William Finn is a renowned composer and lyricist, born in Boston. He is best known for his musicals Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Through his music, he mixes humor and emotional depth, often drawn from personal experiences, giving audiences a deeper connection to his music.
About the Song
Pandemonium Spelling Bee by William Finn is a fun, quirky, upbeat song from the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Through the music, he humorously captures the contestants’ frustrations with the random mix of easy and super-hard words they have to spell. The song compares the unpredictable nature of the spelling bee to the confusing and uncertain parts of growing up.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Release Date | May 31, 2005 |
| Album | 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee |
| Writers | Rachel Sheinkin & William Finn |
| Producers | Kurt Deutsch & Joel Moss |
Pandemonium Lyrics
PANCH, spoken
Please spell, “telephone.”
SPELLERS all react to the easy word with assorted grumbles, e.g. “Aw, what! C’mon! Telephone?!”
CHIP
My oh my
CHIP & OLIVE
That word’s so moronic
SCHWARZY
I could cry
I want words as lame!
PANCH, spoken
Mr. Coneybear…
LEAF
Semper fi
I feel supersonic
MR. PANCH, spoken
Spell “hospital.”
SPELLERS grumble.
MARCY CONEYBEAR
That is why H-o-s-p-i-
I despise this T-a-l, “Hospital.”
game
PANCH, spoken
That is correct. Mr. Tolentino…
CHIP & CONEYBEAR
Life is random and unfair
Life is pandemonium
PANCH, spoken
“Staphylococcus.”
CHIP, spoken
Aww!
ALL SPELLERS
That’s the reason we despair
CHIP
Life is pandemonium
CONEYBEAR
Life is pandemonium
CHIP
Life is pandemonium
BARFEE
Life is pandemonium
PANCH, spoken
“Broccoli.”
CONEYBEAR
I knew that word
OLIVE
I knew that word
BARFEE
I knew that word
ALL SPELLERS
Goddamn it!
CHIP
It is such a calamity
ALL SPELLERS
Where should we begin?
The best spellers
CHIP SPELLERS
Don’t necessarily Life is
Win Pandemonium
Life is
Pandemonium
MARCY
Set your sights
I am on a mission
[MR. PANCH, spoken]
Miss Park, “Antediluvian.”
SCHWARZY
We have rights
spoken to audience volunteer
We have rights!
sung
That’s why we complain
PANCH, spoken
Mr. Barfee, “Halitosis.”
BARFEE
Damn, life bites
But I like competition
PANCH, spoken
Miss Ostrovsky: “Schematic.”
OLIVE
In these lights
Can you feel our pain?
PANCH, spoken
Somebody spell “crayon.”
SPELLERS, spoken
Crayon?!
MITCH
Life is random and unfair
Life is pandemonium
ALL SPELLERS
That’s the reason we despair
CHIP
Life is pandemonium
MITCH
Life is pandemonium
CHIP
Life is pandemonium
BARFEE
Life is pandemonium!
PANCH, spoken
“Dinosaur.”
CHIP
I knew that word
ALL SPELLERS
I knew that word
CHIP
I knew that word
ALL SPELLERS
Goddammit!
It is such a calamity
Where should we begin?
The best spellers
CHIP SPELLERS
Don’t
necessarily win Life is
They don’t win Pandemonium
They don’t win Life is
They don’t win Pandemonium
BARFEE
No, they don’t!
CHIP & OTHERS
Life is random and unfair
CHIP OTHER SPELLARS
Life is pandemonium Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Yes, it is Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
Oh, yes, it is! Life is pandemonium
Life is pandemonium
CHIP
Yes, it is!
OTHER SPELLERS
Yeah!
Similar Songs Like Pandemonium
- “What More Can I Say?“:
- ”Unlikely Lovers“:
- ”The Baseball Game“: A fun and lively song from Falsettos that shows the chaos and awkward moments of a Little League game and how they reflect family relationships.
Similar Artists Like William Fins
- Stephen Sondheim
Genre: Musical Theater
Notable Albums: Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Into the Woods, Company
