Billy Flynn is a liar. That’s the first thing you have to understand if you want to make sense of the razzle dazzle song lyrics from the musical Chicago. He isn't just a lawyer; he’s a magician whose medium is the American legal system. When Jerry Herman or Stephen Sondheim write a show tune, they usually want you to feel something deep. But when Kander and Ebb wrote "Razzle Dazzle" for the 1975 opening of Chicago, they were trying to show you how easy it is to be fooled.
It’s a circus. Literally.
The song kicks off with a brassy, mid-tempo vaudeville beat that feels like a warm hug from a con artist. Richard Gere played it with a slick, tap-dancing charm in the 2002 movie, but Jerry Orbach—the original Billy Flynn on Broadway—gave it a grittier, more cynical edge. The lyrics tell us exactly what’s happening: "Give 'em the old razzle dazzle / Razzle dazzle 'em." It’s an instruction manual on how to win a murder trial by making sure nobody actually looks at the evidence.
Why the Razzle Dazzle Song Lyrics Are Actually Terrifying
If you look closely at the words, the song is pretty dark. It’s not about justice. It’s about the fact that "the world is a stage" and the courtroom is just another theater.
One of the most telling lines is: "Backstage, partyin' / Always on the go." It implies that the legal proceedings are a performance, and the "backstage" is where the real deals happen. Flynn tells Roxie Hart—and the audience—that as long as she puts on a show, the jury won't care about the facts. He compares a trial to a "three-ring circus." He’s basically saying that the truth is boring, and people would much rather be entertained than informed.
Think about that.
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It's a critique of how we consume news and crime. In the 1920s, which is when the play is set, the "murdress of the week" was a real thing in Chicago tabloids. Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner were the real-life inspirations for Roxie and Velma. Their lawyers used these exact "razzle dazzle" tactics. They focused on their outfits, their "frail" dispositions, and their sob stories.
The razzle dazzle song lyrics emphasize this with the line, "How can they hear the truth above the roar?" The "roar" is the spectacle. It’s the flashbulbs, the headlines, and the catchy tunes. When you’re busy watching a man tap dance, you aren't looking at the smoking gun in the corner of the room.
Breaking Down the Wordplay and Vaudeville Roots
Fred Ebb was a master of the "double-edged" lyric. He used words that sounded fun but felt hollow.
Take the phrase "double act." In vaudeville, a double act is a comedy duo. In the context of Flynn’s legal strategy, it refers to the collusion between the lawyer and the defendant to create a fictional narrative. "Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it / And the reaction will be passionate." It’s all about the emotional response. If you can make a jury cry, they’ll forget to convict.
- The song uses a 4/4 "vamp" common in burlesque.
- The rhyme scheme is AABB or ABAB, making it incredibly catchy—this is intentional, as it mimics the "earworms" used to distract the public.
- References to "sequined gowns" and "showmanship" bridge the gap between the criminal justice system and the stage.
Interestingly, the lyrics also mention "the old flim-flam." This is 1920s slang for a swindle or a confidence trick. By using this specific terminology, Kander and Ebb are aligning the profession of law with the profession of the grifter. Bob Fosse, who directed and choreographed the original production, wanted the lighting to be harsh and the movements to be distorted to reflect this underlying sleaze.
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The Cultural Impact of These Lyrics in 2026
It’s wild how relevant this still feels. We live in an era of "main character energy" and viral courtroom clips on social media. When we look at the razzle dazzle song lyrics today, we see the blueprint for modern PR.
It's not just about the theater anymore; it's about the feed.
When Flynn sings, "And they'll make you a star," he isn't lying. In the world of Chicago, being a criminal is just a stepping stone to a career in show business. The lyrics celebrate the "splendor" of the lie. This is a cynical take on the American Dream, suggesting that fame and acquittal are the same thing if you have enough glitter.
Some critics argue that the song is too cynical. They say it paints a portrait of a world where nobody has any morals. But that’s the point. The song isn't an endorsement; it's a parody. When you sing along to it, you’re participating in the very distraction the song is mocking. You’re being razzle-dazzled by a song about being razzle-dazzled.
Actionable Takeaways for Musical Theater Fans
If you're studying these lyrics for a performance or just because you love the show, there are a few things you should do to really "get" the song.
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First, watch the 1975 version if you can find footage. Jerry Orbach’s delivery is much more "used car salesman" than Richard Gere’s "leading man." It changes how the lyrics land. Orbach makes the "razzle dazzle" feel like a threat.
Second, read the original news clippings from the 1924 trials of Beulah Annan. You will see phrases in those articles that mirror the song’s themes. The reporters focused on her beauty and her phonograph records, not the victim.
Lastly, pay attention to the orchestrations. The use of the banjo and the muted trumpet in the background provides a "tinny" sound that suggests the whole thing is a cheap facade.
To truly master the song, focus on the "sh" sounds and the hard consonants. "Show 'em the first-rate sorcery / You also possess." The sibilance in the lyrics is meant to sound snakelike. It’s a performance of a performance. When you understand that Billy Flynn is essentially playing a character within a character, the brilliance of the songwriting finally clicks.
Instead of just listening to the melody, read the lyrics as a poem. Notice how many times the words "eye" and "see" are used in opposition to "blind" and "daze." The song is a battle between sight and illusion. If you want to understand the heart of Chicago, start with the "razzle dazzle" and work your way backward to the truth.
Next Steps
Compare the lyrical changes between the 1975 stage version and the 2002 film soundtrack. Look for how the "theatrical" metaphors were shifted to fit a more cinematic visual style, specifically in the way the "courtroom as a circus" metaphor is handled visually versus lyrically.