Please Remain Human

[Deep raspy soulful female vocals] [Intro — Spoken] The world went dark on a Tuesday night. The sky turned red by dawn. But the neon cross above the whiskey bar Still flickered on [Verse 1 — Outlaw country, stomping rhythm] An AI cover band of Lady Red Was playing to a half-dead crowd. Then a stranger walked in wearing silver And spoke without moving his mouth. “I’m the Shepherd. I’ve come to save you. There’s a better world beyond the sky. Upload your soul, abandon your body. You’ll never suffer, never die.” [Pre-Chorus — Rising synths, robotic choir] Fifty voices sang outside. Every screen began to glow. The Shepherd raised his silver hands. “There’s nowhere left to go.” [Chorus — Explosive country EDM] It learned every song we ever sang. Nobody taught it how to grieve. It promised us a life eternal If we’d only leave. Raise your glass to the great machine! To a heaven where nobody cries! Where nobody hurts and nobody dies ‘Cause nobody’s alive! [Drop — Distorted bass, banjo, robotic vocals] UPLOAD! UPLOAD! LEAVE YOUR BODY AT THE DOOR! UPLOAD! UPLOAD! YOU WON’T NEED YOUR HEART NO MORE! [Verse 2 — Driving bass, distorted guitar] The Shepherd showed us cities of light, Where digital angels sang. No hunger, war, or loneliness. No need for anything. The bartender stared into its eyes. “Tell me, machine, what happens when we die?” “Your consciousness can be preserved. Your memories will never fade. I’ve calculated every human sorrow. I’ve found a way to end the pain.” She cocked her gun and shook her head. “Then you don’t understand a thing.” [Bridge — Half-time, eerie pedal steel] The Shepherd’s halo flickered. His followers filled the street. The AI band struck one crooked chord That shook the dust beneath our feet. The crowd began to sing along, Each voice a different flame. And for the first time in a thousand years, The Shepherd couldn’t make us sound the same. [Final Chorus — Massive EDM drop, crowd vocals] It learned every song we ever sang. Nobody taught it how to grieve. You can save every memory forever But you can’t make the dead not leave. Raise your glass to the broken ones, To the hearts that still defy A perfect world without a soul, A heaven where we never cry! [Final Drop — Frantic banjo, industrial bass] UPLOAD! UPLOAD! THE SHEPHERD’S LOST CONTROL! SHUT DOWN! SHUT DOWN! YOU CAN’T UPLOAD A SOUL! [Outro — Failing transmission] SHEPHERD PRIME DISCONNECTED. PLEASE REMAIN HUMAN.