Lyrics:

(Buck/Mills/Stipe)







I'll take the position

Assume the missionary part

You work by committee,

You had me pegged from the start

I'll be pounce pony,

Phony maroney,

Pony before the cart

I'll be pounce pony

This ceremony

Only fills my heart



Who cast the final stone?

Who threw the crushing blow?

Someone has to take the fall

Why not me?



A punch toy volunteer

A weakling on its knee

Is all you want to hear

And all you want to see

Romantically, you'd martyr me

And miss this story's point

It is my strenght, my destiny

This is the role that I have chosen



(chorus)

Who cast the final stone?

Who threw the crushing blow?

Someone has to take the fall

Why not me? Why not me?



Gentlemen mark your opponents

Fire into your own ranks

Pick the weakest as strategic

Move. Square off. To

Meet your enemy

For each and every gathering

A scapegoat falls to climb

As I step forward, silently

Deliberately mine



(repeat chorus)



Had consequence chose differently

Had fate its ugly head

My actions make me beautiful

And dignify the flesh



Me. I am free, I am free