# A Little Bit of Arson [Intro: Bright acoustic guitar, light mandolin, handclaps, cheerful whistling] Well, good morning, good neighbor What a beautiful day Smile up at the camera And be on your way [Verse 1: Light, conversational vocal; playful acoustic groove] There’s an eye on every corner There’s a number on your name There’s a file getting thicker Every time you play the game They can map the roads you travel They can log the things you buy They can ask you for your papers And forget to tell you why Every click becomes a breadcrumb Every purchase leaves a trail Every friendly little checkbox Feeds another hungry scale I’m not planning a rebellion I’ve got laundry in the morning Still, a man can love his privacy And a little bit of arson [Pre-Chorus: Melody lifts; handclaps grow brighter] A little spark, a little cheer Big Brother’s getting awful near Smile for every camera light Wave and wish ’em all goodnight No need to fuss, don’t be alarmed Everybody just stay calm Nothing strange is going on We’ll be home before the dawn [Chorus: Big sunny harmonies; lead vocal stays forward] Just a little bit of arson Just to brighten up the night Big Brother’s always watching Well, he could use a little light We don’t need a revolution We don’t need to raise alarm Just a little bit of arson Never did nobody harm [Verse 2: Same cheerful groove; lyrics slightly sharper] There’s a knock without much warning There’s a badge outside the door There’s a family being questioned For the crime of being poor There are names upon a database There are faces in a queue There are men who call it safety When they’re watching what you do There’s a warrant and an asterisk There’s a policy revised There’s a phrase like “for your safety” Doing heavy lifting lies And the folks who write the rules down Never seem to live beneath ’em Funny how “protect and serve” can mean “We’ll watch you if we need to” [Pre-Chorus: Slightly fuller backing harmony] A little spark, a little cheer Big Brother’s getting awful near Smile for every camera light Wave and wish ’em all goodnight No need to fuss, don’t be alarmed Everybody just stay calm Nothing strange is going on We’ll be home before the dawn [Chorus: Full band; bright, clean lead vocal] Just a little bit of arson Just to brighten up the night Big Brother’s always watching Well, he could use a little light We don’t need a revolution We don’t need to raise alarm Just a little bit of arson Never did nobody harm [Instrumental Break: Whistled hook, mandolin, claps, playful fiddle] [Verse 3: Light, playful delivery; steady acoustic groove] There’s a page of terms and fine print Long enough to hide it all There’s a company that knows me Though I never called at all They know what I’ve been searching They know everywhere I’ve been Then they sell it to a stranger Who can sell it back again Everybody wants my number Everybody wants a turn Everybody needs a hobby Mine just happens to burn No banners in my windows No speeches on the lawn Just some power tools at midnight And one less camera by dawn [Bridge: Drop to acoustic guitar; warm, almost sincere vocal] So raise a glass to privacy To curtains, locks, and doors To keeping one damn corner That nobody records No throne needs overturning No empire needs to fall Maybe folks could mind their business That could damn near solve it all [Build: Kick drum and claps return; lead vocal builds] But until that blessed morning When they finally learn... [Light Backing Harmony] Everybody needs a hobby! [Lead Vocal: Grinning] Mine just happens to burn! [Final Chorus: Biggest section; full band, lead vocal dominant] Just a little bit of arson Just to brighten up the night Big Brother’s always watching Well, he could use a little light We don’t need a revolution We don’t need to raise alarm Just a little bit of arson Never did nobody harm [Final Chorus Variation: Bright, driving finish] Just a little bit of arson Nothing heavy, nothing grand Just a tiny celebration For the right to make a stand Smile and wave beneath the glow Sing it cheerful, sing along There are things you needn’t know Mind your business, carry on [Final Hit: Lead vocal with light harmony]
