Come hear the music play
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

Put down the knitting, the book and the broom
It's time for a holiday
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come the the cabaret

Come taste the wine, come hear the band
Come blow that horn, start celebrating
Right this way
Your table's waiting

No use permitting some prophet of doom
To wipe every smile away
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

I used to have girlfriend known as Elsie
With whom I shared for sordid rooms in Chelsea
She wasn't what you call a blushing flower
As a matter of fact she rented by the hour

The day she died the neighbors came to snicker
Well that's what comes from too much pills and liquor
But when I saw her laid out like a queen
She was the happiest corpse I'd ever seen

And as for me
As for me
I made my mind up back in Chelsea
When I go I am going like Elsie

Stop by admitting from cradle to doom
It's such a long, long smile
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the caba, come to the caba, I love a cabaret