[Intro: 108 BPM; original four-note sequencer motif repeats twice; rounded synth bass enters; dry machine kick, clipped clap, warm Rhodes ninths; clean guitar answers; eight seconds] [Verse 1: robotic male bass-baritone rap; precise consonants, clipped rhythm; guitar replies after each couplet] Monday morning, meeting down the hall, Boss said, “Grab a chair.” There weren’t enough for all. Slide said, “Moving forward.” Chart was colored green, Then he told us half our jobs were going to a machine. Last month I trained the system, showed it what to do, Fixed the wrong addresses, caught the orders slipping through. They said I had experience, said they liked my touch, Now the same experience was costing them too much. [Hook: high synthetic tenor chant; low robotic responses; sequencer stays audible] Badge returned. Box in hand. “Moving forward”— That’s the plan. Hours saved. Wages gone. Who gets paid When the lights stay on? [Turnaround: four-note motif twice; bass plays a descending answer; guitar double-stops] [Verse 2: robotic mid-tenor rap; conversational syncopation] Cuz said, “Learn computers.” Bro, I helped them build the tool. He said, “Then start a business.” I said, “With what? Don’t play the fool.” He meant well, brought some dinner, set it down beside the sink, Then quit giving me suggestions, let me have a minute’s think. Filled out an application, typed my history in, Uploaded the same history, had to type it all again. Screen said, “We’ll be in touch.” I watched the little wheel, Then got rejected Sunday while we ate our evening meal. [Hook: high synthetic tenor; clipped low-octave replies] Badge returned. Box in hand. “Moving forward”— That’s the plan. Hours saved. Wages gone. Who gets paid When the lights stay on? [Instrumental: eight bars; Rhodes develops four-note motif with chromatic ninth chords; guitar answers in octaves; mechanical pulse remains steady] [Verse 3: bass-baritone robotic rap; dry delivery; sparse guitar] Went back for my jacket, saw the crew still working late, Fewer people on the floor, more orders at the gate. Buddy said, “The system’s down. We’re doing it by hand.” I said, “They know?” He laughed and said, “They tell us it was planned.” I ain’t against a tool that takes the danger off a floor, Or makes a hard job easier—that’s what a tool is for. But call it shared success when we’re standing in the rain? Show me where we shared it. Who collected all the gain? [Breakdown: kick drops; dry clicks and bass pulse; alternating robotic registers] “Lower cost.” For whom? “More
