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Glitter and Be Gay Lyrics by Barbara Cook

Candide (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

1956

[CUNEGONDE, spoken]
And here I am, my heart breaking
Forced to glitter, forced to be gay
[CUNEGONDE]
Glitter and be gay
That's the part I play
Here I am in Paris, France
Forced to bend my soul
To a sordid role
Victimized by bitter
Bitter circumstance
Alas, for me!
Had I remained
Beside my lady mother
My virtue had remained unstained
Until my maiden hand was gained
By some Grand Duke or other
Ah, 'twas not to be
Harsh necessity
Brought me to this gilded cage
Born to higher things
Here I drop my wings
Ah!
Singing of a sorrow
Nothing can assuage
And yet, of course, I rather like to revel, ha ha!
I have no strong objection to champagne, ha ha!
My wardrobe is expensive as the devil, ha ha!
Perhaps it is ignoble to complain
Enough, enough
Of being basely tearful
I'll show my noble stuff
By being bright and cheerful
Ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha!
Ha! Ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
[CUNEGONDE, spoken]
Pearls and ruby rings
Ah, how can worldly things
Take the place of honor lost?
Can they compensate
For my fallen state?
Purchased as they were at such a, at such an awful cost?
Bracelets, lavallieres
Can they dry my tears?
Can they blind my eyes to shame?
Can the brightest brooch
Shield me from reproach?
Can the purest diamond purify my name?
[CUNEGONDE]
And yet, of course, these trinkets are endearing, ha ha!
I'm oh so glad my sapphire is a star, ha ha!
I rather like a twenty carat earring, ha ha!
If I'm not pure at least my jewels are!
Enough, enough
I'll take their diamond necklace
And show my noble stuff
By being gay and reckless
Ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha!
Observe how bravely I conceal
The dreadful, dreadful shame I feel
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha! Ha!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha ha!
Ha ha ha!

About “Glitter and Be Gay” by Barbara Cook

Read the complete lyrics to "Glitter and Be Gay" by Barbara Cook from the album "Candide (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1956. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Broadway, Musicals, Pop.

"Glitter and Be Gay" is performed by Barbara Cook. from the album "Candide (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1956 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Glitter and Be Gay", explore more songs by Barbara Cook using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Glitter and Be Gay" is credited to Barbara Cook. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Glitter and Be Gay" appears on "Candide (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1956.

Visit the Barbara Cook artist page at /artist/barbara-cook for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.