The Remains of Tom Lehrer
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Public-domain lyrics

Selling Out

Tom Lehrer

Four family voices weigh integrity, money and the comfortable language of compromise.

The Remains of Tom Lehrer Disc 3 · Track 24 2000
Public domainSatireWorkIntegrityWryReflective
Complete public-domain lyrics

The sheet identifies this as a song for the 1973 UCSC student production of Park. Its four labeled parts belong to a son, daughter, father and mother. They are printed once each here, exactly in the source order. The separate suggested performance routine combines and repeats these parts, including an optional combined chorus; those arrangements are not fabricated as extra verses in this text edition.

A · Son

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

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

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

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.

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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