I once knew a man who learned such a thing Cut off his hand to spite his ring He poisoned the well to spite the frogs Put down his son to spite the dog He cut out his sleep to spite his dreams Picked all the flowers to spite the bees He burned his bible to spite the Lord Took a day off to lick his wounds I heard him swear, "Life is such a wretched affair I'm gonna hold my breath to spite the air" He drained the canal to spite the fish Flooded the land to spite the bridge He dug up the hills to spite the sky Tore out his tongue to spite the lies He cut down the trees to spite the shade Laid her to rest to spite the life they'd made He burned his his bible to spite the Lord Took a day off to lick his wounds I heard him swear, "Life is such a cursed affair I'm gonna hold my breath No, I'm gonna stop breathing To spite the air"