Money is Weird
Alex Wilson
Description
A mid-tempo, outlaw-tinged Americana track with a gritty, foot-stomping shuffle beat. Acoustic guitar provides the foundation, augmented by swampy slide guitar, a driving kick drum, and a subtly syncopated upright bass line. A touch of mournful fiddle underscores the sentiment. Alex Wilson's gravel-warm vocal delivery leans into an ironic and truthful exploration of money's strange power. The choruses swell with raw, gang-style harmonies, creating a communal, half-joking, half-serious punch that invites listeners to reflect on their own relationship with wealth and value.
Lyrics
(Verse 1) Teacher’s chalk squeaks out supply and demand, But I’m starin’ at a wrinkled bill in my hand. Says “In God We Trust,” but I ain’t so sure, It buys me a beer, but it don’t buy pure. Work all week, pockets still feel thin, Funny little paper keepin’ score of sin. (Chorus) Money is weird, don’t make no sense, Builds a mansion, can’t fix a fence. Buys a diamond, but not good sleep, Makes folks lie, makes poor men weep. It’s just numbers on a screen that disappear, Yeah, money is strange—money is weird. (Verse 2) Neighbor’s farm sold for a shopping mall, Now he stocks shelves where he once stood tall. A kid in sneakers costin’ more than my pay, Still ridin’ the bus every damn day. Preacher says tithes’ll open Heaven’s door, But I seen rich men beggin’ for more. (Chorus) Money is weird, don’t make no sense, Buys fake smiles, buys false pretense. Fills your tank, but it drains your soul, Leaves you empty with a wallet full. It’s a cruel little king we all revere, Yeah, money is strange—money is weird. (Bridge) Ain’t no harvest without the rain, Ain’t no joy without the pain. But somehow we all bend the knee, To green ghosts and currency. (Verse 3) Politicians promise a golden age, While wages stay stuck on the same old page. The factory whistles used to call the shots, Now robots hum in the parking lots. They say it trickles down, but it lands in the street, A cold consolation for calloused feet. (Chorus) Money is weird, don’t make no sense, Builds a church, but can’t buy repentance. Feeds the hungry, or fuels a war, It’s a key without a lock on any door. Just a paper promise we’ve all revered, But Lord knows the truth—money is weird. (Outro) Yeah, chalkboard lessons fade and disappear… But I’ll still be singin’, money is weird. Money is weird, y’all…so, so weird.