Math Suks

About Math Suks

"Math Suks" is a song by Jimmy Buffett, from the album Beach House on the Moon (1999). The lyrics tell of the author's frustration as a math student. According to the lyrics, the inspiration for the song and title came from a candid interview on TV: I got so bored with my homework I turned on the TV The beauty contest winners were all smiling through their teeth" They asked the new Miss America "Hey babe, can you add up all those bucks?" She looked puzzled then just said, "Math Suks!"However, in later interviews Jimmy said that the inspiration actually came from graffiti on a bridge in Key West Florida. Consistent with its stated theme, the song lyrics are largely an emotional catharsis; mathematical terms are used only in a very superficial way. Presumably for that reason, the song seems to have little appeal to mathematicians, and even less to mathematics teachers (unlike other songs that make fun at mathematics, such as Tom Lehrer's "Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky" and "New Math"). The song was in fact promptly condemned by the US National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Education Association for its alleged negative effect on children's education. Jon Stewart also criticized the song on The Daily Show during a segment called "Math Is Quite Pleasant". more »

Year:

1999

4:29

297 Views

 Struggling with Math Suks? Become a better singer in 30 days with these videos!

If necessity is the mother of invention
Then I'd like to kill the guy who invented this
The numbers come together in some kind of a third dimension
A regular algebraic bliss. 

Let's start with something simple, like one and one ain't three
Any two plus two will never get you five.
There are fractions in my subtraction and x don't equal why
But my homework is bound to multiply. 

Math suks math suks
I'd like to burn this textbook, I hate this stuff so much.
Math suks math suks
Sometimes I think that I don't know that much
But math suks. 

I got so bored with my homework, I turned on the TV.
The beauty contest winners were all smiling through their teeth.
Then they asked the new Miss America
Hey babe can you add up all those bucks?
She looked puzzled, then just said
"Math Suks". 

Math suks math suks
You don't even have to spell it,
All you have to do is yell it
Math suks math suks
Sometime times I think that I don't know that much
But math suks. 

Geometry, trigonometry and if that don't tax your brain
There are numbers to big to be named
Numerical precision is a science with a mission
And I think it's gonna drive me insane. 

Parents fighting with their children, and the Congress can't agree
Teachers and their students are all jousting constantly.
Management and labor keep rattling old sabers
Quacking like those Peabody ducks. 

Math suks math suks
You don't even have to spell it,
All you have to do is yell it
Math suks math suks
Sometime times I think that I don't know that much
But math suks.

 Struggling with Math Suks? Become a better singer in 30 days with these videos!

Jimmy Buffett

James William "Jimmy" Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer–songwriter, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett has recorded hit songs including "Margaritaville" (ranked 234th on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century") and "Come Monday". He has a devoted base of fans known as "Parrotheads". more »

Follow 9 fans