ALGOL 68


Read our report if you can,
Read at your own chosen speed.
It's not the one you wanted, boys.
It's not the one you need.
You say you're looking for a book
Not too thick and always clear
To guide you and protect you
From all the bugs you fear.
A book to open each and every door.
But it ain't ours, boys.
No, no, no, it ain't ours boys,
It ain't ours you're looking for, boys.

Go back and code in Fortran, boys.
Cobol, it is for you,
Think not of Algol 68,
PL/I will have to do.
You say you want a new Algol,
From which you'll never part
That will compile quite rapidly
And run fast from the start,
A syntax you can learn and teach,
But it ain't ours, boys.
No, no, no, it ain't ours boys,
It ain't ours you'll ever reach, boys.

Go melt back in the night, TC2.
Everything inside is carved in stone,
There are no changes to be made,
And anyway, we'll soon be gone.
You say you're looking for a group
Who'll fix each bug you find,
To maintain this Algol constantly
And keep it on their mind.
A lover for your life and nothing more,
But it ain't us, boys.
No, no, no, it ain't us boys.
It ain't us you'll ever find, boys.