Album Cover The Fine Print

The Fine Print

The Stupendium

13

Welcome to space

What were you expecting?

It′s a dangerous placeThank you for investing

Go there for your rota

There for your orders

Fill up these quotas

We'll bill for your quarters

Report to your foreman

But watch for marauders

′Cause if you get eaten

There's fees for your mourners

Prosperity's there in the care of magnates

In Halcyon heaven awaits!

Did you think it was supposed to

Look like the poster?

It mostly does

Oh, if you′d only read closer

Just ten short years to a new frontier

Snooze as you cruise

And you′ll wake up here!

You've been trapped in that ship

For an awful long time

So perhaps you have simply forgot what you signed

Oh, honestly?

Did you not read the colony policy?

That defines you as company property?

That waivers your say in autonomy?

The conglomerate′s got you in lock and key

We put the dollar back into idolatry

If you're upset, you can rent an apology

We are a family forged in bureaucracy

No "I" in "team," but there′s "con" in "economy"

Were you expecting adventure?

Were you hoping for fun?

My friend, you're indentured

And pleasure′s exempt from your tenure

So venture back down to your slum

That's provided at generous prices

Your worth is determined by your sacrifices

A small term of service when down on the surface

Internment's a freebie that comes with the purchase

We work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to give

Ourselves the right to buy

Ourselves the right to live

To earn the right to die

Welcome to our little town

Why don′t you settle down?

Here, just fill out the paperwork

And you can look around

We′re happy as can be

Inside the valley cannery

We live to pack the cans of meat

And not to question where it's found

Until we end up in the ground

Around the corner in the yard

You know, we thought we liked the sound

Of finding glory in the stars

The board has taught us to be proud

Of never reaching very far

So we earn what we′re allowed

And give it right back at the bar

The ale to cure what ails ya

Zero Gee Brew, your favourite flavour

So work 'til you bleed, ennobled by labour

Then purchase relief from your local retailer!

If you′d rather drop dead, that's fine

But you know that dropping down dead bears a fine

So you do your job and I′ll do mine

I gotta meet a six foot deep bottom line

We make a fortune for the board

By selling boredom door to door

Because it's all that we deserve

And it is all we can afford

The secrets of the universe

And all the worlds to be explored

But our dreams are back on Earth

And now the work is our reward

And you'll be grateful

For seats at the table

Though it dips at one end

And the bench is unstable

You may waste your days

But at least you were able

To pay off your grave

Since we leased you your cradle

Be faithful and pray

We′ll repay what you invest

Behave as you slave

For humanity′s interest

On account that you're all on account

And we′re quickly amounting

Humanity's interest

You′d think that we'd sink

To the brink of rebellion

With markets dependent

On peddling weapons

The architect tells them

The secret to Heaven

Is simply consuming

Whatever we sell them

We work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to work

To earn the right to give

Ourselves the right to buy

Ourselves the right to live

To earn the right to die

You should have read the fine print, my friend

Should have read the fine print

You should have read the fine print, my friend

Should have read the fine print

Welcome to our little town

Why don′t you settle down?

Here, just fill out the paperwork

And you can look around

We work and then we work

And then we work and then we work

And then we work and then we work

And then we end up in the ground

Welcome to our little town

Why don't you settle down?

Here, just fill out the paperwork

And you can look around

You should have read the fine print, my friend

Should have read the fine print

Here and here and initial here

Welcome to the family!