Tom Lehrer: Author Lyric Sheets
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Public-domain lyrics

Finch and Dench

Tom Lehrer

Freddie and Debbie's miniature courtship turns the ending N-CH into an exuberant chain of rhymes.

Tom Lehrer: Author Lyric Sheets Text 7 Undated text
Public domainLanguageWordplayTeachingPlayfulBright
Complete public-domain lyrics

The Electric Company song introduces two characters before bringing them together over flowers, lunch and a book in French. All three main blocks retain the broken-up spellings used to emphasize the sound. The alternative name refrains printed in the margin are not mixed into the main wording. This entry is an author-sheet text, not a claim about a particular television recording.

Verse 1

Frederick Fin--ch

Never would flin--ch

Even in a pin--ch

Never gave an in--ch

Ev'rything was a cin--ch--ch

For Freddie Fin--ch, Fin--ch--ch

Freddie Fin--ch.

Verse 2

Deborah Den--ch

Was a cool wen--ch

Sitting on a ben--ch

She would often clen--ch

A book that was all in Fren--ch--ch

Did Debbie Den--ch, Den--ch--ch,

Debbie Den--ch.

Verse 3

Finch saw Den--ch

Reading her Fren--ch

Thought he'd try to wren--ch

Debbie from her ben--ch

He brought a bun--ch

Of flowers to lun--ch

She was pleased as pun--ch

And I have a hun--ch

The two of them are now in a clin--ch--ch

Den--ch

And

Fin--ch, Fin--ch--ch,

Freddie Fin--ch.

Credits

Written by Tom Lehrer

Words by Tom Lehrer, released into the public domain by the author. This is the author-published text edition, not a transcription of a particular performance.

Source & text edition

Author-published lyric sheet · original English words

Tom Lehrer's November 26, 2022 declaration relinquishes copyright in lyrics he wrote. It does not grant rights to third-party music, photographs or album artwork. This edition uses only his words.

Read the author’s lyric sheet (PDF)

View copyright evidence · Author’s public-domain declaration

Retrieved 2026-09-08. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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