The perks of being unemployed

[Intro – Gentle Accordion and Triangle] [Eight-Bar Xote Instrumental] [Verse 1 – Relaxed Male Lead] No alarm at seven-thirty No traffic crawling into town No manager scheduling meetings To move the same old numbers around Monday feels a lot like Sunday When no one needs me downtown [Pre-Chorus – Backing Voices Enter] [Backing Voices, Cheerfully] No commute! [Male Lead] No place to go [Backing Voices] No dress code! [Male Lead] No one needs to know [Backing Voices] All this freedom! [Male Lead] All day long [Backing Voices] Tell us, brother What could possibly be wrong? [Chorus 1 – Full Xote Groove] These are the perks of being unemployed All of the freedom, none to enjoy Every day’s a holiday nobody pays I’ve got all the time in the world And bills due every day [Accordion Break – Eight Bars] [Verse 2 – Playful Storytelling] I fixed the shelf I broke last winter Sorted screws by shape and size Watched twelve courses on leadership From seven motivational guys Learned to write for human readers Then rewrote it for the AIs I clip coupons like investments Track each special week by week Buy my soap and kitchen gadgets At the dollar store down the street Water made my diet healthier Beer became a luxury [Perks Breakdown – Call and Response] [Backing Voices] Flexible schedule! [Male Lead] Twenty-four hours free [Backing Voices] Unlimited vacation! [Male Lead] Nowhere I can afford to be [Backing Voices] Work from home! [Male Lead] There is no work [Backing Voices] No office politics! [Male Lead] Just LinkedIn experts [Backing Voices] No boss! [Male Lead] No dental plan [All Voices, Brightly] Living the dream As best we can! [Chorus 2 – Wider Harmonies] These are the perks of being unemployed All of the freedom, none to enjoy Coupons in my pocket, specials on display I can furnish half my kitchen For a few dollars and some change [Verse 3 – Groove Softens] A friend asks what I’m doing lately I say, “Exploring what comes next” That means checking my account balance And pretending I’m not stressed I decline another dinner Then blame a conflict in my text I know the price of every grocery Every bill and every fee I can stretch a pot till Thursday And a dollar through the week Everybody says, “Enjoy the break” Like the break was up to me [Chorus 3 – Cheerful but Thinner] These are the perks of being unemployed All of the freedom, none to enjoy Water with my dinner, getting healthier each day Beer became a luxury So wellness leads the way [Bridge – Low Accordion and Heartbeat Zabumba] My benefits card has expired The dentist has learned to wait The unemployment weeks keep counting Toward an unforgiving date The envelopes form a little skyline The balance falls below Freedom is a lovely word When you can afford somewhere to go [Brief Silence] [Backing Voices, Softly] So much free time [Male Lead] So little peace [Backing Voices] No one can fire you [Male Lead] No one hired me [Accordion Re-Enters] [Final Chorus – Stronger Baião Feel] These are the perks of being unemployed All of the freedom, none to enjoy No morning traffic, no corporate noise I can choose exactly how to spend my day Between looking for another job And looking the other way These are the perks of being unemployed All of the freedom, none to enjoy Freedom is a lovely word When all the bills are paid I’ve got all the time in the world And bills due every day [Final Accordion Break – Eight Bars] [Outro – Groove Returns to Gentle Xote] [Backing Voices, Cheerfully] What are you doing tomorrow? [Male Lead] I’m completely free [Phone Notification] [Automated Voice] You have one new message [Accordion Holds a Hopeful Chord] [Male Lead, Quietly] Maybe not