“The Fine Print,” by The Stupendium
Welcome to space, what were you expecting?
It's a dangerous place, thank you for investing
Go there for your rota1, there for your orders
Fill up these quotas, we'll bill for your quarters
Report to your foreman but watch for marauders2
'Cause if you get eaten, there's fees for your mourners
Prosperity's there in the care of magnates3
In Halcyon4, 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 bureaucracy5
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
1
a list showing when each of a number of people has to do a particular job.
2
looters
3
a wealthy and influential person, especially in business.
4
a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.
5
a system of organization where decisions are made by officials who were not elected
“The Fine Print,” by The Stupendium
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, ennobled6 by labour
Then purchase relief from your local retailer
If you'd rather drop dead, that's fine
6
Exalted or lended greater dignity
“The Fine Print,” by The Stupendium
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
“The Fine Print,” by The Stupendium
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
Work, work, hurry, hurry
Work, work, worry, worry
Work, work, hurry, hurry
Worry, hurry, work, work
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
