[Verse 1 — conversational, acoustic guitar]
I went to buy a laptop,
A modest little thing:
A place to put the half-made songs
I haven't learnt to sing.
The clerk said, “Memory’s expensive.”
I said, “I’ve heard the news.”
He said, “We have a cloud solution.”
I said, “I’d like to choose.”

[Verse 2]
He showed me what the memory cost.
I asked if that was right.
He said, “The big boys need it all
To teach the world to write.”
I didn’t ask him for the world.
I’d brought enough to pay.
He said, “Let’s talk efficiency,”
And turned the screen my way.

[Chorus — warm, quietly stubborn]
I’d like a little memory,
A laptop of my own.
Some room for unfinished verses,
Some time to be alone.
I’ll pay the price that’s on the card.
I’ll switch it off at night.
There’s more than one thing worth doing
With a little blinking light.

[Verse 3 — a corporate jingle creeps in]
The screen above the counter
Had a fellow in a chair.
He said it was quite terrible
To leave my memory spare.
He’d found a use for every chip,
A purpose for each byte.
I wondered if he bought his bed
To sleep both day and night.

[Instrumental — slide guitar answers an officious synthesiser]

[Spoken bridge — bass and brushed snare]
He can bid for what he wants.
I’ll pay for what I choose.
I don’t require his blessing.
Just a receipt will do.

[Final chorus — fuller band]
I’d like a little memory,
A laptop of my own.
Some room for unfinished verses,
Some time to be alone.
I’ll pay the price that’s on the card.
I’ll switch it off at night.
There’s more than one thing worth doing
With a little blinking light.

[Outro — guitar and room sound]
I bought the extra memory.
Went home and shut the lid.
I paid to have it waiting.

And it did.