The Vatican Rag
by Tom Lehrer from THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS (1965)

Spoken: Another big news story of the 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 vernacular 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, what they ought to do is to redo some of the liturgical music in popular song forms.  I have a modest example here; it's 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 who's got religion'll
Tell you if your sin's 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, it's good to see ya.
Gettin' ecstatic an' sorta dramatic an'
Doin' the Vatican Rag!