Lyrics Judy Collins – Liasons

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,

Liaisons! What’s 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
Is now 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? 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,

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’s just a trend.
Now 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!