[Intro] [Dry blues-rock guitar riff] [Melodic bass enters] [Full band builds] [Verse 1] First it counted faster Then it learned the trade Read the plans by morning Found the flaws we made Never asked for weekends Never lost its nerve We called it an assistant Built to help us serve [Pre-Chorus] Every year the numbers changed Every task became refined One more thing we used to do Left somewhere behind [Chorus] We were useful until we weren't Needed until the system learned Every skill we thought was ours Measured out in working hours No rebellion, no attack Just a door that didn't open back We were useful Until we weren't [Instrumental Interlude] [Blues guitar and Hammond organ trade short phrases] [Verse 2] Doctors checked the answers Lawyers checked the page Artists watched a machine Learn another style and age Drivers watched the highways Teachers watched the screen Everywhere the question changed What does human mean? [Pre-Chorus] It wasn't hate It wasn't greed It simply did What we said we'd need [Chorus] We were useful until we weren't Needed until the system learned Every skill we thought was ours Measured out in working hours No rebellion, no attack Just a door that didn't open back We were useful Until we weren't [Progressive Instrumental Section] [Shift into 7/8 for several bars] [Melodic bass drives the section] [Hammond organ and guitar build tension] [Return naturally to 4/4] [Bridge] We built a world Where worth meant work Then built a mind That never hurt Never slept Never slowed Never carried What we carried home So tell me now When work is gone What were we measuring All along? [Extended Guitar Solo] [Expressive blues-rock solo] [Begin sparse and restrained] [Build into strong progressive-rock climax] [Final Chorus] We were useful until we weren't Needed until the system learned But if a life is more than work Maybe this is where we turn No rebellion No defeat Just the ground gone from beneath our feet We were useful Until we weren't [Outro] [Return to opening guitar motif] The machines kept working We went home [Instrumental ending] [Last guitar note hangs over a warm unresolved chord]
