The Remains of Tom Lehrer
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Public-domain lyrics

L‐Y

Tom Lehrer

Tigers, spies and Dracula turn the adverb ending L-Y into a sequence of miniature scenes.

The Remains of Tom Lehrer Disc 3 · Track 19 2000
Public domainLanguageLearningWordplayPlayfulTheatrical
Complete public-domain lyrics

Written for The Electric Company, the song asks how to act in seven increasingly awkward situations. Each answer demonstrates an adverb. All seven source blocks and their acting cues are retained. The printed omissions in How do shake and goobye remain visible as source-edition spellings; no alternative performance has been substituted.

Verse 1

You're wearing your squeaky shoes,

And right there taking a snooze

Is a tiger, so how do you walk on by?

(loud whisper) Silently, silently,

Silent - L- Y.

Verse 2

You're a secret agent man

Who's after the secret plan.

How do you act so they don't know you're a spy?

(acting suspiciously) Normally, normally,

Normal - L - Y.

Verse 3

At an eating contest you boast

That you can eat the most.

How do you down your fiftieth piece of pie?

(nauseated) Eagerly, eagerly,

Eager - L - Y.

Verse 4

On the lake your boat upset,

And your clothes got soaking wet.

How do you stand and wait for them to dry?

( shivering) D-d-d-d-d-d-patiently, D-d-d-d-d-d-patiently,

D-d-d-d-d-d-patient - L - Y.

Verse 5

In the public library

You fall and hurt your knee,

But the sign says QUIET PLEASE, so how can you cry?

(crying) Quietly, quietly,

Quiet - L - Y.

Verse 6

As you walk along the street

A porcupine you meet.

How do shake his hand when he says "hi"?

(warily) Carefully, carefully,

Careful - L - Y.

Verse 7

You enter a very dark room,

And sitting there in the gloom

Is Dracula!

Now how do you say goobye?

(fast) Immediately, immediately,

Immediate - L - Y.

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.

Source edition: The Remains of Tom Lehrer · Compilation · 2000-05-23 · US

Release data: MusicBrainz · CC0-1.0 · Retrieved 2026-09-07.

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