Pyrrhic Victory

And the trumpets played triumphant sounds Conquest o'er the foes declared A hush was heard throughout the crowd The battle won but not all spared And the fallen comrade did lay prone A warrior for the noble cause Triumph bought with blood and bone While they one so much was lost They took the bitter with the sweet Counted up the casualties The survivors left the scene Took home the Pyrrhic victory Out of the deep south he came From obscurity appeared Played the slide like Elmore James The people gathered 'round to hear But on the altar of the blues The fires burn both night and day He was sacrificed too soon Payment to the piper made It's so hard now that he's gone Echoes of the songs remain Can't find the way to get along All that's left a sad refrain You thought that revenge was sweet Made sure that you served it cold Put his business in the street Then you got to watch him crawl Your last laugh had a hollow tone Another win like that and you'll be lost As you slowly turn to stone All you're left with is the dross