make is technically a tool for building applications, but it's 
amazing what a pre-processor and recursion can do for you.

#
#
# quick effort at 99 bottles program using gnu make
#
# the file must be called makefile.bottles
#
# Author: Andrew Dunstan (andrew.dunstan@its.maynick.com.au)
#
 
default:
        $(MAKE) -f makefile.bottles BOTTLES=99 bottles
 
.SILENT:
 
bottles:
        echo $(BOTTLES) bottles of beer on the wall
        echo $(BOTTLES) of beer
        echo Take one down and pass it around
ifeq ($(BOTTLES),0)
        echo No bottles of beer on the wall
else
        echo `expr $(BOTTLES) - 1` bottles of beer on the wall
        echo
        $(MAKE) -f makefile.bottles BOTTLES=`expr $(BOTTLES) - 1`  bottles
endif