[Verse 1]

Up and down the shining aisles

The all-night grocery store on Melrose

Dozens of us exiles from the mothership

The whole wide western world is at our fingertips

But while the moon hangs high above the city

And while the night begins to flex its jaws

We meet up like a loose-knit congregation

Or like spies who need to pass on information

[Chorus]

How much longer are we supposed to stay alive?

Gathering by the Portuguese sardines in aisle five

[Verse 2]

Mounds of California avocados

Like offerings to an unresponsive god

I wore my suit from Hong Kong to the store tonight

'Cause it fits me just right

And suddenly the lights out in the parking lot

Begin to burst like sodas under pressure

One by one they throw themselves against the night sky

And almost unremarked upon the moment passes by

[Bridge]

Though one or two of us point our fingers outside

Eyes glazed, mouths wide

[Verse 3]

Listening to that still small voice within us

Doesn't seem to do us any good

Try to take that in stride

And try to let the moment slide

And we fiddle with our cellphones

Until our thumbs are sore

And the music on the speakers overhead

Is fainter than the voices of the dead

[Chorus]

How much longer are we supposed to stay alive?

Gathering by the Portuguese sardines in aisle five