Penny Wise from Ledgerflip by Minterra

A walking bassline steps heavy, cutting a path for Penny’s unvarnished reports from the floor of the market. This isn't theoretical; it's the grind of the Triers, watching every last coin lose its fight against the rising tide. The lines "Dollar stretches thin like rubber in the rain" and "Street-level economics ain't the same as boardroom dreams" aren't just clever; they're the direct observations of a life where the numbers on a ticker tape are felt as a punch to the gut. The beat holds an introspective weight, a head-nodding rhythm that feels less like a dance and more like a shared, weary acknowledgement of systemic friction. This isn't just about current prices; it echoes every past downturn, every time the little guy got squeezed by invisible hands. As the track unfolds, that quiet tension builds, the verses laying out the raw facts, but then the chorus opens wide. What starts as an individual observation morphs into a defiant, collective shout. Those extended call-and-response sections aren't just structure; they are the voice of a community, finding power in unison against forces designed to break them down. It’s meant to land like a cold splash of reality, making you feel the concrete beneath your feet, grounding the abstract struggle in a shared human cost.

Tracklist

3.	Penny Wise	3:18

Lyrics

Listen up, let me break it down real clear
Penny's got the wisdom when the storm draws near

Dollar stretches thin like rubber in the rain
Grocery bills climbing while the wages stay the same
Triers on the corners watching prices spike and soar
What we bought for five now costs us ten or more
Purchasing power fading like the ink on last week's check
While the fat cats in the towers never feel the economic wreck

Penny wise, pound foolish, that's the game they play (they play)
Making millions while the working folk just fade away
Penny wise, pound foolish, but we see it clear (so clear)
Time to flip the script when the people's voice you hear

Coffee shop closed down, rent too high to stay
Corner store boarded up just yesterday
Opportunities vanishing like smoke up in the air
While they talk recovery, we're drowning in despair
Street-level economics ain't the same as boardroom dreams
Reality hits different when you're bursting at the seams

Penny wise, pound foolish, that's the game they play (they play)
Making millions while the working folk just fade away
Penny wise, pound foolish, but we see it clear (so clear)
Time to flip the script when the people's voice you hear

Education costs more than our parents ever paid
Healthcare bills so high, we're financially afraid
Housing market locked up tight, keys thrown away
But they wonder why the youth got nothing left to say
Grassroots understanding what the experts never learned
When your bridges all are ashes, can't go back where they were burned

Penny wise, pound foolish, that's the game they play (they play)
Making millions while the working folk just fade away
Penny wise, pound foolish, but we see it clear (so clear)
Time to flip the script when the people's voice you hear
Penny wise, we rise, won't be fooled no more (no more)
Building something better from the ground up to the core

Penny for your thoughts, but wisdom costs much more
Keep your eyes wide open, see what we're fighting for

Credits

from Ledgerflip, released July 3, 2025

License