The Remains of Tom Lehrer
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Public-domain lyrics

The Folk Song Army

Tom Lehrer

A mock recruiting song asks whether protest singing can become a substitute for action.

The Remains of Tom Lehrer Disc 3 · Track 4 2000
Public domainSatireProtestSongwritingPlayfulWry
Complete public-domain lyrics

The narrator's certainty is undercut by careless meter, deliberate bad rhymes, and a final command to sing instead of act. The target is self-congratulation rather than a specific listener. All six printed blocks are included, with the intentional rhyme/rhyne correction left intact.

Verse 1

We are the folk song army.

Every one of us cares.

We all hate poverty, war, and injustice,

Unlike the rest of you squares.

Verse 2

There are innocuous folk songs, yeah,

But we regard 'em with scorn.

The folks who sing 'em have no social conscience,

Why, they don't even care if Jimmy Crack Corn.

Verse 3

If you feel dissatisfaction,

Strum your frustrations away.

Some people may prefer action,

But give me a folk song any old day.

Verse 4

The tune don't have to be clever,

And it don't matter if you put a coupla extra syllables into a line.

It sounds more ethnic if it ain't good English,

And it don't even gotta rhyme...

(Excuse me: rhyne!)

Verse 5

Remember the war against Franco?

That's the kind where each of us belongs.

Though he may have won all the battles,

We had all the good songs!

Verse 6

So join in the folk song army!

Guitars are the weapons we bring

To the fight against poverty, war, and injustice.

Ready ---

Aim ---

Sing!

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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