ARTIST: Tom Lehrer
TITLE: Oedipus Rex
Lyrics and Chords


[ Cdim7 = xx1212; Gdim7 = xx2323 ]

From the Bible to the popular song
There's one theme that we find right along
Of all ideals they hail as good
The most sublime is motherhood

/ C - / Bb - / Ab - / G - / 

There was a man, though, who it seems
Once carried this ideal to extremes
He loved his mother and she loved him
And yet his story is rather grim

/ " / " / " / GG7 G /

   There once lived a man named Oedipus Rex
   You may have heard about his odd complex
   His name appears in Freud's index
   'Cause he loved his mother

   / C Cdim7 / C G / C Cdim7 / C G /

   His rivals used to say quite a bit
   That as a monarch he was most unfit
   But still in all they had to admit
   That he loved his mother

   / " / " / " / CG C / 

Yes he loved his mother like no other
His daughter was his sister and his son was his brother
One thing on which you can depend is
He sure knew who a boy's best friend is

/ G Gdim7 / G - / F - / C G / 

   When he found what he had done
   He tore his eyes out one by one
   A tragic end to a loyal son
   Who loved his mother

So be sweet and kind to mother
Now and then have a chat
Buy her candy or some flowers, or a brand new hat
But maybe you had better let it go at that

Or you may find yourself with a quite complex complex, and
You may end up like Oedipus
I'd rather marry a duck-billed platypus
Than end up like old Oedipus Rex

/ G Gdim7 C A / C Cdim7 / - - / - FG C - /

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