

I always took "I feel you" to be " the phrase to express the fact that they understand someone else on a personal level" one. But being in the modern 'context' maybe It wasn't intended to be this.

Of course, I don't think that interpretation is too modern. I feel you coupled with I'll steal you sounds very...perverted ;0.

[what_the_heck013]

I think my simpleminded self always interpreted as "I know how you must feel".

But I like the "I feel your presence everywhere" interpretation.

[Barberous]

I've always thought this line sounded oddly modern too. But I've just figured out an interpretation that I like better, yay!

In the book, Anthony starts singing just after he hands Johanna the caged bird. The book makes a point of mentioning that "their fingers touch". So if you look at the entire verse ("I was half-convinced I'd waken" etc), Anthony is saying "I can touch you! You're real! You're so lovely, I was afraid you were just a vision." And when he sings "I feel you" later, if you look at the rest of his words ("...buried sweetly in your yellow hair"), he's talking more along the lines of "I feel your presence everywhere", or "I'm still with you, connected to you, even though we're torn apart".

[Salome]

I feel you ws used in victorian times as a way to say I understand you.

[Melpomene]

I agree, Duchess.

I think he meant it more in the sense that he feels her in his heart no matter where he is.

[Fantine]

[lottielou22]

I always thought it was "I feel your presence everywhere" or roughly that.

[What Is This Feeling?]

[Kragey]

The film version of the "I feel you, Johanna" line is really creepy, because they took out "Kiss Me" and all of the parts where Johanna and Anthony actually meet. So my friends and I have an inside joke: every time we end up walking behind each other on campus, we call the other person up and say in a creepy voice, "I FEEL you, Johanna...I am in the dark beside you...burried SWEETLY in your yellow hair..."

...Well, I think it's funny.

[What Is This Feeling?]

I guess it would be funnier in person, or if we knew your friends.

[lottielou22]

I was sitting on the sofa beside my 12-year-old cousin watching a movie and he randomly leaned over, put his chin on my shoulder, stared at me, and stroked my arm while singing, "i feeeeeeel you, Johanna..." It was amusing.

Also, I posted this on some other thread recently, but in case you didn't see it I just wanted to spread the joy. On YouTube they have the video of this song, and one of the comments suggested that once the song got old, you should just add the words, "in my pants" to the end of every line.

[aworthyboyishe]

[bittenbythetheatrebug]

[lottielou22]

[aworthyboyishe]

WOOOOO!!!!
I can has members!

[Kragey]

[aworthyboyishe]

[dolbinau]