The Remains of Tom Lehrer
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Public-domain lyrics

The Masochism Tango

Tom Lehrer

The extravagant language of a tango turns painfully literal in a dark comic love song.

The Remains of Tom Lehrer Disc 1 · Track 22 2000
Public domainSatireRomanceDanceTheatricalMacabre
Complete public-domain lyrics

Romantic surrender becomes an escalating catalogue of imaginary injuries, interrupted by comic asides. This adult satire is presented as fictional character writing, not relationship advice. The main eight-block text is complete; the separately printed Tomfoolery replacement verse is left in the linked source rather than mixed into the lyric.

Verse 1

I ache for the touch of your lips dear,

But much more for the touch of your

whips, dear,

You can raise welts

Like nobody else

As we dance to the Masochism Tango.

Verse 2

Let our love be a flame, not an ember,

Say it's me that you want to dismember

Blacken my eye

Set fire to my tie

As we dance to the Masochism Tango

Verse 3

At your command,

Before you here I stand,

My heart is in my hand ...... (eecchh!)

It's here that I must be.

My heart entreats,

Just hear those savage beats,

And go put on your cleats,

And come and trample me.

Verse 4

Your heart is hard as stone or mahogany.

That's why I'm in such exquisite "ogany".

My soul is on fire,

I's aflame with desire,

Which is why I perspire when we tango.

Verse 5

You caught my nose

In your left castanet, love,

I can feel the pain yet, love,

Everytime I hear drums.

And I envy the rose

That you held in your teeth, love,

With the thorns underneath, love,

Sticking into your gums.

Verse 6

Your eyes cast a spell that bewitches.

The last time I needed 20 stitches

To sew up the gash

You made with your lash,

As we danced to the Masochism Tango.

Verse 7

Bash in my brain,

And make me scream with pain,

Then kick me once again,

And say we'll never part.

I know too well,

I'm underneath your spell

So darling if you smell

Something burning, it's my heart.

.... (hic!) ... excuse me ...

Verse 8

Take your cigarette from its holder,

And burn your initials in my shoulder.

Fracture my spine

And swear that you're mine,

As we dance to the Masochism Tango

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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