The King of Broadway

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!

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

I used to be the king...

The King!

The king of old Broadway...

It's good to be the king!

My praises they would sing

A Ziegfeld so they'd say

My shows were always filled with class

The best champagnes would fill my glass

My lap was filled with gorgeous ass

You couldn't call me crass in any way!

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

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

There was a time

He wore the finest clothes

His shoes were always new

Ahh!

Now I wear a rented tux

That's two weeks overdue!

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

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!

Once he was the king...

You've all heard of Theatre in the Round? You're looking at the man who invented Theatre in the Square! Nobody had a good seat!

King of old Broadway

I've spent my entire life in the theater. I was a protege of the great Boris Tomaschevsky!

Ooh!

Yes. He taught me everything I know. I'll never forget, he turned to me on his deathbed and said "Maxella, alle menschen muss zu machen, jeden tug a gentzen kachen!"

What does that mean?

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 fuck to get a break in this town?!""

Yay!

Hey! (x8)

I used to be the king

The king of old Broadway

Again I will be king!

And be on top to stay

 [CITIZENS]

Used to be the king

King of old Broadway

On top to stay, hey!

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 scale the heights again

Bialystock will never drop...

Bialystock will never stop...

Bialystock will be on top again

Fame is in his sights again

He'll take those fancy flights again

He's gonna scale the heights again

I'll be on top again, hey!

 [CITIZENS]

He'll be on top again, hey!