Greed: "Everything Costs Blood”

[Intro - low, almost spoken] Yeah… They said it’s just business. Funny thing is… it always hits like personal. [Verse 1 - tired, conversational] Gas went up before my tank hit empty Rent came early like it knew I was weak I stood in the store doing math in my head Put the good stuff back, bought what I need And somebody’s laughing from a clean white room Counting pain like it’s quarterly growth They call it a market, call it supply But it feels like hands around my throat [Pre-Chorus - bitter lift] Oil in the water Money in the dirt They call it progress I call it hurt [Chorus - big, rough, singable] Everything costs blood now Every bill, every mile They keep saying hold on Like we haven’t held on for a while Everything costs blood now But the rich don’t feel the cut They sell us the wound Then charge us to stitch it shut [Verse 2 - more anger, still human] War on the screen with ads in between Like death needs sponsors and a cleaner name Some suit says sacrifice, looking well-fed While we pick which debt gets paid late Oil boys grin with their hands still dirty Bank boys smile when the rates go up Allies turn quiet, prices keep climbing And somehow it’s our fault we’re stuck I’m not lazy I’m not blind I’m just tired of losing To somebody else’s bottom line [Pre-Chorus - strained] Gold in the towers Dust in our lungs They call us lucky For what we’ve become [Chorus - heavier, cracked voice] Everything costs blood now Every bill, every mile They keep saying hold on Like we haven’t held on for a while Everything costs blood now But the rich don’t feel the cut They sell us the wound Then charge us to stitch it shut [Bridge - quiet, sad anger] I don’t want a mansion I don’t want the world Just a house that stays standing And peace for my girl But greed wears a nice suit Talks soft like a friend Says, “We’re all in this together” Then robs us again [Breakdown - heavy, shouted, imperfect] Take the oil Take the land Take the future Out my hand Take the rent Take the food Take the truth And call it news Take the hope Take the trust Leave us broke Then blame us [Final Chorus - emotional, not perfect] Everything costs blood now Every bill, every mile They keep saying hold on Like we haven’t held on for a while Everything costs blood now And I’m sick of shutting up They sell us the wound Then charge us to stitch it shut Everything costs blood now Yeah, I know what this is A third world with Wi-Fi And a flag on the receipt [Outro - fading, exhausted] It’s just business… That’s what they said. Funny thing is… I’m the one in debt.