What does 알바 mean?

ANSWER: part-time job

알바 is a shortened form of 아르바이트, which means side job or part-time job. 아르바이트  is the Korean pronunciation of the German word arbeit, which, from what I have read, just means work or job, so Koreans seem to have changed the meaning from job to part-time job.

Below is a nice but sad little song by a young female duo named 헤일 (HAIL). The two girls' names are 우지원 (U Ji-won) and 박예린 (Pak Ye-lin). They came up with the name HAIL by combining their family names 우 and 박 to form 우박, which is the Korean for the English word hail. Ji-won is the singer, and Ye-lin is the instrumentalist.

The title of the song below is "알바" (Part-time Job), from HAIL's extended play recordings "말로 표현할 수 없었던" (It could not be described with words). According to the lyrics of the song, the girl is working part-time in what seems to be a bar. Apparently, the girl used to have a boyfriend who is now a famous singer, and whose song is one of the songs that plays every thirty minutes in the recorded music used in the bar. And every time she hears the song, she is reminded of her heartache.

I really like the way the focus is on the lyrics while the guitar and other instruments are used only to keep a subtle beat and to introduce and punctuate.

우지원 on the left and 박예린 on the right -- Source

"알바"
"Part-time Job"

다섯 시가 됐어 빨간색 유니폼

It's five o'clock, so I'm in my red uniform

오래된 운동화 그래 그 운동화

and my old tennis shoes, yes, those same tennis shoes.

30분에 한 번 돌아올 우리 노래

Once every thirty minutes our song will replay

우리를 예쁘게 박제한 니 가사

your lyrics, the ones that beautifully preserved us.

퇴근할 때까지 정확히 14번

Before work ends, it'll play exactly fourteen times,

나오는 우리 헤어지지 말자 어쩌구

saying, "Let's always be together," blah, blah, blah.

눈물이 날 것 같지만

Though I feel I might start crying,

  

아직 손님이 많아

still too many customers.

착하지 마음아

Heart, be nice, [don't make me cry].

오늘도 난 테이블을 닦아 

Today again I'm wiping off tables.

음음 음음 음음

술병을 정리해 

Stocking liquor bottles

음음 음음 음음 

난 주문을 받아

Taking people's orders.

음음 음음 음음 

너의 목소리는 언제나 빛나네

As always, your voice is bright and glimmering.

여전히 누구나 공감할만한 곡을 써

As before, your songs speak to everyone's heart.

그때의 나를 맘대로 지어내놓고서

Back then you freely wrote me into all your songs. 

우리라는 말로 잘 포장해놨네

[Back then] you nicely wrapped them up with the word "we,"

시간이 지나면 분명 너의 노랜 

[Back then I knew], in time your songs would surely be 

유명해져서 어딜 가나 흘러나오고

famous and playing everywhere we would go.

난 세상이 존경할 이름이 될 거라

I knew your name would be respected 'round the world

우린 뜨겁게 꿈을 꿨는데

Back then we were dreaming fiery hot dreams,

오늘도 난 테이블을 닦아 

Today again I'm wiping off tables.

음음 음음 음음

술병을 정리해

Stocking liquor bottles

음음 음음 음음

난 주문을 받아

Taking people's orders.

음음 음음 음음

다섯 시가 됐어 빨간색 유니폼

It's five o'clock, so I'm in my red uniform

오래된 운동화 그래 그 운동화 

and my old tennis shoes, yes, the same tennis shoes.

30 분에 한 번 돌아올 우리 노래

Once every thirty minutes, our song will replay

우리를 예쁘게 박제한 니 가사

your lyrics, the ones that beautifully preserved us.