"The Destruction Of The Kola Superdeep Borehole Tower" lyrics - THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

Stick bright reflective tape to the collar of your shirt
Mind your business and you won't get hurt
Be true to the things you said you'd be true to
Always keep your objective in view

Keep two working contacts among your effects
See the tall poppies with their tender fragile necks
Solomon in all his glory not arrayed like these
Bending in the wind like pilgrims on their knees

Those who came to learn these lessons
Left no trace of their presence

Always have a flashlight, just in case
Show the world your true face
Burn such fuel as you need to burn
Learn to wait your turn

Count the heads in the bunks before you turn in for the night
Lace your boots up tight
Secure the rope to the pole
Keep a sense of wonder when you finally reach your goal

Those who came to learn these lessons
Left no trace of their presence

Leave nothing behind
Keep a positive thought in your mind
If you can't find anything nice to say
Drift away

Retain a sense of grace when it's time to cut the cord
Crack through the crust, fall to your knees, and praise the Lord
Listen for the voices calling out from down below
Steady as you go

What will they say back home about you
Who always kept your objective in view
Whose effects included contacts that finally got found
Inside the Arctic Circle, scattered on the ground

Those who came to learn these lessons
Left no trace of their presence