Life in a Box

Ooo
Ooo
Ahum, ahum
Ahum, ahum

Work hard for ten thousand hours
But take time to smell the flowers
Be happy, productive, be sane
Be focused, build your brand, build your name

Ooo
Ooo
Ahum, ahum|
Ahum, ahum

See the world but stay grounded
Chase the dream and you will have found it
Make money, make family, make waves
Be charming, look good on paper, and one day on your grave

Isn’t this what you asked for?
(Or) is it hard to be you
Truly you, fully true
To yourself in a box?

Ooo

I’m just like you, I want it all
And I don’t want my kingdom to fall
‘Cause I’ve worked very hard to ensure and secure my crown
How can I risk it if it might come crumbling down?
All for the sake of a psychotic break leap of faith?

But isn’t this what we ask for?
(Or) is it fair to expect
Very much in return
From a life in a box?

Ooo
Ooo
Ahum, ahum|
Ahum, ahum
Ahum, ahum|
Ahum, ahum

Musicians
Jesse Strickman - vocals, acoustic guitar and glockenspiel
McKay Garner - drums, percussion and keyboard/sound design
Rocio Marron - violin and viola
Joshua Michael - grand piano
Kevin Goldberg - acoustic upright bass
Maya Balachandran - violin plucks

Recorded by
McKay Garner at McKay Mix (San Francisco and Oakland, CA), Maryam Qudus at Tiny Telephone Recording (San Francisco, CA), Terrence Watkin at Perk’s Place (Westlake Village, CA), and Nixie Davidsohn at Music Barn (Nipomo, CA) and in Jesse’s parents’ attic (Oakland, CA)

Mixed & Mastered by
McKay Garner

Produced & Arranged by
Jesse Strickman
McKay Garner

Additional harmony vocal arrangement by Joshua Michael
Additional string arrangement by Rocio Marron

Written by
Jesse Strickman

Capo 6th fret

Intro:
C

“Oooo” section:
C | Am 3x
C/G | Am/E 2x

Verse:
C | Am 2x
F | G | C | Am
F | G

Chorus:
Dm | Dm | G | C/G Am (extra half measure of Am)
G | C/G 3x

Bridge:
F | G 2x
C/G | Am | F | G
F | G 2x
F | C/G G