[Verse:] I would like you to listen Pay attention and listen To a story that's old, but never stale I would like you to listen Pay attention and listen To a twentieth century fairy tale [Refrain:] Once there was a princess Once there was a guy And they fell in love one wonderful day But she was a princess He was just a guy So there was the royal devil to pay They were ordered not to speak to one another And they knew the sorrow that would bring Still, they promised not to speak to one another But they didn't promise not to sing So beneath her window tenderly he sang All the things he promised never to say Once upon a time today [2nd refrain:] He collected lots of corny little phrases Like "I love you, dear" and "You're for me" But he found that when he set them all to music They were just as good as poetry So beneath her window tenderly he sang "How about that happy ending in May?" Once upon a time today