Released: June 12, 1985

Songwriter: Dave Mustaine

Producer: Karat Faye Dave Mustaine

[Verse 1]
I am a sniper; always hit the mark
Paid assassin working after dark
Looking through the night using infra-red
Target's on you, aimed at your head

[Verse 2]
Ten thousand up front
Ten thousand when I'm through
And I know just what to do
And you know I'll do it, too
And I'm coming back for you
Back for you

[Verse 3]
I do the "getting rid of"
Don't tell me why
Don't need to hear the truth
Don't need the lies
Now pay me quickly
Now we're through
It brings me great pleasure
To say my next job is you

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus]
Don't you know that
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good
Killing is my business, and business is good

[Outro]
You'd better believe it

Megadeth

After being kicked out of Metallica, Dave Mustaine decided to form a Thrash Metal band that not only rivaled his former band, but played faster, more technical Metal. Along with bassist David ‘Junior’ Ellefson and a revolving door of guitarists and drummers, Mustaine set the world afire as Megadeth became known as the world’s state-of-the-art Speed Metal band throughout the 80s and the early 90s. One of the Big Four of Thrash Metal, Megadeth remains one of Metal’s most popular acts today.

However, Dave Mustaine’s fledgling band got off to a shaky start. Initially unable to find like-minded individuals, it was not until an altercation with his (underage) downstairs neighbours Dave Ellefson and Greg Handevidt, that led to him buying them beer and forming the first incarnation of the band with drummer Dijon Carruthers in 1983.

The band was named after a political pamphlet that referred to a “megadeath” (one million deaths by nuclear explosion):