THE RUTHLESS PHASE Well the ceiling fell in on first day in May If he only had bad luck, even that's run away He worked his whole life to get cheated and burned Now he watches those big dogs swallow up what he'd earned Step up to the table Greed burns through the haze We've crossed into the ruthless phase That fist in her face was the first last straw It's ten years later, she's still pinned to the wall With the dirty yellow ribbons, the flags and tattoos And the hole in the door where her head went through But a bullet in his chest And weeds on his grave Means she's made the most of her ruthless phase The radio plays loud, there's no music just talk "If you ain't on this train, it's your own damn fault!" As thick as the fog and as warm as the dead And they laugh like hyenas when a sane word is said "I'll say what you like As long as it pays" There's no end to the ruthless phase One more cheap whiskey, I swallow it down In a bar called The Pour House on the black side of town I'm cutting out coupons, I'm picking up change I'm paying for the fuck-ups some other guy made It's time to sell out So just show me the way I want in on the ruthless phase A foot on my throat from birth to the grave The whole damn world's in a ruthless phase Written by Michael Whyte © Man Bites Dog, BMI (Administered by Bug)