I knew a man once very long ago

They say that he was born in buffalo
But I don't believe it

Buffalo was never sufficiently gilded and pearled

And this man turned out to be
The play boy of the western world

Oh he was elegant past all dreaming

He made seeming seem like the real mccoy

All the sheiks of Araby all the shahs of Persia

Couldn't hold a candle to this boy

When he walked through a room

It looked as handsome as Napoleon's tomb

And the ford he rode

Could have been mercedes benz a la mode
When he took me out I didn't doubt
That we were going to the Astor or the Sherry Netherland

Spring seemed to linger
In the little bunch of flowers he pressed into my hand

Little bunch of flowers didn't cost a dime
Picked them in the park in their prime

He went around with his heart unfurled
The one and only play boy of the western world

You could fall in love with everyone you'd meet

When you walked with him down the street

Play boys die young this one did too

All worn out making dreams come true

And the world was grim again without him again
Without him

For he was elegant past all dreaming
He made seeming seem like the real mccoy

All the sheiks of Araby all the shahs of Persia

Couldn't hold a candle to this boy

When they took him out oh I didn't doubt

That he was going to Miami or some other wonderland

Spring seemed to linger
In the little bunch of flowers I pressed into his hand

Little bunch of flowers didn't cost a dime

Picked them in the park in their prime

He went around with his heart unfurled
The one and only play boy of the western world
He was the play boy of the western world

The play boy of the western world