I was strollin' through town the other day, when an antique store I passed,
Owner come out, took me by the arm, said, Son, I see that you got class.
I said, I got class all right, how you want me to use it?
He said, I got this here Greek urn, I'd like you to peruse it.
He said, it's full of symbols of mystery and power,
I said, What's a Greek urn, anyway?  He said, About three bucks an hour.

   Truth is Beauty, and Beauty's Truth
   It's the same if you're a geezer, it's the same if you're a youth
   You can tell it to your mama, you can tell it to your cutie
   The urn says Beauty's Truth and Truth is Beauty

Well, I never cared for urn art much—it's kinda stiff and arty,
But this here picture looked to be some kind of toga party.
And I got to looking at this girl—she may have been one o' them symbols
But her toga was half off, and I'll tell you what—she had a great pair of timbrels.
She wasn't exactly Penthouse, but in a way I liked her better,
And it looked like the guy on the urn did, too—he was just about to get her.
But that's where the artist left them on that urn as stiff as stone,
They'd been that way 3000 years—he'd never jump her bones.

   Truth is Beauty, and Beauty's Truth
   It's the same if you're polite, and it's the same if you're uncouth
   It's no different if you're common, it;s no different if you're snooty
   The urn says Beauty's Truth and Truth is Beauty

I was feelin' kinda sorry for that long frustrated Grecian,
But you know, it might not a' been to bad to be in his position,
'Cause there's something kinda special 'bout a place you haven't been yet
What happens if you get there and she asks you, Is it in yet?
Or suppose she likes to eat cold pizza in bed after copulation—
Chances are she'll never quite live up to your imagination.
But the truth is, when I look at her, his dilemma suits me fine,
Because if she's never quite his, then she always could be mine.

   Truth is Beauty, and Beauty's Truth
   And you can chaw on that one till you've only got one tooth
   You can say it out of love or you can say it out of duty
   But the urn says Beauty's Truth and Truth is Beauty

There was a bunch of other stuff, about some preacher preachin',
And it all looked kinda interesting, even if you weren't Grecian.
But it was time for me to go—the hogs had to be fed,
Owner says, you want to buy that urn?  I said, No, I got it in my head.
By this time you're probably wonderin' why's he talk instead of croon?
Could it be he's tone deaf, or he doesn't know the tune?
No, there's another answer, and it's simpler and neater:
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.

   Truth is Beauty, and Beauty's Truth
   It's the same if you're a geezer, it's the same if you're a youth
   You can tell it to your mama, you can tell your sweet patootie
   The urn says Beauty's Truth and Truth is Beauty