Balancing the Budget

"Balancing the Budget" is a song from the 1967 featurette Scrooge McDuck and Money. It teaches how to properly budget the average household with your income, and how income taxes help governments improve and expand.

The song was written by Mel Leven, and is performed by Scrooge McDuck, his nephews and The Mellomen.

Lyrics
Scrooge: (spoken) Let's say your income is like a pie There's a piece for everything you buy Cut portions wisely, don't be unnerved Or it will all be gone before everyone is served

(sung) You have to pay the rent

Huey: And you have to buy clothes

Dewey: The grocery bills

Louie: You have to pay those

Chorus: You can see, at once, where your money all goes When you plan the budget

The first of every month, the installments fall due The note on the car, the TV set, too You'll be better off when you finally get through Working out the budget

Huey, Dewey and Louie: Pink, blue and white bills all over the place

Scrooge: The power and light bills staring you directly in the face

Payments cut in half, for you want to be fair You send a bit here, you send a bit there Now you realize that you get somewhere

All: Balancing the budget

Scrooge: (spoken) Uh oh, lads, we've been somewhat lax We forgot the piece for the income tax

Huey, Dewey and Louie: Income tax?

Scrooge: Aye, though taxes are a pain in the whatchamacallit This, right here, the wallet Taxes are the funds governments must get To run their households and keep our debt

Huey, Dewey and Louie: They must have a budget, too!

Scrooge: Aye, that they do, that they do

(sung) You see, the government provides, through the taxes we pay, Our bridges and schools and places to play

Chorus: Builds the county road or the modern highway Called for in the budget

Departments of police and of water and fire The various courts, the juries they hire Aeroplanes and ships and the care they require All are in the budget

No one relaxes when tax deadlines fall But without our taxes, we would have no government at all

In the budgeting a home and the government, too It really should show a profit to you Something should be left when the payments are through When you plan the budget

Scrooge: (spoken) Always remember to save a slice for yourself

All: (sung) When you plan the budget

Scrooge: (spoken) After all, it's your pie!