Rats in a Barrel Songtext
von Grant‐Lee Phillips

All teary like the Fourth of July
Proud as a plume, but I don′t know why
Some folks don't go and bury their face
A nickel would have got ′em to clap
Flash 'em a grin, toss 'em a cap
Goin′ away for the rest of their days

Rats in a barrel
Won′t coax no tears out of me
'Cause they just bring misery
Don′t need 'em goin′ through my grain
Or runnin' through our house
I′m done with mercy, I'm all tapped out

I read a couple school books once
Mama never raised a dunce
But some things still leave me itchin' my head
How people who get up with the dawn
Toil away can still get conned
Believin′ what some liar has said


Rats in a barrel
Won′t coax no tears out of me
'Cause they just bring misery
Don′t need 'em goin′ through my grain
Or runnin' through our house
I′m done with mercy and I'm all tapped out

Hear them pleadin' loud
And lookin′ scared
"Took my marchin′ orders from that man up there"
Hear them pleadin' how "I got caught up"
But ya can′t go throwin' punches
When you′re in the cuffs

Old Lincoln saw it all go down
Almost looked like the first time 'round
On that January day

Rats in a barrel
Won′t coax no tears out of me
'Cause they just bring misery
Don't need ′em goin′ through my grain
Or runnin' through our house
I′m done with mercy, I'm all tapped out


Rats in a barrel
Won′t coax no tears out of me
'Cause they just bring misery
Don′t need 'em goin' through my grain
Or runnin′ through our house
I′m done with mercy now
I'm done with mercy now
I′m done with mercy now, all tapped out