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Go for a song

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To be sold or obtained at a very low price, evoking the busker's street song sold for a trivial coin; it suggests an item is undervalued or disposed of cheaply, often surprising considering its potential worth.

Detailed Definition
"Go for a song" indicates that something is sold, bought, or acquired at an exceptionally low price, often far below its true value, carrying an ironic or wistful tone that poets exploit in meditations on loss, devaluation, or the ephemeral nature of material worth. Its musical etymology—referring to the cheap street songs of buskers—grounds it in aural, ephemeral art, making it especially resonant in poems about the transience of beauty, fame, or craftsmanship. In elegies for lost estates or heirlooms, the phrase underscores the pathos of undervaluation, as precious items are carelessly disposed of. Satirical poets use it to critique consumerism and the absurdities of market value, where quality bears no relation to price. The phrase also appears in narratives of fortune reversal, where a once-wealthy character must sell possessions "for a song," marking their descent. Its verb (go) suggests motion and departure, while "song" implies lightness and insubstantiality, combining to create an image of value dissolving into air. Its brevity and melodic quality (assonance of 'o') lend a lyrical sorrow that fits well into ballad stanzas.
Example
Example in poetry:
"The heir sold the painting for a song, then learned its history was priceless." Idiom means sold very cheaply; In a satire, "Our labor goes for a song while applause costs gold," contrasts artistic value and market value; Shakespeare’s “a song” can mean a trifle, as in “for a song” bargains; Contemporary spoken-word use: "They bought the block for a song, priced out the voices that made it home."
Additional Notes
"Go for a song" undervalues bargains. Usage tip: Irony of worth. Related: "cost the earth." Teaches perceived value.
Also Known As
sell cheaply be sold for a low price go cheap be knocked down sell for next to nothing
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