[Verse 1]
Alarm screaming, apron ties me down,
Kitchen’s a coffin, I’m buried in the sound.
Grease in my veins, caffeine for the glue,
Orders stack high, déjà vu on cue.
They want blood, but my tank on E,
Tips stay shallow, stress running deep.
Calendar a guillotine, weeks repeat,
Chained to the line, can’t feel my feet.
[Chorus]
Grind 'til you crack, break for the bread,
Life’s a hamster wheel spinning in my head.
Grind 'til you crack, sleep when you’re dead,
Cooking for the paycheck, dying for the dread.
[Verse 2]
Overtime vultures circle the grill,
Dreams in a noose, hanging still.
“Smile more,” they chirp, “keep the pace,”
But the ladder’s on fire, smoke in my face.
Lunch break’s a myth, cold fries, stale brew,
Bathroom mirror says, “Man, who are you?”
Skin paper-thin, scars carving tattoos,
Every ticket’s a knife, cutting me through.
[Bridge 1]
Can’t clock out, my mind won’t quit,
Pacing the walls of this mental pit.
Heart on strike, soul evicted,
Purpose missing, paychecks conflicted.
[Hook]
Smoke in my lungs, fire in my veins,
Working through the pressure, drowning in the pain.
Clock don’t stop, I’m stuck in the grind,
But I keep on moving, just to hold my mind.
[Verse 3]
Midnight mop water, bleach burns my skin,
Another shift ending where the next one begins.
Hope’s on ice, thawed out too slow,
Dreams taste bitter in the pots I know.
Crew’s eyes hollow, we all play the part,
Serving up plates with a broken heart.
We ain’t proud, we ain’t heroes, just ghosts in the flame,
Trying to survive while forgetting our names.
[Chorus]
Grind 'til you crack, break for the bread,
Life’s a hamster wheel spinning in my head.
Grind 'til you crack, sleep when you’re dead,
Cooking for the paycheck, dying for the dread.
[Verse 4]
Knife cuts deep, but it ain’t on the board,
It’s the stress in my chest I can’t afford.
Orders avalanche, buryin’ my soul,
“Table 5 needs ketchup!” losing control.
Apron tied tight, but the seams start to tear,
Dreams in the freezer, forgotten somewhere.
Someday I’ll quit, leave this grease-stained tether,
But tonight I plate pain, chasing something better.
[Bridge 2]
Clock hands laugh, but I still don’t quit,
Dragging my body through the heat and grit.
Every scar’s a story, every burn’s a brand,
But I keep on cooking with a trembling hand.
[Hook / Outro]
Smoke in my lungs, fire in my veins,
Working through the pressure, drowning in the pain.
Clock don’t stop, I’m stuck in the grind,
But I keep on moving, just to hold my mind.
