VERSE ONE BEN AND ANGELO WALKING HOME, HEAD DOWN AN ALLEY THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE LEFT ALONE. THERE WAS A FLASH OF LIGHT AND THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE. AND YOUNG ANGELO DIED GRABBIN’ FOR HIS THROAT.
VERSE TWO WHEN YOUR “HOMETOWN” PAPER IS OWNED IN L.A., NO ONE GIVES A DAMN ABOUT ANOTHER DEAD KID TODAY. “SO WRITE IT UP, BUT BURY HIM BENEATH THE FOLD.” NINE LINES, NO NAMES, THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE.
CHORUS DO YOU THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AMERICAN DREAM, ALWAYS PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON THE PEOPLE DOWNSTREAM? MIGHT BE A NIGHTMARE . . . IS THERE A NIGHTMARE IN THE AMERICAN DREAM SQUEEZING OUT EVERYTHING DOWNSTREAM?
VERSE THREE YEARS LATER, BEN IS IN THE MARKET FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN, AND BIG MIKE IN A SUIT SAYS “I’LL PUT YOU INTO ONE FINE HOME.” ALTHOUGH HE KNOWS OUR BOY HAS GOT A LOW-PAID JOB IN SALES, FOR MIKE, A COOL FIVE GRAND FROM A SCAM TOO BIG TO FAIL. A SCAM TOO BIG TO FAIL.
VERSE FOUR SO BEN, THE MARKETS CRASHED. YOU LOST THAT HOME. YOU LOST THAT JOB. YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN. AND DON’T EXPECT ANY HELP TO STAY AFLOAT. YOU KNOW THAT MONEY ONLY MOVES UPSTREAM AND THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE. YOU KNOW THAT MONEY ALWAYS MOVES UPSTREAM, AND THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE.
