Nobody Up Here

"Where'd you go?"

My manager said, "Quick word before you leave"
I said, "Sure"—took the service stairs
Badge still clipped, shoes in a tote bag
Eleven flights and a mouthful of air
Pushed that door with a hip and a prayer
A whole wall of orange above the street
My drink on an air-con box like a table
Streetlights in a puddle at my feet

Down there, I'm a number on a rota
Up here, there's nobody to be good for

Nobody up here wants a thing from me
(Nobody, nobody)
Nobody up here tells me who to be
(Nobody, nobody)
Gravel in my tights, wind in my teeth—
I can breathe—nobody up here

Up! (Up!)
Nobody to answer to
Up! (Up!)
Let the wind come through

Then the girl from accounts came up with a speaker
"Don't tell." "Tell who?"—and the pigeons flew
By nine, six of us out on the gravel
A song from two thousand and nine came through
The guard came up, one hand on his radio
We froze. He tried not to smile
He radioed down, "False alarm," and stayed—
By the next chorus, he was singing too

Down there, we're the names they spell wrong
Up here, we're singing every word

Nobody up here wants a thing from me
(Nobody, nobody)
Nobody up here tells me who to be
(Nobody, nobody)
Gravel in my tights, wind in my teeth—
I can breathe—nobody up here

Up! (Up!)
Nobody to answer to
Up! (Up!)
And the guard sings too

Eleven flights. One door
No access. (Watch me)
Clap twice. Stamp once
Come on—right here with me

I've been careful for so long
Careful in the meeting. Careful in the lift
I step on her foot. "Sorry" slips out
She takes my hand. "Don't stop"

Nobody up here wants a thing from me
(Nobody, nobody)
Nobody up here tells me who to be
(Nobody, nobody)
Gravel in my tights, wind in my teeth—
I can breathe—nobody up here

Nobody's title made it up the stairs
(Nobody, nobody)
Six of us now and the guard sings too
(All of us, all of us)
Split in my shoes, wind in my teeth—
Room to breathe—everybody up here

Up! (Up!)
Nobody to answer to
Up! (Up!)
Look who's dancing next to you

Just the wind and everyone I like
Everybody up here