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, or this past?

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 receivin' god

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?