Verse 1
Walking through the FiDi, it's post-apocalyptic
These streets are meant for suited folk who talk business
And now they're empty
Only time is plenty
Two years and counting since 2020
I cross the streets to the place we used to go
Where you got a coffee; I got an espresso
And we sipped away the time we slipped away
Caught up on life
How's your wife? How's your day?
But many of you split during the exodus
Left on a bus leaving the rest of us
And although we say hi almost every day
In a window I see you; it's not the same way
Extremes push our lives along, I guess
Never know when we're getting out of this mess
I'm a lifer for now, I'll tell you how it pans out
Sound Cypher from the Bay and I'm wishing you the best
Chorus
We're in the middle of COVID in the Bay
Alcatraz is empty but we're still locked away
Tell me next year is it gonna be OK?
COVID in the Bay
Verse 2
The old joints we ate are barely holding on
Some still closed or rarely open, some gone
The whole industry is hurting
The future of their businesses uncertain
Do you remember early in the lockdown days?
We supported local in a lot of ways
Got takeout from anywhere around
Just wanting to support the people in this town
But also forced to cook at home afraid to go outside
Bounty from Trader Joe's if you could survive the line
Germing down our groceries with Clorox
Hand wash 30 seconds on the clocks
Flour and yeast always out of stock
If you see sanitizer and masks just get it, don't forget TP
And don't just shop big box, shop small
We need them after the lockdown unlocks
Chorus
We're in the middle of COVID in the Bay
Alcatraz is empty but we're still locked away
Tell me next year is it gonna be OK?
COVID in the Bay
Verse 3
So how's it been for you?
And where are we now in 2022?
Stuck in purgatory, we're open and closed
Mask on, mask off
Are we in the clear?
Nobody knows
In-N-Out of minds, is it science or political?
Can't tell what to believe in without being analytical
Can we still be friends if you're wrong?
Can we still be family if you're wrong?
Can we have our wishes halfway met?
Fewer commuters offset change in climate
But Bay Bridge traffic was gone now it's back
Haven't been on BART
The ferry's back on track
One thing I know is the culture's changed permanently
Remote work connected us to those outside the cities
Your grandma learned to dial face to face with the kids
But she's also been exposed to what a Zoom bomb is
Chorus
We're in the middle of COVID in the Bay
Alcatraz is empty but we're still locked away
Tell me next year is it gonna be OK?
COVID in the Bay