PAYBACK! (Shoot the messenger)

Call the King's attention to the message in the note
It tells of common pain and ache and none of it remote
Short's the time until another crack of light of day
Someone told us life is hard, now let that someone pay

   Payback!
   Caress the mud
   Hear the court and courtiers
   Howling for blood
   It's ancient rule, now
   Beat out a confession 
   For disturbing the kingdom
   And we will shoot the messenger!

Came in from protection right underneath the wing
Now he's tellin' tales, tall and tired, and he doesn't even sing
You could give him lute and hat and carry funny bells to ring
So that we could tell when it's appropriate to start laughing

   Payback...

Look out through your window, sire, tell us what you see
Don't unrest yourself with accusations made by vigilantes
Don't the birds sing lovely. ain't the garden trimmed to beauty
You know that all the people need's to see you do your duty

   Payback...

Cut him down to half his size and see if he can keep up
Making allegations that it's we who keep on whipping up
Taxes and charges, cutting wages to a minimum
If commoners can't pay to live then they're just idle lazybones

   Payback...


Words and music by Tor Kristian Berg
©2004