Smile Through the Static

(Intro – spoken, swingy)

Well now, don’t that radio crackle sound sweet?

World’s on fire, but baby—

The band still plays.

(Verse 1)

Rent’s due Friday, wallet’s feelin’ thin,

Shoes got holes but I polish up the grin.

Boss man says, “Be grateful, kid,”

While he’s sippin’ champagne off the work we did.

Stock market jumps, my check don’t budge,

Counting pennies, saying prayers, feeling over-judged.

But I press my suit and comb my hair,

If I’m goin’ down, I’m goin’ down with flair.

(Pre-Chorus)

They shake our hands with a silver tongue,

Say, “Just work harder, you’re still young.”

But the ladder’s broke, the rungs are gone,

Still I hum me a happy song.

(Chorus)

So I smile through the static, dance through the pain,

Snap my fingers while it’s pourin’ rain.

World’s gone mad, but I won’t complain—

Spin that record, play it again.

Yeah, the rich get richer, the poor stay sore,

But I’ll jitterbug right across that floor.

If this ship’s goin’ down in flames,

I’ll smile through the static, dance through the pain.

(Verse 2)

Groceries cost an arm and a leg,

Still swingin’ light as I crack this egg.

Newsman hollers, “Everything’s fine!”

While the clock eats up my overtime.

Politicians in a three-piece lie,

Talkin’ ‘bout hope as the numbers climb.

They don’t hear the midnight crying tune,

Just the clink of glasses in a private room.

(Pre-Chorus)

Mama said, “Baby, keep your pride,”

Even when the truth’s got nowhere to hide.

So I tap my toe on a fault-line beat,

Make a ballroom outta broken streets.

(Chorus)

Yeah, I smile through the static, dance through the pain,

Laugh real loud so I don’t go insane.

Bills stack high like a runaway train,

But I still got rhythm in my veins.

They count their gold, we count the days,

Still I fox-trot through the haze.

If hope’s just sparks in the flames,

I’ll smile through the static, dance through the pain.

(Bridge – breakdown, electro-swing beat drop)

Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, don’t lose your cool,

Whole world playin’ us for fools.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, hear that sound?

That’s my heart still swingin’ around.

They can’t tax my two-step,

Can’t repossess my soul,

When the system skips a beat—

I steal the rhythm back and roll!

(Final Chorus – big, brassy)

So I smile through the static, dance through the pain,

Paint red lipstick on the strain.

Ain’t sayin’ it’s easy, ain’t sayin’ it’s fair,

But I’m still standin’, baby—I’m still there.

When the lights go out and the music frays,

I’ll lindy hop through better days.

Till the world remembers our names,

I’ll smile through the static…

Yeah, I’ll dance through the pain.

(Outro – spoken, wink in the voice)

Band might stop…

World might fall…

But as long as there’s a beat—

I’ll be movin’ through it all.