[Verse 1] Eleven forty-seven on the second floor Everybody left through the loading door Coffee going cold beside a blinking screen Another little number in another machine Parking lot empty underneath the rain Elevator humming like a distant train Somewhere there’s a bedroom with my name But I’m still sitting here doing more of the same ⸻ [Pre-Chorus] Red light Green light Numbers on the wall Dead lines Dead eyes Waiting for the call Outside the whole damn city sleeps While I’m still underneath… ⸻ [Chorus] COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT Turning midnight into white No sun No moon No morning in sight COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT Stealing hours from my life Everybody else went home tonight But I’m still burning— UNDER COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT ⸻ [Verse 2] One A.M., the cleaning woman waves Two strangers working like fluorescent slaves She takes the hallway, I take another file We both pretend this somehow feels worthwhile Vending machine dinner, dollar seventy-five Funny what you’ll eat just to stay alive My reflection stares from the window glass Looks ten years older than it did when I came in ⸻ [Pre-Chorus] Tick-tock Keyboard Ventilation drone Bright room Dark world Everybody gone There’s a life outside I almost recognize Beyond these artificial skies ⸻ [Chorus] COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT Turning midnight into white No sun No moon No morning in sight COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT Stealing hours from my life Everybody else went home tonight But I’m still burning— UNDER COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT ⸻ [Instrumental Break] (Icy synth melody over pulsing bass. Sparse processed guitar enters.) BUILDING VOICE: Attention. Lighting will automatically shut down in five minutes. (Pause.) VOCAL: Lucky bastard. ⸻ [Bridge — Half-Time] My father worked beneath the sun Came home when the day was done Dirty hands A tired back But he knew when he was home I’ve got clean hands A glowing screen And somewhere in between I traded daylight for a paycheck… And became part of the machine ⸻ [Final Chorus — Bigger] COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT Turning midnight into white No sun No moon But I finally see tonight COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT You’ve taken enough of my life Save the file Kill the screen Leave the whole damn building behind TURN OFF THE COLD FLUORESCENT LIGHT ⸻ [Outro] (Keyboard click. Computer shuts down.) (One fluorescent fixture clicks off.) (Then another.) (Then another.) BUILDING VOICE: Goodnight. VOCAL: Yeah. Goodnight. (Exterior door closes. Rain.)
