​

SELLING OUT

(written for the 1973 UCSC student production of Park)

words and music by Tom Lehrer

A (son):

Selling out
Is easy to do --
It's not so hard
To find a buyer for you.
When money talks,
You're under its spell,
But what do you have when there's nothing left to sell?

B (daughter):

I'd rather call it "compromise."
Sometimes you have to close your eyes.
Being rich is no disgrace.
Put on your shoes and join the race.
It has a very soothing voice.
It's up to you to make the choice.
Before you know it, there'll be nothing left to sell.

C (father):

You can't always break the rules.
People who try are fools.
When you get older, maybe then you will see.
I've always found ideals
Don't take the place of meals.
That's how it is and how it will always be.

D (mother):

It's so nice to have integrity,
I'll tell you why:
If you really have integrity,
It means your price is very high.
So remember when you start to preach
And moralize,
That we all are in the game,
And, brother, its name
Is compromise.

Suggested routine for performance:

1st chorus: A
2nd chorus: A and B
3rd chorus: C
4th chorus (optional): A, B, and C
5th chorus: D
6th chorus: All

This work is in the public domain worldwide because it has been so released by the copyright holder.

 
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.