First Class No Class. ISRC-CB-GWT-26-00251

[Verse 1] Hey, you're not welcome in first class, In your jeans and your cheap old jacket. “Are you sure you're at the right desk?” She looked at me and checked my ticket. No lounge, no drinks, no fancy glass, I sipped my tea and watched them pass. At a fast-food joint beside the gate, I learned that first class could wait. [Verse 2] No one hung my coat as I walked in, An old man bumped me on the shin. He had to reach his wife beside me— I moved along and let him in. No silver tray, no grand salute, No one cared about my suit. A first-class flight is no big deal, When you've got somewhere else to seal. [Chorus] I took the cheap bus fare to sleep, In a hotel room both small and cheap. The breakfast was bad, the service worse, But I've stayed in places even worse. No golden bed, no royal meal, Just another story in the deal. I took the cheap bus, slept till dawn— And carried on, and carried on. [Verse 3] I stepped into the boardroom fight, The rivals came prepared to bite. Investors sat to watch the show, Waiting to see which way we'd go. I was the CTO, dressed plain, And knocked their arguments down again. The European sponsors stared, While my rival left by city bus fare. [Verse 4] I sat through term sheets with the lawyers, God, that lunch was something awful. I would have picked the hawker stand— A bowl of noodles, hot and simple, man. Forty-three hours later on, I walked into the first-class lounge. Nobody stopped me at the door, The instant noodles were no big deal anymore. [Verse 5] The attendants spotted me aboard, “Welcome back! You didn't stay for more?” I took my seat, with drinks around, While whispers floated through the cabin: “Fly it safe.” Then I looked around— Twenty-four of the country's top brass Were sitting quietly in first class. The attendants watched and said no more. [Verse 6] No welcome waiting when I landed, I cleared the line and soon was gone. Back to the buffet, all-you-can-eat, A simple table, something sweet. The investor line will come next time— But I don't have to fly the line. The CTO title hangs above, An empty badge I'm still thinking of. **[Bridge]** Where's my incentive when the year is done? The CEO comes strolling in: “Stop talking. I don't share my wealth.” Well, that's one way to settle things. [Chorus / Final] I took the cheap bus fare to sleep, In a hotel room both small and cheap. The breakfast was bad, the service worse, But I've stayed in places even worse. First class,

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• #violin
• #oompa
• #comic
• #male