On 2008-05-19 08:16:06 -0500, maxo gmail.com> said:

"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 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!"

Tom Lehrer

(and, Beloved Master Kent, hold the sanctimony)