Tom Lehrer: Author Lyric Sheets
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Public-domain lyrics

Without an S

Tom Lehrer

Removing a single letter turns nests into nets, stars into tar and a familiar word into a new one.

Tom Lehrer: Author Lyric Sheets Text 30 Undated text
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Complete public-domain lyrics

The Electric Company lyric explores how deleting S changes words. The sheet credits Rita Moreno and Bill Cosby's performance, Lehrer with these words, and Vincent Youmans's Without a Song as the musical setting. All six printed blocks are complete. Only Lehrer's replacement words are reproduced, not the third-party tune or a television recording.

Verse 1

Without an S -- A nest would be a net.

Without an S -- The west would just be wet.

What happiness!

That pest could be a pet,

Without an S.

Verse 2

Without an S -- A spin would be a pin.

Without an S -- Your skin would be your kin.

And I confess

That sin is really in,

Without an S.

Verse 3

A spine would then be a pine,

And swine would turn to wine,

A stick would be a tick.

When you were sick,

You wouldn't feel sick,

You'd only feel ick!

Verse 4

Without an S -- A slap would be a lap.

Without an S -- A strap would be a trap.

Your hands can't clasp,

No, they can only clap,

Without an S.

Verse 5

A scar would then be a car,

A star would turn to tar,

A mast would be a mat.

Try running fast,

You couldn't be fast,

You'd only be fat!

Verse 6

Without an S -- A ship would be a hip.

Without an S -- A slip would be a lip.

When you undress,

A strip would be a trip,

Without an S.

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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