A Little Night Music: Liaisons

At the villa of the Baron de Signac
 Where I spent a somewhat infamous year
 At the villa of the Baron de Signac
 I had ladies in attendance, fire-opal pendants
 Liaisons
 What happened to them?
 Liaisons today
 Disgraceful
 What's become of them?
 Some of them hardly pay their shoddy way
 What once was a rare champagne
 Now is just an amiable hock
 What once was a villa at least is "digs"
 What once was a gown with train
 Is now just a simple little frock
 What once was a sumptuous feast
 Is figs
 No
 Not even figs
 Raisins
 Ah, liaisons
 Now where was I, where was I?
 Oh, yes
 At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara
 Who was prematurely deaf, but a dear
 At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara
 I acquired some position - plus a tiny Titian
 Liaisons
 What's happened to them?
 Liaisons today
 To see them
 Indiscriminate women
 It pains me more than I can say
 The lack of taste that they display
 Where is style?
 Where is skill?
 Where is forethought?
 Where's discretion of the heart?
 Where's passion in the art?
 Where's craft?
 With a smile and a will
 But with more thought
 I acquired a chateau, extravagantly overstaffed
 Too many people muddle sex with mere desire
 And when emotion intervenes
 The nets descend
 It should on no account perplex
 Or worse, inspire
 It's but a pleasurable means to a measurable end
 Why does no one comprehend?
 Let us hope this lunacy is just a trend
 Where was I, where was I?
 Oh yes
 In the castle of the King of the Belgians
 We would visit through a false chiffonier
 In the castle of the King of the Belgians
 Who, when things got rather touchy
 Deeded me a duchy
 Liaisons
 What's happened to them?
 Liaisons today
 Untidy
 Take my daughter, I taught her
 I tried my best to point the way
 I even named her Desiree
 In a world
 Where the kings are employers
 Where the amateur prevails
 And delicacy fails to pay
 In a world where the princes are lawyers
 What can anyone expect
 Except to recollect? Liaisons