A Leader On Losing Control Lyrics - Corb Lund

music and lyrics by Corb Lund 

I tried my best to stop them, yes, I tried to make them wait 

And I appealed to their decency show mercy on this day 

I issued them strong orders on pain of death and disarray 

But in the end they would not listen and raised their lances anyway 

Men of no account they were, their breeding crude and low 

With not a trace of wisdom, Grace or virtue in their souls 

Yet trained them long and hard I did to bend them to the crown 

To act as tools of justice, follow edict handed down 

You see these were not militia men, a-fighting for their homes 

Nor fathers, sons nor husbands, sire, but foreigners on loan 

Mercenary killers, career soldiers to a man 

Lashing out with vengeance one cannot accept or understand 

I could not instill the discipline 'twas duty to inspire 

And they responded in the end to instincts of the basest kind 

Now on my knee before you here, I drop my eyes in shame 

Albeit little consolation take my head for I'm to blame 

O, so spoke the leader on losing control