Intro:Cm G Cm G B7 (descending notes G, F#, E)

Verse:
Em                              A7
As young boy Michael helped his mother cook

Em                                      B7
Down by her apron strings the whole day long

Em                                    A7
Knife in hand her eyes trained on the recipe book

     C                             D
He'd salivate as she sang out this song


Chorus:
        G                 C
Cut the onions, start the dicing,

       D                 G
Listen up Mike, it's the right thing

         G              C
Chop the parsnip, for a rich dish,

       Cm                     G
In the small pond you'll be a big fish

       Cm                     G        (B7)
In the small pond you'll be a big fish


Verse:
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 apon his mind

Chorus:
Cut the hair off the hippies 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

Verse:
35 a burning drive possessed him
To be the greatest golfer in North Bay
Sometimes a fear of failure near obsessed him
And then he'd hear the other golfers say

Chorus:
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

Verse:
Now he's breaking bread with heads of industry
The Capitan in the Autumn of his years
He proceeds with masionical rapidity
When he echos mothers words he hears the cheers

Chorus:
Cut the welfare and public housing
Listen up Mike it's the right thing
Chop the healthcare, you'll get your wish
In the small pond you'll be a big fish (everyone!)

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!