[Verse 1 – 16 bars]
Alarm clock rings, and I'm up at the crack of dawn
Uniform ready, barely have time to slap it on
Got coffee brewing, only buy the cheap sh**
Need to leave speedily, only drank three sips
On the road, weaving in and out of the five lanes
Flying past traffic ‘cause I'm broke and it's Friday
Four days down, now my last time punching in
For the week, before the weekend, when I'm sleeping in
But first gotta pay the rent and the light bill
My kid's getting sick so I've gotta buy some Nyquil
Gotta fill mouths, so I've gotta buy groceries
Getting sick thinking of what life was supposed to be
Only dream when my head hits a pillowcase
The good life, man, I only want a little taste
But no room for that when you've got a nine to five
Another year pa**ed? Time's flying by
[Chorus]
I'm overworked, and there's not much I can do about
This job is for survival; don't know what I'd do without it
Got no time, got no life
I just work day and night
Kids ask why, I'm saying
“I've got bills I'm paying”
[x2]
[Break]
I get up, I, I, I can
I get up, I, I, I can
I get up, I, I, I can
Got bills, got bills, I've got bills to pay
[Verse 2]
Running in a rat race, fast paced, chasing cheese
Staying hungry, could someone grab the maitre'd?
Hate to see others getting trampled
Just a sample of what the race does, for example
A handful of people get to start in the winners' circle
Never trained, felt pain, had their feet purple
Steep hurdles keep us farther from the finish line
Anyone falling is a meal when it's dinner time
In a bind so I stay in a grind mode
Mundane routine, do it with my eyes closed
Tight rope act, balance budgets and my sanity
No net present; peasant on a salary
Sad to see us playing in a rigged game
Need a big change, not a slim raise to my slim pay
f** 2 cents, give them 97 more
Running on the wheel only has us headed for saying…
[Chorus]