She made her Broadway début in Stephen Sondheim & Hugh Wheeler's 'A Little Night Music' as Desirée Armfeldt, a role involving working with actress Angela Lansbury and director Sir Trevor Nunn. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in 2010 for this role.
Class
Catherine Zeta-Jones Lyrics
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And pure ethics
And nice manners?
Why is it everyone now so a pain in the ass?
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Whatever happened to, "Please, may I?"
And, "How charming?"
Now, every son of a bitch is a snake in the grass
Whatever happened to class?
Class!
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
To open up the doors
There ain't no ladies now,
There's only pigs and whores
And even kids'll knock ya down
So's they can pass
Nobody's got no class!
Whatever happened to old values?
And fine morals?
And good breeding?
Now, no one even says "oops" when they're
Passing their gas
Whatever happened to class?
Class
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
That's fit for any use
And any girl'd touch your privates
For a deuce
And even kids'll kick your shins and give you sass
And even kids'll kick your shins and give you sass
Nobody's got no class!
All you read about today is rape and theft
Jesus Christ, ain't there no decency left?
Nobody's got no class!
Every guy is a snot!
Every girl is a twat!
Holy shit
Holy shit
What a shame
What a shame
What became of class?
The song “Class” by Queen Latifah featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones laments the decline of class and manners in today’s society. The song begins with the rhetorical questions “Whatever happened to fair dealing? And pure ethics? And nice manners?” which sets the tone for the song. It then goes on to lament the lack of politeness, respect and class that is witnessed in everyday life. Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones are disappointed with the lack of decorum in today’s world where people are no longer gentlemen or ladies but instead are pigs and whores.
The song touches on the erosion of values, morals and breeding, which are things that used to be held in high esteem. Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones note the lack of decency that is witnessed in today’s world, where people are quick to do harm and show no remorse. The song references the fact that even children have lost their innocence and will knock someone down just to get ahead. The chorus of the song, “whatever happened to class?” is repeated throughout the song, highlighting the song's theme and message in a catchy tune.
Line by Line Meaning
Whatever happened to fair dealing?
What happened to honesty and integrity?
And pure ethics
And pure and moral behavior?
And nice manners?
And polite and courteous behavior?
Why is it everyone now so a pain in the ass?
Why is everyone such a nuisance?
Whatever happened to class?
What happened to dignity, grace and poise?
Whatever happened to, "Please, may I?"
What happened to saying "Please" and asking politely?
And, "Yes, thank you?"
And saying "Yes, thank you" in response?
And, "How charming?"
And complimenting others by calling them charming?
Now, every son of a bitch is a snake in the grass
Now, everyone is deceitful and untrustworthy
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
There are no real gentlemen anymore
To open up the doors
To open doors for others and show respect
There ain't no ladies now,
There are no real ladies anymore
There's only pigs and whores
Everyone is rude and has bad manners
And even kids'll knock ya down
Even kids are disrespectful and mean
So's they can pass
So that they can get ahead
Nobody's got no class!
No one has any dignity or grace!
Whatever happened to old values?
What happened to traditional values?
And fine morals?
And good morals?
And good breeding?
And good manners taught by parents?
Now, no one even says "oops" when they're
Now, no one even apologizes
Passing their gas
For letting out a fart
Ah, there ain't no gentlemen
There are no real gentlemen anymore
That's fit for any use
No one is dependable or trustworthy
And any girl'd touch your privates
And any girl would do anything for money or something in return
For a deuce
For just a small amount of money
And even kids'll kick your shins and give you sass
Even kids will disrespect you and talk back
All you read about today is rape and theft
All you hear about these days is crime and violence
Jesus Christ, ain't there no decency left?
There is no morality or integrity left?
Every guy is a snot!
Every guy is rude and impolite!
Every girl is a twat!
Every girl is disrespectful and impolite!
Holy shit
What the hell?
What a shame
How unfortunate
What became of class?
What happened to dignity, grace, and poise?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED EBB, JOHN KANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind