Lyrical Code

Lyrics as code. A new polyglot t-shirt every year.

Every year we crowd-source a polyglot t-shirt: pick a song, then write the lyrics as code in as many languages as we can. Entries come in as pull requests. We assemble the best lines into one shirt you can actually read — and sing — as you go. The 2027 challenge is Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. Fork the GitHub repo, add a language directory, and send a PR. It is more important that the line reads than that it compiles.

Join the current GitHub challenge

2026 — Never Gonna Give You Up

Rick Astley

View on GitHub Sing Along!

/plan Project Astley. We're no strangers to love. We both know the rules.

git commit -am "She wouldn't get this from any other guy"

Review: It sounds like you want to tell her how you're feeling.

/execute-plan Yes! Approved. Execute the plan.

$self->giveUp($you);                                                // PHP

/stop I don't want to give her up!

You're exactly right! Correcting...

fn tellFeelings(you: her) void {                                  // Zig
  if False:                                                       # Python
    self.give(you, :up)                                           # Ruby
    %>% let(down = .)                                             # R
    |> run Around >> desert                                       // Clef
    |> make(~cry)                                                 (* OCaml *)
    System.exit();                                                // Java
    this.lie() && you.hurt();                                     // JavaScript
}

/goal But we've known each other for so long!
Her heart's been aching, she's just too shy to say it...
We know what's going on. We know the game. Let's play.

You have reached your weekly limit! Purchase more tokens?

/btw Do you know how I'm feeling right now!?! Ask!

DANGEROUS OPERATION RESTRICTED: Too blind to see.

  for i in 0:1                                                    # Julia
    self.tellFeelings(her);         
  end

/commit-push-pr

2025 — All Star

Smash Mouth

View on GitHub Sing Along!

somebody.tellOnce(me,                                               // JavaScript
  { message: "The world is going to roll you" });

(for some Tool of Shed => Me.Sharpness < Tool.Sharpness)            -- Ada

var she = new Woman {                                               // C#
  Expression = Dumb.Level["kinda"],
  ForeheadAdornment = HandGesture.LShape };

float years = mod(u_time, 120.);                                    // GLSL
rules |> Seq.iter (fun r -> hit(ground, Running))                   // F#

?- liveFor(notFun), false.                                          %! Prolog

def adjust(brain, head, inc), do: {                                 # Elixir
  %{brain | smart: brain.smart + inc},
  %{head | dumb: head.dumb - inc} }

to_see, to_do = sys.maxsize, sys.maxsize                            # Python
EXPLAIN COSTS SELECT * FROM streets WHERE type = 'back';            -- SQL

$you->setKnowledge($you->go() ? true : false);                      // PHP
you.shine = if you.glow { true } else { false };                    // Rust

MOVE "All Star" TO IDENTITY(1).                                     *> COBOL
var game: Game = Game.>play()                                       // Pony

you.identities.push(new Identity("Rock Star"));                     // Java
show.begin().then { |show| show.payment }                           # Ruby

template <typename T> concept Gold = glitters<T>::value;            // C++

while ($mold) { last if blessed $_ eq "ShootingStar"; }             # Perl

2024 — Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen

View on GitHub Sing Along!

$this->life->is_real();                                           // PHP
Life.fantasy?                                                     # Ruby

except Landslide as e:                                            # Python
  !$reality->header('X-Scape');                                   # Perl

FILE *eyes = fopen("your.eyes", "r");                             // C
eyes.map( _.look(Direction.Skies) ).map( _.see() )                // Scala

let i = Human { wealth: None, youth: true, sex: Sex::Male};       // Rust
i?.Sympathies?.clear();                                           // C#

SELECT * FROM myself WHERE                                        -- SQL
  come = "easy" AND go = "easy" AND high <= 0.1 AND low <= 0.1

def really_matters?(:wind, _direction), do: false                 # Elixir

pkill -SIGKILL --parent $(pidof man) >> log/notify_mama.log       # Bash

\header {                                                         % Lilypond
  instrument = "guitar"
  title = "Epic Solo"
}
\score {
  \relative c''' {
    \key ef \major

    r4 g8 f16 ef bf'4. g8 c2 c8 d16 ef c8 d16 ef f2 f16 g af bf c4
    \tuplet 6/4 4 { bf16 af g af g f g f ef f ef d ef d c d c bf( } bf4)
    r16 bf c d ef32 f g af bf8 r16 bf, c d ef32 f g af bf8
    c4. d,16 ef c8 d16 ef c8 d16 ef f4. f,16 g af4 f'
    \tuplet 3/2 {af,2 df8 df} df4 df, a8 r r4 r2
  }
  \midi {}
}

2023 — Don't Stop Believing

Journey

View on GitHub Sing Along!

from lonely_world import small_town_girl                          # Python
send(MidnightTrain, {:anywhere, small_town_girl})                 # Elixir
city_boy = Youth.new(sex: :male, born_raised: "South Detroit")    # Ruby
MidnightTrain !  { city_boy, "anywhere" }.                        % Erlang

- tasks:                                                          # Ansible
  - name: "Awesome Guitar Solo"
    guitar: { style: solo, impact: legendary, state: present }

smokyRoom?.Occupants?.Add(singer);                                // C#
smokyRoom.setAromas(new Aromas[]{"Wine", "Cheap Perfume"});       // Java
(when (re-find #"smile" night) (share night))                     ; Clojure
it := make([]GoesOn, 4)                                           // Go

await strangers.walk('boulevard', { directions: ['up','down'] }); // JS
shadows.search(Time::new(night));                                 // Rust
SELECT * FROM scenes WHERE prop IN ('streetlights','people')      -- SQL
sub living() { $night =~ /emotion/; }                             # Perl

while($believing) { $feeling->holdOn(); }                         // PHP