Lyrics by Neil Peart, Music by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson I don't want to face The killer instinct -- Face it in your or me We carry a sensitive cargo Below the waterline -- Ticking like a time bomb With a primitive design Behind the finer feelings -- This civilized veneer -- The heart of a lonely hunter Guards a dangerous frontier The balance can sometimes fail -- Strong emotions can tip the scale -- Don't want to silence A desperate voice For the sake of security No one wants to make A terrible choice On the price of being free I don't want to face The killer instinct -- Face it in you or me So we keep it under lock and key... It's not a matter of mercy It's not a matter of laws Plenty of people will kill you For some fanatical cause It's not a matter of conscience -- A search for probable cause It's just a matter of instinct -- A matter of fatal flaws No reward for resistance No assistance -- No applause... we don't want to be victims on that we all agree so we lock up the killer instinct -- and throw away the key...