(Dave)
As a young boy Michael helped his mother cook,
Down by her apron strings the whole day long
Knife in hand, her eyes trained on the recipe book
He'd salivate as she sang out this song:
(funny old woman's voice)
Cut the onions, start the dicing
Listen up Mike, it's the right thing
Chop the parsnip for a rich dish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
(Mike)
When in college our lad made some special friends,
Kept him from subversives and their kind
Swirled within a world of sports and dividends
And the song they sang was etched upon his mind:
(All)
Cut the hair off the hippy sleeping
Listen up Mike, it's the right thing
Chop the fringes off the freakish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
(Murray)
Thirty-five, a burning drive possessed him
To be the greatest golfer in North Bay
Sometimes a fear of failure near obsessed him
But then he'd hear the other golfer's say:
(funny deep voice)
Cut the motion on your back swing
Listen up Mike, it's the right thing
Chop the golf ball with a big swish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
(Jian)
Now he's breaking bread with heads of industry
The captain in the autumn of his years
He proceeds with Messianical rabidity
When he echoes mother's words he hears the cheers:
(All)
Cut the welfare, and public housing
Listen up Mike, it's the right thing
Chop the health-care, you'll get your wish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
Cut the child-care and the schooling
Listen up Mike, it's the right-wing
Chop the free-lunch for the poorish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish

From the Liner:
1996 - We have a brand new ultra right-wing premier of ontario,
but only fools
would believe that our loving leader actually revels in the pain, misery, and economic
disparity that comes as a product of his neo-conservative policies Mike is
simply doing the 'right thing'