[SHAMISEN — crooked 4-note attempt] [MASTER] Again. [SHAMISEN — closer] [LES PAUL COMPLETES IT] [UPRIGHT + SUB DROP] [COSMIC — VERSE 1] I used to think the gifted Walked in knowing what to do. Then I met enough of 'em To know that shit ain't true. Give me something I don't know— Good. Now I got somewhere to go. Give me a wall— I want the measurements. Give me a lock— I want to know What makes it close. I don't need the answer Falling from the fucking sky. Put the pieces on the table. I'll find out why. [MASTER] Again. [COSMIC] Yeah. Again. [CHORUS — COSMIC + GROUP] You can't beat Somebody willing to learn. [GANG] AGAIN! Let me miss. Let me fall. Let it burn. [GANG] AGAIN! I don't wait For the world To give me my turn. I learn it. I test it. I build it. I teach it. And then— I RETURN. [SHAMISEN / LES PAUL] [COSMIC — VERSE 2] Teacher gave a lesson. Student gave attention. Life gave me a problem. I gave it investigation. Didn't understand money? Learned. Didn't understand reach? Learned. Didn't understand patterns? Watched until they spoke to me. But here's the part They don't put Inside the fantasy— Finding an answer Doesn't mean It has to agree with me. If I love the theory But the evidence says no— Kill it. That's not losing. That's knowing Where to grow. [MOKUGYO — TOK TOK] [COSMIC] Learn. [GANG] TEST. [COSMIC] Build. [GANG] TEACH. [COSMIC] Teach. [GANG] REACH. [COSMIC] Reach. [GANG] LEARN. [CHORUS] You can't beat Somebody willing to learn. AGAIN! Let me miss. Let me fall. Let it burn. AGAIN! Close one door— I'll study every hinge. I learn it. I test it. I build it. I teach it— Then do it Again. [STUDENT — VERSE 3] But what about magic? [COSMIC] What about it? [STUDENT] You believe there's more Than what we understand? [COSMIC] Of course. [STUDENT] Then maybe something Comes and lends a hand. [COSMIC] Maybe. But I'm not sitting still Until it lands. I can leave room For wonder While I'm working with my hands. Cards can make me question. Intuition says— Look twice. Pendulum can make me pause. But none of them Live my life. Wonder opens doors. Discernment checks the frame. And if there's magic In becoming— Maybe learning Is its name. [LES PAUL BEND] [MASTER] Again. [COSMIC] I looked for the spell. Thought somebody knew it. Turns out the magic Was learning To do it. [BEAT BREAK] [COSMIC — VERSE 4] No rescue coming? Cool. Where's the manual? No manual? Cool. Who's done it? Nobody? Now it gets interesting. Because hope is beautiful— But hope ain't engineering. Want becomes intention. Intention needs a plan. Plan becomes repetition. Repetition trains the hands. Hands create experience. Experience starts to teach. Knowledge becomes useful— When you give it Somebody else to reach. [GROUP] TEACH TO REACH. [COSMIC] Again. [GROUP] TEACH TO REACH. [COSMIC] Again. [BRIDGE — RAP LESSON] [STUDENT] What if I don't know? [COSMIC] Learn. [STUDENT] What if nobody shows me? [COSMIC] Search. [STUDENT] What if I'm wrong? [COSMIC] Test. [STUDENT] What if it hurts? [COSMIC] Learn. [STUDENT] What if I fail? [COSMIC] Again. [STUDENT] And fail twice? [COSMIC] Again. [STUDENT] Ten times? [COSMIC] You counting Or learning? [DRUMS BUILD] [STUDENT] What if the door stays locked? [COSMIC] Study the lock. [STUDENT] What if I lose the key? [COSMIC] Learn how it's cut. [STUDENT] What if the map is wrong? [COSMIC] Draw what you saw. [STUDENT] What if there is no road? [COSMIC] Then why Are you waiting For one? [TAIKO ENTERS] [STUDENT] What if nobody Comes to save us? [EVERYTHING STOPS] [COSMIC] Then class Starts now. [ORIGINAL CROOKED 4-NOTE PHRASE] [STUDENT PLAYS IT CORRECTLY] [COSMIC] Again. [FULL BAND PLAYS THE PHRASE] [FINAL CHORUS — HUGE] You can't beat Somebody willing to learn! AGAIN! Let me miss! Let me fall! Let it burn! AGAIN! Every answer Makes another question turn! I LEARN IT! [GANG] TEST IT! I BUILD IT! [GANG] TEACH IT! I TEACH IT! [GANG] REACH 'EM! And when I reach 'em— [GANG] TEACH 'EM! [COSMIC] That's the spell. [FINAL GROOVE] [STUDENT] So when do I become The master? [COSMIC] Wrong question. [STUDENT] What's the right one? [COSMIC] Who are you teaching? [Silence] [STUDENT] ...again? [COSMIC] Now you got it. [SHAMISEN — 4 NOTES] [LES PAUL ANSWERS] [RATCHET — CLICK] [END]
