First Crack First

[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