[Silence]
[Instrumental, Guitar, Piano, Organ, Synth, Bass, Percussion, Drums]
[Intro]
[Instrumental Intro: Pulsing Bass, Organ Swell, Muted Guitar Chops, Rising Synth Filter]
[Minimal Beat, Sub Bass, Spoken Vocal]
Ching, ching
(Ding. Ding.)
Billions paid…
(Every year)
But when it comes back…
(What appears?)
Nothing… just lack.
[Instrumental]
[Bass Solo]
[Organ Stabs, Driving Bass, Snare March]
[Verse 1]
April comes calling
(Time to pay)
Working all year
(Just to send it away)
Promises printed
(Shiny and new)
But the change that returns
(Is a nickel or two)
[Chorus]
Short changed
(Every time)
Billions taken
(Not a dime)
Short changed
(Year by year)
Billions vanish
(Disappear)
[Instrumental Interlude]
[Synth Riff — restless]
[Electric Piano Stabs]
[Walking Bass]
[Verse 2]
Schools need fixing
(Roads in decay)
Hospitals waiting
(Day after day)
Money goes flying
(Out of the gate)
But the bill comes back
(To the working state)
[Pre-Chorus]
Count the billions
(Stacked so tall)
But when they spend it
(We get small)
[Chorus]
Short changed
(That’s the deal)
Paper fortunes
(Never real)
Short changed
(Stack the pay)
Billions gone
(Every day)
[Bridge – Breakdown]
[Percussion, Sub Bass, Spoken Vocal]
Check the ledger…
(Check it twice)
We pay the price…
(We pay the price)
Still short changed…
(Every time)
[Instrumental]
[Guitar Solo — sharp and biting]
[Organ Stabs, Driving Bass, Snare March]
[Instrumental Jam – Extended]
[Synth Solo — spiraling upward]
[Organ Solo — gritty protest tone]
[Saxophone Solo — raw and bluesy]
[Driving Bass Groove]
[Snare March Intensifies]
[Final Chorus – Crowd Chant]
Short changed!
(Every time!)
Billions paid!
(Not a dime!)
Short changed!
(Every year!)
Where’d it go?
(Disappeared!)
[Outro]
[Minimal Beat, Organ Pad, Slow Bass Pulse]
Billions of dollars…
(Stacked to the sky)
But the change we get back…
(Is barely a dime)
Still short changed…
(Every time)
Feeling robbed…
(Here I sob)
[Instrumental Fade]
From the album “Billions“