[Intro – drum machine and distorted bass loop only, no vocals, 8 bars] [Verse 1 – dry, flat, and fast tone; [bass loop and raw drums only] The alarm goes off at six—same damn song, same damn day The kettle’s got more life in it than I do, and it’s been broken since May The bus is late again, but the fare went up right on schedule Four quid to stand out in the rain—they call this a "service," mate; it’s a robbery [Chorus – sung/shouted, punchier bass, sharp emphasis on every line] Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me to smile I paid for this privilege, I’ve been standing here for a good long while Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me to wait I’ve been waiting my whole life, and it’s already too late [Verse 2 – even faster, with an added layer of noise] The landlord wants a rent hike—amidst the damp, the mold, and a view of the trash bins The boss wants to "touch base," "catch up," "get me in the loop" Group chat notifications at midnight, with no one having anything sensible to say Everyone’s busy, everyone’s tired—yet they all say everything’s fine [Chorus] Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me to smile I paid for this privilege, I’ve been standing here for a good long while Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me to wait I’ve been waiting my whole life, and it’s already too late [Bridge – everything cuts out, leaving only bass and vocals—low, spoken tone—then the drum machine kicks back in suddenly] And here I am—here, right here At the bus stop, with a coffee that’s gone cold in my thermos And the guy next to me says, "Everything’s gonna be fine" Mate—it’s not fine bullshit; it’s just what they tell us [Final chorus – extended, maximum sonic intensity, doubled vocals, and] [shouted] Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me to smile Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me to wait Don’t tell me everything’s fine, don’t tell me everything’s fine Don’t tell me, don’t tell me, don’t tell me… Four pounds, four pounds, four pounds to stand out in the rain… and it’s always raining here… it just keeps pouring on what’s already soaked… [Outro – bass and drum machine loop only; the track gradually strips back until only a single kick-drum hit and a hissing sound remain, for 16 bars]
