[Verse 1] New money slips in quiet Through the bank-door handshake Fresh cash lands first At the price that’s still awake They buy those bonds back At the old tag on the shelf While the rest of the line Pays more and more for itself One group gets the first call One group gets the late fee Same paper, different hour Same game, different key [Pre-Chorus] First crack, first gain Then the ripple runs through By the time it hits your pay The number’s already new [Chorus] First crack first (first crack first) First gain first (first gain first) Assets rise, wages chase That’s the way the money works First crack first (first crack first) First gain first (first gain first) You get paid after the change And the gap gets worse [Verse 2] Owners feel the lift first In land and stocks and deeds A saved-up house gets harder For the ones who live on needs Your check comes in later After prices learn to climb The cart is full of old promises And less buys every time They say it’s just a channel But the channel has a door And the people with the key Always seem to get more [Pre-Chorus] First crack, first gain Then the tide rolls out By the time it reaches you It’s a different amount [Chorus] First crack first (first crack first) First gain first (first gain first) Assets rise, wages chase That’s the way the money works First crack first (first crack first) First gain first (first gain first) You get paid after the change And the gap gets worse [Bridge] Not magic, not neutral Just timing with a crown The ones already holding Feel the floor move down So look at where it lands And who gets fed first When the price tag changes hands Somebody else gets burned [Final Chorus] First crack first (first crack first) First gain first (first gain first) Assets rise, wages chase That’s the way the money works First crack first (first crack first) First gain first (first gain first) You get paid after the change And the gap gets worse
