Who bought?..

Lyrics

[INTRO | ROOM TONE | SOLO VOICE] Ah… Eh— Mm… mm… [K] …nah— they sold it. [VOCAL CHOPS: “SOLD— SOLD”] [VOCAL CHOPS: “EH— EH”] [VERSE 1 | SPOKEN / GRIME CADENCE | PUSHED] Told us— watch them— Told us— fear next door— Told us— blame that face— That name— That flag— That floor— Meanwhile— Keys changed— Locks changed— Rent up— Same street— New price— Same wage— Still stuck— They bought— The bricks— They bought— The land— They bought— The water— Then charged— Our hands— Mum worked— Dad saved— Kids can’t— Get close— Whole life— On tick— Still told— Have hope— Nah— Hope don’t pay— No meter— Hope don’t beat— No rise— They got us— Pointing fingers— While they— Privatise. [VOCAL CHOPS: “RISE— RISE— RISE”] [VOCAL CHOPS: “NAH— NAH”] [BRIDGE A | SUNG | BREATHY | OFF-TIME] Ah— Look up— Not across— Eh— Count up— What we lost— Same road— Different rent— Same work— Money spent— [BG VOX: “AH— AH”] [MANTRA DROP | GRIME / AFRO HOUSE | CALL & RESPONSE] who bought the street? [BG VOX: “WHO?”] who raised the heat? [BG VOX: “THEM”] who made us fight? [BG VOX: “NOT ME”] who sold the light? [BG VOX: “THEM”] don’t blame the neighbour blame the thief don’t bite each other watch the teeth [VOCAL CHOPS: “TEETH— TEETH— TEETH”] [VERSE 2 | SPOKEN / GRIME CADENCE | RUSHED | CLIPPED] They said— It’s them— Coming here— Taking yours— But yours got sold— Years back— Behind— Closed doors— Not by the cleaner— Not by the nurse— Not by the kid— With the empty purse— Not by the driver— Night shift— No sleep— Not by the woman— Counting coins— For heat— Different tongue— Same bill— Different name— Same queue— Different prayer— Same landlord— Same boot— Same view— They love— When we snap— They love— When we shout— Cos while we’re— Face to face— They’re cashing— Us out. [VOCAL CHOPS: “CASH— CASH— CASH”] [VOCAL CHOPS: “OUT— OUT”] [BRIDGE B | SPOKEN → SUNG | BREAK] Er— Hang on— Nah— [SPOKEN] You see it? They don’t need chains now. They got contracts. They got apps. They got fees. They got “market rate”. They got “sorry, prices increased”. [SUNG] Ah— Same cage— New screen— Eh— Same rich— New scheme— [BG VOX: “AH— EH— AH”] [MANTRA BUILD | BIGGER] who bought the street? who raised the heat? don’t blame the neighbour blame the thief who made us fight? who sold the light? don’t bite each other watch the teeth same street— new owner— same work— less pay— same anger— wrong target— same game— new day— [VOCAL CHOPS: “GAME— GAME— GAME”] [DROP BRIDGE | DRUMS + BREATH ONLY] Ah— Eh— Mm— [K] …wake up. Ah— Eh— [VOCAL CHOPS: “WAKE— WAKE— WAKE”] [VERSE 3 | SPOKEN / GRIME CADENCE | STRIPPED] Grandad had— A little bit— Nan had— A door— Parents had— A chance once— We don’t— No more— Not cos— We got lazy— Not cos— We don’t try— We work— Then work again— Still can’t— Get by— They bought— The future— Put it— On lease— Sold back— The basics— Called it— Choice and peace— They told us— Be scared— Of difference— Of change— But rich men— In quiet rooms— Moved all— The blame. [VOCAL CHOPS: “BLAME— BLAME— BLAME”] [BRIDGE C | SUNG | DARK / WIDE] Ah— Not your brother— Eh— Not your street— Mm— Not that stranger— Trying— To eat— Look where— The money— Keeps running— Away— Look who— Gets richer— Each time— We pay— [BG VOX: “EACH TIME WE PAY”] [FINAL MANTRA | LIFT | IMPERFECT STACK] who bought the street? [BG VOX: “WHO?”] who raised the heat? [BG VOX: “THEM”] who made us fight? [BG VOX: “NOT ME”] who sold the light? [BG VOX: “THEM”] don’t blame the neighbour blame the thief don’t bite each other watch the teeth same street— new owner— same work— less pay— same anger— wrong target— same game— new day— look up— not across— count up— what we lost— look up— not across— count up— what it cost— [VOCAL CHOPS: “COST— COST— COST”] [VOCAL CHOPS: “WAKE— WAKE”] [OUTRO | SPOKEN / SUNG | COLLAPSING] Ah— Eh— Still here— Still paying— Still blaming— [K] …nah. [SUNG | FADE] look up— not across— [BG VOX: “NOT ACROSS”] count up— what we lost— [VOX CHOPS: “SOLD— SOLD— COST”] [HOLD]