Pictures on a Screen

On the second floor of the new block in the flat with the yellow door Next to the boarded up independent record store Bradley is awake He's watching notches on his clock face Just lying there, thinking, limbs like fallen buildings Feelin' like every day he's ever lived is out to kill him Bradley's got a good job He works in PR He moved south a few months back Top whack flat, all mod cons, wall size windows He's a Manchester boy, done good in the big smoke Young professional, single, Tinder, and flings Life seems simpler than it's ever been He's doing well, he's living the dream, and he's paying the mortgage off He doesn't know why he's not sleeping at nights He could get up, try and walk it off But he's got to get to work in a matter of hours Is he awake or asleep? He can't tell, he can't dream, he can't feel, he can't scream Man, it's 04:18 And life's just a thing that he does He rolls over, cold pillow, warm body At the end of his tether, as usual, he breathes softly He burrows down deep, and he closes his eyes And he thinks, "Is this really what it means to be alive?" The days go past like pictures on a screen Sometimes I feel like my life is someone else's dream Most days I'm dazed, walkin' 'round, I'm workin', talkin', perkin' up But always feel I can't be certain that I've woken up at all Is this life, will this pass? This feeling like I'm lookin' at the world from behind glass Even when I'm laughin' hard, or fallin' on my arse Or half plastered before it's even dark Or when some hard bastard barges past When I'm passin' my targets at work I can't shake the feelin' that life hasn't started It's worse in the evening at parties I'm standing apart, my heart's hard, I can't hardly be heard Still, I'm hopping on, barking out words, is this me? Is this what I'm doin'? I know I exist, but I don't feel a thing I'm eclipsed, I'm elsewhere And the worst part is, I don't think that I care What am I gonna do to wake up? I know it's happenin', but who's it happenin' to? Has this happened to you? I know it's happenin', but who is it happenin' to? Has it happened to you? I know it's happenin', but who's it happenin' to? Has this happened to you? I know it's happenin', but who is it happenin' to? Has it happened to you? I try new things, I shoot films on my phone And I play them back when I'm alone, did that happen? I walk around, tryna understand every sound Tryna make my feet connect with every inch of ground This gaff flattens my cap, battens me down Everything's in its category, packaged in self flattering girls Battle reality, it's battle royale Everyone is chattering, nothing is real, collect my salary Cookin' a meal, right, some vegetables, I exercise regularly How that I feel, visceral melody, is this all that's ahead of me? I always thought that life would mean more to me eventually I hate to think I'll make it to 70, potentially 75 And realise I've never been alive Spend the rest of my days regretting, wishing I could be forgetting I know it's happenin', but who's it happenin' to? Has this happened to you? I know it's happenin', but who is it happenin' to? What am I gonna do to wake up? I know it's happenin', but who's it happenin' to? Has this happened to you? I know it's happenin', but who is it happenin' to? What am I gonna do to wake up?