Pay the Band First

Pay the band first
Then we talk about the rest

Thirty-seven people, eight of them our friends
Door man counted twice, then he counted it again
Drummer had a bus to catch across the other side
Bass man fixed his cable with a knot and borrowed wire
I had a speech about the way we built a thing
They had cases in their hands and early shifts to begin
Put the envelope down, read the names off the sheet
Saw the drummer check the time, moved the talking to next week
I could buy a bigger jacket, make the picture look alive
But a picture doesn't get these people home tonight
Wrote the last check, kept enough to fill the tank
Told the room that stayed behind who they really had to thank
We didn't sell it out; I won't dress it like we did
But nobody went home asking where their money is
That's a little kind of winning I can stand behind
When the camera isn't running and the room has killed the lights

If the name out front is mine
Then the promise has to be

Pay the band first
Before you put the crown on me
Every hand that helped this room get moving
Gets to take a little of the night they made with me

Big room called and said they liked the sound
Then they asked if we could leave the other players out
Said a track would cost me less and make the changeover clean
Said the people came to see the face they saw upon the screen
For a second I could see it, all the names up on the wall
Then I heard the missing people in the picture of it all
No villain in the room, just a price I couldn't take
Had to choose the kind of promise I was willing to make
Told him what it cost to bring the sound he'd called about
He went quiet; I let quiet finish working itself out
We found another date, smaller room, a decent split
Brought the band and put the proper names beside the instruments
Bass man bought a cable, drummer brought his little girl
She fell asleep while we were making all that noise for half the world
I stood back when they took the photograph beside the van
For once I stood beside them, let the whole crew in the frame

Pay the band first
Before you put the crown on me
Every hand that helped this room get moving
Gets to take a little of the night they made with me

I used to call it family when the money wasn't there
Like a word could pay the difference, like a promise made it fair
Now I say the number clearly, write it where we all can see
If I can't afford the promise, I don't ask them to believe

Pay the band first
Before you put the crown on me
Every hand that helped this room get moving
Gets to take a little of the night they made with me

Pay the band first
Then we talk about the rest
The last one signed beside their name
I put the pen away