William Finn - Venice lyrics

[MAN ONE] The former lover of my lover Was a sophisticated Pole, named Bolek Not polite, he'd join Arthur and me for dinner Looking distracted and thinner He'd take a bite of his rare delicious lamb chop And say, "Really, Billy, this has gotta stop." I'd say, "What's gotta stop?" He'd say, "You're being a dick." I'd say, "Bolek." He'd say, "Billy? I'd say, "Bolek." He'd say, "What?" That then was the night I knew that Bolek was sick He'd say "We got to go to Venice Because in Venice everyday life's a work of art And must be seen first hand Breathe deep, our destination's Venice Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand." So Arthur says, "What's wrong with Bolek?" And I think finally he sees what I see What'd I see? Well, the truth is, it really matter All you have to know is he grew thinner, I grew fatter And later on, as we strolled along down Broadway Bolek thought he saw a gun And whacked a wacko in the a** Bolek took off down the street Chased by this dangerous guy I yelled, "Bolek." He kept fleeing I yelled, "Bolek!" He yelled, "What?" And then he turned around And then he sang to the sky: "My friends, I'm taking you to Venice Because in Venice everyday life's a work of art And must be seen first hand Breathe deep. The world revolves 'round Venice Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand." So we went to Venice Jumped in the can*ls Three unlikely pals In Venice St. Mark's Square That is where We prepare To be awed Here in the city where I feel the presence of God In truth, we never went to Venice Yeah, we said we would, but Bolek died too quickly Second truth: this, whatever it is, he'd hate it He would mutter, "bourgeois sh**" and "please incinerate it" "Oh, go to hell, Bolek," I'd yell like a madman But of guys who liked me least, I liked him best I see a gondola float, Bolek's inside and at rest Then the gondolier starts singing Bolek joins in, strong and deep And all the world's in song just as I hum off to sleep My friends, I'm taking you to Venice Because in Venice everyday life's a work of art And must be seen first hand Life ends, but nothing ends in Venice Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand In Venice Venice