Turtleneck Revolt

[Intro] [electric bass enters with jagged chromatic run] [clean electric guitar stabs, staccato, in 5/4] (Turtleneck! Turtleneck!) [Verse 1] [urgent, theatrical male vocals] I'ma lay you down, baby Strip the logos off I'll make war with you In all the ways they want But one thing I won't do [bass slide, discordant hit] Is take off my turtleneck My turtleneck [octave jump, sharp vibrato] Black turtleneck State-issued neck Corporate noose-neck [spat] Synthetic neck [Pre-Chorus] [drums switch to half-time stomp] They sell us comfort as a collar Silk around your anxious holler Cashmere cage, immaculate Hiding teeth and hiding debt [Chorus] [stacked, dissonant harmonies enter, gang shouts] Please stop asking me to take off my turtleneck Baby, I'm butt-naked from the waist down (FACE DOWN!) Baby, loving you is my favorite panic Kiss my throat through this semantic 'Cause all I wanna do is scream love at you In my turtleneck (NECK!) In this motherfucking cashmere turtleneck [chanted backing] (Turtle! Turtle! Neck, neck, neck!) Gripping my neck, squeezing me, choking me I'm dripping turtleneck sweat, it's hot But I'm not taking this T-N-R off I won't stop until we tick, then tock, then [Bridge] [sudden tempo spike, punk beat, shouted vocals] What is a neck if not a lever? (PULL IT!) What is a shirt if not forever? (WEAR IT!) What is a body without a brand? Naked in the market with a barcode hand! They say "undress, confess, compress!" They say "more skin, more sin, less stress!" But they can't have this little cloth of control, This woolen noose around my soul! [Breakdown] [music cuts to bass and drum in 7/8, whispered-vocal rant] Turtle shell, turtleneck, turn the channel, disconnect Tele-vision strangulation, fabric throttling the nation Polyester propaganda, choking chakras in Atlanta Wrap the larynx, wrap the lie, Cover truth and call it style [sudden full-band hit, screamed] TURTLE-NECK! TURTLE-STATE! TURTLE-CODE WE REGURGITATE! [Chorus] [returns heavier, double-time drums] Please stop asking me to take off my turtleneck Baby, I'm butt-naked from the waist down (LIE DOWN!) Baby, loving you is a manic habit Bite my neck through layers of fabric 'Cause all I wanna do is make war with you In my turtleneck (CHECK!) In this motherfucking cashmere turtleneck [vocal ad-libs, frantic] (Mmm, the way this turtle) Gripping my neck, squeezing me, choking me I'm dripping turtleneck sweat, it's hot But I'm not taking this symbol off I won't stop until you get off [Outro] [dramatic, dissonant string swells, marching snare] I'ma lay you down, baby (BABY!) Tear these walls off I'll make love to truth In all the ways they don't But one thing I won't do Is take off my turtleneck My turtleneck My turtleneck My turtleneck [music swells, sudden stop, then lonely guitar arpeggio] Stop asking, stop asking Stop asking me to take off my turtleneck Stop masking, stop massing Stop fastening these velvet threats Stop asking, I won't do it, I won't do it Stop asking me to take off my turtleneck I won't do it, I won't do it [whispered, close-mic] My turtleneck [shouted, full band hit] MY TURTLENECK!