Nine to Five to Nowhere
Gritty delta blues, male vocals through a worn ribbon mic, dry and up-front, Foot-stomp and handclap groove with slide guitar snarling in open tuning, harmonica answering vocal phrases, Verses stay raw and close; chorus opens with gang shouts and thicker slide layers, last pass pushes vocal rasp and harmonica wails to a ragged peak, delta blues, male vocals
[Verse 1] Clock hits nine My soul hits dirt Coffee cold Knuckles hurt Boss man barking Like he owns my name I just bite my tongue And swallow the flame [Chorus] Working this nine to five just to stay alive Bones on credit Heart on layaway Working this nine to five just to stay alive If this is living Why’s it feel this way [Verse 2] Steel-toe boots On a cracked white line Paycheck circling Like a buzzard in my mind Rent due Friday Faith due too I keep praying to the ceiling Like it’s something I can chew [Chorus] [Bridge] I scratch tallies on my lunchbox lid Every hour that they stole from a hungry kid One day I’m walking Won’t punch that clock Leave my name in the dust and my chains in the dock [Chorus]
