Tom Lehrer: Author Lyric Sheets
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Public-domain lyrics

Sociology

Tom Lehrer

Academic jargon and mathematical prestige become targets in a satire of an evolving discipline.

Tom Lehrer: Author Lyric Sheets Text 34 Undated text
Public domainSociologyAcademiaSatireWryBrisk
Complete public-domain lyrics

The sheet supplies three main numbered verses and a fourth explicitly marked extra verse. All four are included, with that distinction retained in the final chapter. Read the left column before the right, not across the page. Lehrer wrote these words to Irving Berlin's Choreography from White Christmas; this text-only edition reproduces neither Berlin's music nor a film performance.

Verse 1

Strange

Is the change

They are trying to arrange

Today in Sociology.

Fanatics

In their attics

Are learning mathematics

Just for Sociology.

Persuasion

By equation

They all feel is much more satisfactory.

In an ivory steeple,

Far away from all people,

They do research in Sociology.

Verse 2

Guys

Who wrote lies

Now present them in disguise

(A cinch in Sociology).

A tract

Quite abstract

Without one single fact

Is splendid Sociology.

Birds

Who used words

Now all talk in terms of x and y and z.

They can take one small matrix

And really do great tricks

All in the name of Sociology.

Verse 3

Joes

Who wrote pros

Now write algebra. Who knows?

It may be Sociology.

They're

Everywhere

Full of sigma and chi-square

And full of --- Sociology.

They consult

Sounding occult

Talking like a mathematics Ph.D.

They can snow all their clients

By calling it "science"

Although it's only Sociology.

Verse 4 · Extra verse

Kind souls

Who took polls

Now pursue much higher goals

Today in Sociology

Don't condemn

Any of them

Hand in hand with IBM

They're doing Sociology.

Graphs

Once got laughs

But now calculus you'll find is SOP.

Folks who once were empirical

Now all get lyrical

Over the change in Sociology.

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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