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Mr. Bad Example Lyrics by Warren Zevon

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)

1991

[Verse 1]
I started as an altar boy workin' at the church
Learnin' all my holy moves, doing some research
Which led me to a cash box labeled "Children's Fund"
I'd leave the change and tuck the bills inside my cummerbund

[Verse 2]
I got a part-time job at my father's carpet store
Layin' tackless strippin' and housewives by the score
I loaded up their furniture and took it to Spokane
And auctioned off every last Naugahyde divan

[Verse 3]
I'm very well acquainted with the seven deadly sins
I keep a busy schedule tryin' to fit them in
I'm proud to be a glutton and I don't have time for sloth
I'm greedy and I'm angry and I don't care who I cross

[Chorus]
I'm Mr. Bad Example, intruder in the dirt
I like to have a good time and I don't care who gets hurt
I'm Mr. Bad Example, take a look at me
I'll live to be a hundred and go down in infamy

[Verse 4]
Of course, I went to law school and took a law degree
And counseled all my clients to plead insanity
Then worked in hair replacement swindling the bald
Where very few are chosen and fewer still are called

[Verse 5]
Then on to Monte Carlo to play chemin de fer
I threw away the fortune I made transplanting hair
I put my last few francs down on a prostitute
Who took me up to her room to perform the flag salute

[Verse 6]
Whereupon I stole her passport and her wig
And headed for the airport and the midnight flight, you dig?
And fourteen hours later I was down in Adelaide
Lookin' through the want ads sippin' Fosters in the shade

[Verse 7]
I opened up an agency somewhere down the line
To hire aboriginals to work the opal mines
But I attached their wages and took a whoppin' cut
And whisked away their workman's comp and pauperized the lot

[Chorus]
I'm Mr. Bad Example, intruder in the dirt
I like to have a good time and I don't care who gets hurt
I'm Mr. Bad Example, take a look at me
I'll live to be a hundred and go down in infamy

[Verse 8]
I bought a first-class ticket on Malaysian Air
And landed in Sri Lanka none the worse for wear
I'm thinkin' of retiring from all my dirty deals
I'll see you in the next life, wake me up for meals

About “Mr. Bad Example” by Warren Zevon

Read the complete lyrics to "Mr. Bad Example" by Warren Zevon from the album "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)" in 1991. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Soft Rock, Rock.

"Mr. Bad Example" is performed by Warren Zevon. from the album "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)" in 1991 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Mr. Bad Example", explore more songs by Warren Zevon using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Warren Zevon · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Mr. Bad Example" is credited to Warren Zevon. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Mr. Bad Example" appears on "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)" in 1991.

Visit the Warren Zevon artist page at /artist/warren-zevon for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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