About the song
A story for this song hasn’t been added yet.
Words from the artist’s archive
LEASED LIFE lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Intro
Living room glowing blue, kid asleep on my ribs Scrolling past the overdue like I ain't see what it is
Verse 1
Delivery day they rolled it through the door like a promise Sectional, L-shape, store called it the Monarch Forty-seven payments, twenty-nine a week, said it slow Like the number wouldn't sting if he whispered down below My daughter ran the cushions, I stood signing where they pushed in First stain came a Tuesday, grape juice, second week Spring poked through the middle where my son always sleep That's the trophy right there, nobody ask how it's lit
Pre-chorus
Everything I'm sitting on got someone else's name Whole apartment full of furniture and none of it's a claim
Chorus
Sitting on what ain't mine Leased life, leased time Every room look furnished but the owner ain't arrived Sitting on what ain't mine
Verse 2
Phone rang during Bluey, I could see the 800 number Flipped my voice to cheerful like the kid won't hear the thunder Yes ma'am I understand, I'll have it by the fifteenth She said that last month, I swore I said the twelfth, see I mix the dates, I mix the amounts, girl said I lost the count Told her twelve hundred, might've been thirteen I had to keep the face on, remote in one hand Daughter asking for a snack like the call was something planned
Pre-chorus
Everything I'm leaning on got interest still accruing Whole apartment decorated and it's quietly undoing
Chorus
Sitting on what ain't mine Leased life, leased time Every room look furnished but the owner ain't arrived Sitting on what ain't mine
Verse 3
Rep came Thursday, clipboard and a tape measure Sized the couch like he was appraising hidden treasure Left a yellow notice on the door, bright as a bruise Ms. Henderson saw it, asked me everything cool I said yeah we remodeling, you know how it go Changed the subject same breath, nobody had to know Posted living room flicks on the timeline, caption blessed Said nine hundred for the set, truth is I forget
Bridge
My kid asked me straight, Daddy do we own it Or we giving it back like the TV, just be honest I wanted to say baby everything is fine But the couch, the table, the rug, all borrowed time Telling two stories and I'm losing the thread One where I provide, one where I'm in the red
Verse 4
One version I got side hustle money tucked Sold the PlayStation, pulled a shift, we came up Other version that's the rent I couldn't float Robbing one envelope just to stuff another note Both are true depending on the hour you ask me Three AM I'm honest, noon I'm laughing, looking flashy Couch still sinking in the middle like my credit score Every spring that poke through is a promise I ignore
Verse 5
Pawned the speaker set to keep the sectional another month Funny how you sell what's yours to rent what you want One day I'ma walk in somewhere, cash flat on the counter No clipboard, no contract, no weekly reminder But tonight I'm still here, dent in the same cushion TV off, kid sleeping, calculator pushing Telling myself temporary, same thing I said in June Same couch, same story, same borrowed room
Chorus
Sitting on what ain't mine Leased life, leased time Every room look furnished but the owner ain't arrived Sitting on what ain't mine Leased life, leased time
Inside the recording
Living room glowing blue, kid asleep on my ribs Scrolling past the overdue like I ain't see what it is
Everything I'm sitting on got someone else's name Whole apartment full of furniture and none of it's a claim
Sitting on what ain't mine Leased life, leased time
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.