So Far, So Good...So What! [Explicit Lyrics] [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

During the making of this album, Dave had to fire Paul Lani, as there were rising difficulties between the two, and higher Michael Wagner half way through. The original production was poor but received a warm welcome from Droogies everywhere. However, the remixed version has much better production and, perhaps not as much as Killing is My Business... And Business is Good! , has a raw feel to it. Some consider this to be Megadeth's worse album, but I don't think Megadeth have really ever made an awful album. Anyway, this album is great it's also an underrated classic.

(1) Into the Lungs of Hell (Mustaine)
Megadeth's first, and only, full and official instrumental song. The title of the song refers to the bible where Michael the Archangel and his cohorts "thrust into the lungs of Hell" to attack Satan. This is a great instrumental and I like the horn elements at the beginning.

(2) Set the World Afire (Mustaine)
This was the first song Dave wrote after he was sacked from Metallica, but it was originally entitled Megadeth. He didn't want to use the song just yet until he felt it was ready to be experimented on, and then it was later renamed Set the World Afire. The song is about destruction of all life on earth through nuclear weapons and the horrible aftermath. This is one of the best songs of the album, and it's one of my personal classics.

(3) Anarchy in the U.K. (Matlock/Rotten/Cook/Jones)
This song is a cover of the Sex Pistols song. It was originally featured on Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols album, released in 1979. This isn't the best cover Megadeth have done, but it isn't a bad tune and it's definitely better than I Ain't Superstitious. Megadeth actually misheard several lyrics in the original Sex Pistol's song. For example, "and other cunt-like tendencies" is actually "another council tenancy" and "no dog's body" is actually "no, don't worry."

(4) Mary Jane (Mustaine/Ellefson)
The first 'Deth song Junior helped write. It is about a girl who takes up witchcraft. Eventually, she wants to get out of it and in an effort to do so, she confesses to her father, who not only doesn't forgive Mary Jane, but buries her alive. That's why she haunts the forest. This is another great tune with really good lyrics as well.

(5) 502 (Mustaine)
This is basically about Dave being pulled over by the police! This is perhaps the worst song of the album, but it does have a good tune and some hilarious lyrics, (e.g. "Pullover shit-head; this is the cops!").

(6) In My Darkest Hour (Mustaine/Ellefson)
This songs was first written when Dave heard of the death of his good friend and late Metallica bass player Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton, (1962 - 1986), and it was also when his understanding of "being there for you" was born. Although the lyrics have nothing to do with him, Cliff's untimely passing gave Dave this melody that lives in the hearts of metal heads around the world. This is perhaps one of the best Megadeth songs ever, and it has some of the best lyrics ever for a Megadeth song.

(7) Liar (Mustaine/Ellefson)
This is basically Dave telling us exactly what he thinks, (or use to think), of ex-guitarist Chris Poland. This is another great song, with some clever and crude lyrics.

(8) Hook in Mouth (Mustaine/Ellefson)
This song is about revisionism and censorship, specifically aimed at the PMRC, (The Parents Music Resource Centre), which forced the band to put "Parental Advisory/Explicit Lyrics" warnings on both Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? and So Far, So Good... So What! Several parts of this song are similar to the George Orwell novel, 1984. It must have been the major inspiration for this song. In the book, the government employs and organization called the Ministry of Truth to alter every piece of literature, especially newspaper articles, in order the make the government look good. The book describes people being created and erased, statistics and figures being changed, all to eliminate any negative feelings or opposition towards the government. Many of the workers for this organization are described just as Dave describes them; little, beady-eyed, bug-like men. In "Hook in Mouth," Dave is comparing the PMRC to the Ministry of Truth. Dave obviously feels that the organization oversteps the bounds of the government by putting warning labels on albums or forcing artists to compromise their integrity in any way. This is another one of the best songs of the album, and has some very clever lyrics in, although Dave's vocals are very different to the rest of the album.