[Lyric] The Best Years of His Life (Adolph Green, Ris Stevens, John Reardon, & Lady in the Dark Ensemble (1963))

[RINGMASTER]
He gave her the best years of his life
She was, shall we call it, his mistress?
'Twas only for her he's divorcing his wife
And now the man's in distress
The mister who once was the master of two
Would make of his mistress his Mrs
But he's missed out on Mrs. for the mistress is through
What a mess of a mish mash this is

[RANDY, spoken]
Your Honor, Mr. RIngmaster. 

[RINGMASTER, spoken]
Yes, Mr. Bareback Rider. 

[RANDY, spoken]
I would like to answer the charge just made by the prosecuting attorney. 

[RINGMASTER, spoken]
Go ahead, I can hardly wait. 
[RANDY]
She gave him her heart, but not her word
This case, therefore, is so much dead wood
Her promise to wed he never heard
For she never promised she wed would
It's just that a change of heart occurred
And although it may have dismayed him
When a maid gives her heart but does not give her word
How on earth can that maid have betrayed him?

[LIZA & JURY]
Tra-la - I never gave my word
She gave him her heart, but not her word
Tra-la - This action is absurd
This case, therefore, is so much dead wood
Tra-la - I loved him from the start
Her promise to wed he never heard
And then I had a change of heart
For she never promised she wed would
Tra-la - The rights of womankind
It's just that a change of heart occurred
Tra-la - Permit a change of mind
And although it may have dismayed him

[LIZA]
When a maid gives her heart but does not give her word
How on earth can that maid have betrayed him?
[JURY]
When a maid gives her heart but does not give her word
How on earth can that maid have betrayed him?

[RINGMASTER, spoken]
Charming, charming! Who wrote that music?

[JURY, spoken]
Tchaikovsky!

[RINGMASTER, spoken]
Tchaikovsky? I love Russian composers!