old song

plural old songs

1. archaicidiomaticA trifle; a small price, or nothing of value.

   I do not intend to be thus put off with an old song.

   1688, Henry More, The Divine Dialogues

   2 more examples

   Here, young man, you find your curiosities too again, which your whirligig librarian sold me for an old song. In future you will hold these treasures of your father more sacred.

   1822, Ludwig Tieck, translated by Connop Thirlwall, The Pictures

   There’s the Billetts and the Drenkhards and the Greys and the St. Quintins and the Hardys and the Goulds, who used to own the lands for miles down this valley; you could buy ’em all up now for an old song a’most.

   1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC