Songtext The vatican rag Tom Lehrer

The vatican rag

Another big news story of year concerned the ecumenical council in rome, known as vatican ii. among the things they did in an attempt to make the church more commercial was to introduce the vern
R into portions of the mass, to replace latin, and to widen somewhat the range of music permissible in the liturgy, but I feel that if they really want to sell the product, in this secular age,
They ought to do is to redo some of the liturgical music in popular song forms. I have a modest example here. its called the vatican rag.

First you get down on your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!

Do whatever steps you want, if
You have cleared them with the pontiff.
Everybody say his own
Kyrie eleison,
Doin the vatican rag.

Get in line in that processional,
Step into that small confessional,
There, the guy whos got religionll
Tell you if your sins original.
If it is, try playin it safer,
Drink the wine and chew the wafer,
Two, four, six, eight,
Time to transubstantiate!

So get down upon your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!

Make a cross on your abdomen,
When in rome do like a roman,
Ave maria,
Gee its good to see ya,
Gettin ecstatic an
Sorta dramatic an
Doin the vatican rag!