Frederic H. Mayerson - The King of Broadway lyrics

MAX: I used to be the king, the king of old Broadway The best of ev'rything was mine to have each day I always had the biggest hits The biggest bathrooms at the Ritz My showgirls had the biggest tits! I never was the pits in any way! WORKMAN, BUM, BAG LADY: We believe you, thousands wouldn't We believe you, ev'ry word We believe you, thousands couldn't We believe each word we've heard MAX: I used to be the king... WORKMAN, BUM, BAG LADY: The King? MAX: The king of old Broadway... BLIND VIOLINIST: It's good to be the king! MAX: My praises they would sing A Ziegfeld so they'd say My shows were always filled with cla** The best champagnes would fill my gla** My lap was filled with gorgeous a** You couldn't call me cra** in any way! WORKMAN, BUM, BAG LADY, VIOLINIST, USHERETTES, NUNS, STREET CLEANER: We believe you, thousands wouldn't We believe you, ev'ry word We believe you, thousands couldn't We believe each word we've heard MAX: There was a time When I was young and gay... But straight There was a time When I was bold There was a time When each and ev'ry play I touched Would turn to gold CHORUS: There was a time He wore the finest clothes His shoes were always new Ahh! MAX: Now I wear a rented tux That's two weeks overdue! CHORUS: Poor Bialy, what a shmoozer Poor Bialy, what a shame Poor Bialy, what a loser Poor Bialy, goodbye fame MAX: Rented tux... Overdue... Way overdue MAX: Such reviews! How dare they insult me in this manner? How quickly they forget. I am Max Bialystock! The first producer ever to do summer stock in the winter! CHORUS: Once he was the king... MAX: You've heard of Theatre in the Round? You're looking at the man who invented Theatre in the Square! Nobody had a good seat! CHORUS: King of old Broadway MAX: I've spent my entire life in the theater I was a protege of the great Boris Tomaschevski CHORUS: Ooh! MAX: Yes. He taught me everything I know I'll never forget, he turned to me on his d**hbed and said "Maxella, alle menschen muss zu machen, jeden tug a gentzen kachen!" NUN #1: What does that mean? MAX: Who knows? I don't speak Yiddish. Strangely enough, neither did he But in my heart I knew what he was saying He was saying, when you're down and out, and everybody thinks you're finished That's the time to stand up on your two feet and shout "Who do you have to f**k to get a break in this town?!" CHORUS: Yay! MAX: I used to be the king The king of old Broadway Again I will be king And be on top to stay CHORUS: Used to be the king King of old Broadway On top to stay, hey! MAX: There'll be gala opening nights again You'll see my name in lights again I'll go from dark to brights again My spirits high as kites again I'll never suffer slights again I'll taste those sweet delights again No plethora of plights again No blossoming of blights again No frantic fits or frights again Fame is in my sights again I'll take those fancy flights again I'm gonna scare the heights again Bialystock will never drop Bialystock will never stop... Bialystock will be on top again CHORUS: Fame is in his sights again He'll take those fancy flights again He's gonna scale the heights again MAX: I'll be on top again, hey! CHORUS: He'll be on top again, hey!