Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Malvina Reynolds
Canonical path: /malvina-reynolds/thirty-three-dollars
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
Thirty-Three Dollars
Read Thirty-Three Dollars lyrics by Malvina Reynolds on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Thirty-Three Dollars
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
Bargain day in the battle zone,
Thirty three dollars for a human soul
Here is the biggest bargain yet
To pay for the life of an innocent Viet.
What kind of scale do they use to weigh
How much money they have to pay,
The worth of a father to his wife and sons,
The worth of a mother to her little ones.
Some military brain went about
To set the computer that worked it out,
The worth of a father to his wife and sons,
The worth of a mother to her little ones.
Bombs can't figure what they kill
But the war department will pay the bill--
A hundred grand for a dead V.C.
But civilians come at a bargain fee.
The things we've done to that peasant land
Are hard for a person to understand
But this one item tells the tale
On how we reckon and what the scale.
Millions of dollars for tanks and planes
For ammo trucks and ammo trains
Billions to make the war wheels roll
To keep one monster in control--
But thirty three dollars for a human soul.
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Thirty-Three Dollars"?
Malvina Reynolds performs "Thirty-Three Dollars", and this lyric page sits inside the Malvina Reynolds catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Thirty-Three Dollars"?
Yes. The related section below points to I've Got a Song and A Short History of Warfare with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Malvina Reynolds?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Malvina Reynolds's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Thirty-Three Dollars yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.