I used to be the king, the king of old Broadway   The best of everything 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, every word   We believe you, thousands couldn't   We believe each word we've heard      I used to be the king, the king of old Broadway   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      Workman, bum, bag lady, violinist   Usherettes, nuns, street cleaner   We believe you, thousands wouldn't   We believe you, every 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 every play   I touched would turn to gold      There was a time   He wore the finest clothes   His shoes were always new   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      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 heard of theater in the round?   You're looking at the man who invented theater 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 Tomaschevski      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!?      I used to be the king   The king of old Broadway   Again I will be king   And be on top to stay      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 scare 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