For as long as I remember I ran a life of crime Harmed everyone that I know Stolen what's not mine Problems solved through violence Feelings dulled with booze Father always yelling at me Shape up or you will lose The law's closing in on me... Just made a BOLO list Hear this confessional These are the tales of the mean fist The tales of the mean fist And to my abandoned daughter I know I let you down And I hope some day you'll pardon me For the damage that I've done Your father fought the needle And a judge says the needle won Looks like I traded our picket fence For a prison cell The law's closing in on me... Just made a warden's list Hear this confessional These are the tales of the mean fist The tales of the mean fist Now listen... Three walls and prison bars Are all I'll ever know Love and compassion Will become foreign words And it won't make a damn bit of difference If I repent or make amends Life on the installment plan Will surely be my death Consider this a junkie's Last will and testament And when I die I know that it is Safe to place a bet Not a tear will be she'd Nor a rose for my casket It will be a cold, grey day When they lower down mean fist