Nothing is so good it lasts eternally
Perfect situations must go wrong
But this has never yet prevented me
Wanting far too much for far too long

Looking back, I could have played it differently
Won a few more moments, who can tell?
But it took time to understand the man
Now, at least, I know I know him well

Wasn’t it good?
(Oh so good)
Wasn’t he fine?
(Oh so fine)
Isn’t it madness?
He can’t be mine
But in the end he needs a little bit more than me
More security
(He needs his fantasies and freedom)
I know him so well

No one in your life is with you constantly
No one is completely on your side
And though I move my world to be with him
Still the gap between us is too wide

Looking back I could have played it differently
Learned about the man before I fell
But I was ever so much younger then
Now, at least, I know I know him well

(overlapping above)
Looking back, I could have played it some other way
I was just a little careless, maybe
I was so much younger then
I know I know him well

Wasn’t it good?
(Oh so good)
Wasn’t he fine?
(Oh so fine)
Isn’t it madness?
He can’t be mine
Didn’t I know how it would go?
If I knew from the start,
Why am I falling apart?

Wasn’t it good?
Wasn’t he fine?
Isn’t it madness?
He won’t be mine
But in the end he needs a little bit more than me
More security
(He needs his fantasy and freedom)
I know him so well
It took time to understand him
I know him so well

From the musical “Chess”; original recording by Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson

I am what I am
I am my own special creation.
So come take a look,
Give me the hook or the ovation.
It’s my world that I want to have a little pride in,
My world, and it’s not a place I have to hide in.
Life’s not worth a damn,
‘Til you can say, “Hey world, I am what I am.”

I am what I am,
I don’t want praise, I don’t want pity.
I bang my own drum,
Some think it’s noise, I think it’s pretty.
And so what, if I love each feather and each spangle,
Why not try to see things from a different angle?
Your life is a sham ’til you can shout out loud
“I am what I am!”

I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses.
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces.
There’s one life, and there’s no return and no deposit;
One life, so it’s time to open up your closet.
Life’s not worth a damn ’til you can say,
“Hey world, I am what I am!”

From the musical “La Cage aux Folles”