Rats in a Barrel

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
Because they just bring misery
Don’t need ‘em going through my grain
Or running 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
Itching my head
How people who get up with thе dawn
And toil away can still get conned
Beliеving what some liar has said

Rats in a barrel
Won’t coax no tears out of me
Because they just bring misery
Don’t need ‘em going through my grain
Or running through our house
I’m done with mercy and I’m all tapped out

Hear them pleading loud
And looking scared
“Took my marching orders from that man up there”
Hear them pleading how “I got caught up”
But ya can’t go throwing 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
Because they just bring misery
Don’t need ‘em going through my grain
Or running 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
Because they just bring misery
Don’t need ‘em going through my grain
Or running through our house
I’m done with mercy now
I’m done with mercy now
I’m done with mercy now, all tapped out