[Intro] (SFX: Sharp synth chord stab and a crisp snare drum strike sync up perfectly for an abrupt, waking hit)(Slap bass guitar instantly locks into a driving, syncopated rhythm) (Drums drop a steady 113 BPM groove with electronic percussion accents) (Clean-tone electric guitar adds rhythmic, percussive scratches underneath) (The Bm7 to Em7 funk groove loops smoothly for 4 bars / 8 seconds) [Verse 1] (Chords: Bm7 to Em7 loop) (Lead vocals enter with explosive soul energy, crisp and immediate) I’ve been laid off from work, and my rent is overdue Got a landlord at the doorstep screaming what he’s gonna do Looked at my little babies, they’re walking on the soles of their feet Need a new pair of shoes just to walk across the freezing street I went down to the office, said I need a little grace, I need a hand But the man behind the counter didn’t care to understand [Chorus] (Chords: Bm7 to Em7 loop) (Soulful backing harmonies join the lead, backing up the groove) Oh, money’s too tight! (Too tight to mention!) Yeah, the cash is all gone, running on tension! We’re falling through the cracks of a grand design Trying to survive on the bottom line! Money's too tight! [Verse 2] (Chords: Bm7 to Em7 loop) (Slap bass pops harder, electric brass synth lines punch through) I called up my big brother, said "I'm sinking in a hole, can you spare a dime?" He said, "Man, I’d love to help ya, but I’m losing all my own damn time." I dialed up my old man, but his voice was shaking on the wire Said the factory shut down and they’re throwing his dreams in the fire The bank clerk told me "Sorry, it's just a run of miserable luck" Can't get my pension money, and the safety net is completely stuck! [Chorus] (Chords: Bm7 to Em7 loop) (High-energy, wide-ranging vocal delivery) Oh, money’s too tight! (Too tight to mention!) Yeah, the cash is all gone, running on tension! We’re falling through the cracks of a grand design Trying to survive on the bottom line! Money's too tight! [Bridge] (Chords shift dynamically: A → Bm → G → D) (Synth textures expand into rich jazz-funk voicings: D/A – G#m7b5 – Gmaj9) (Vocals rise to a passionate, fiery critique) Now they’re sitting up high on Capitol Hill Passing around every corporate bill! Yeah, they're looking at the numbers from a mile away While the working man is the one who has to pay! (Chords shift: A → Bm → G → E → A7) They call it a "recession" when they speak on the news But we’re trapped in a depression and we're paying the dues! They're shouting out "Cut-back!" from the television screen Living out a fantasy while breaking our machine! [Guitar & Synth Brass Interlude] (Rhythmic funk guitar chops trade licks with staccato electronic horn hits) (The driving 113 BPM drum kit maintains a tight pocket) [Verse 3] (Chords return to: Bm7 to Em7 loop) (Vocals drop to a gritty, soulful simmer before building back up) No extension on the check, they wiped the benefits clean away Leaving millions of us stranded with nothing left to say You can call it supply-side, you can give it a shiny name But the pockets at the top are the only ones winning the game [Chorus / Outro] (Chords: Bm7 to Em7 loop until fade) (Vocals hit an explosive, wide-ranging peak with ad-libs) Oh, money’s too tight! (Too tight to mention!) Yeah, the cash is all gone, running on tension! (We can't take it no more!) They keep yelling cut-back! (Cut-back!) But we're living on the track! Money’s too tight... yeah, it's way too tight to mention! (Slap bass and drum groove continue to pop as synth horn hits fade out)
