[Intro — dark guitar riff, half-spoken gang vocal] Oh, oh— Everybody wants a cut. [Verse 1] Rain on the awning, midnight blue Black sedan and a table for two Gold-tooth grin with a sharkskin hand “Dreams don’t move till they change command” He slides me a future in a cigarette case A little white lie with a dead man’s face I sign my name where the ink runs thin The door swings wide and the wolves lean in [Pre-Chorus] One more promise, one more floor Every lock just makes me want it more I hear my conscience in the elevator wire Going down as I climb higher [Chorus] Shake hands with the velvet knife Everybody wants a cut tonight Buy the moon, put the stars on cue But when the lights go black, the room owns you High-rise heart on a short, short fuse Win the world with your blood on the shoes Raise that glass to the perfect view When the lights go black, the room owns you [Post-Chorus] The room owns you Yeah, it knows what you’ll do [Verse 2] Name on the marquee, smoke in my lungs I learned to smile with a forked tongue Friends get quiet when the numbers climb Love waits up, but I never have time I feed the papers a beautiful line Leave my fingerprints under the shine Every favor wears a hidden chain Every champagne toast tastes like rain [Pre-Chorus] One more promise, one more floor I don’t recognize my shadow anymore Hear my conscience in the elevator wire Going down as I climb higher [Chorus] Shake hands with the velvet knife Everybody wants a cut tonight Buy the moon, put the stars on cue But when the lights go black, the room owns you High-rise heart on a short, short fuse Win the world with your blood on the shoes Raise that glass to the perfect view When the lights go black, the room owns you [Bridge — drums pull back, vocal turns exposed] I wanted the key, not the cage Wanted the crown, not the weight Now every mirror has a witness Every doorway knows my name If I could buy one clean tomorrow I’d spend every dirty dime But the elevator only rises And I left myself behind [Guitar Solo — melodic opening, then fast harmonized climax] [Breakdown — stalking riff, call and response] Who’s at the table when the whole town sleeps? Who keeps the secret? Who keeps the receipts? Who’s gonna love you when the deal comes due? You own everybody— [Drum stop] But the room owns you! [Final Chorus — doubled, larger harmonies] Shake hands with the velvet knife Everybody wants a cut tonight Buy the moon, put the stars on cue But when the lights go black, the room owns you High-rise heart on a short, short fuse Win the world with your blood on the shoes Raise that glass to the perfect view When the lights go black, the room owns you Shake hands with the velvet knife You can have it all—just not your life Paint your name where the skyline bruises blue But when the lights go black, the room owns you [Outro — riff decelerates under gang vocals] Everybody wants a cut Everybody wants a cut You owned the city— The room owns you.
