Leonard Bernstein — Life Is Happiness Indeed

[CANDIDE] Life is happiness indeed: Mares to ride and books to read. Though of noble birth I'm not, I'm delighted with my lot. Though I've no distinctive features And I've no official mother, I love all my fellow creatures And the creatures love each other! [NARRATOR] All the young people were happy, even Paquette, the pretty young serving maid who enjoyed the honor of undressing the Baroness, and sometimes of undressing the Baron himself. If there was any cloud over the happiness of the Baron's son Maximilian and the Baron's daughter Cunegonde, it was the difficulty of deciding which of them was lovelier. [MAXIMILIAN] Life is absolute perfection, As is true of my complexion. Every time I look and see me, I'm reminded life is dreamy. Although I do get tired Being endlessly admired, People will go on about me - How could they go on without me? (If the talk at times is vicious, That's the price you pay when you're delicious.) Life is pleasant, life is simple- Oh my God, is that a pimple? No, it's just the odd reflection - Life and I are still perfection! I am everything I need! Life is happiness indeed! [CUNEGONDE] Life is happiness indeed: I have everything I need. I am rich and unattached And my beauty is unmatched. With the rose my only rival, I admit to some frustration; What a pity its survival Is of limited duration! [CANDIDE] Life is happiness indeed: Horses to ride and books to read. Though of noble birth we're not, We're delighted with our lot. [PAQUETTE] Life is happiness indeed: Though of noble birth we're not, We're delighted with our lot. [CUNEGONDE] Horses to ride and books to read. [CUNEGONDE, PAQUETTE, CANDIDE] We're innocent and unambitious, That's why life is so delicious! We have everything we need. Life here is happiness indeed! [MAXIMILIAN] Life is absolute perfection, etc. (If the talk at times is vicious, That's the price you pay when you're delicious.) Though it is a heavy duty To protect my awesome beauty, I have almost no objection - Life and I are still perfection! I am everything I need. Life is perfection indeed!