[Verse 1]
In nineteen seventy-one they faced a choice
America's gold was flowing out
The Bretton Woods system losing its voice
What options did they have to talk about?
[Chorus]
Print less money, buy more gold, lend out dollars too
Sounds so simple, sounds so right, but here's what logic knew
Three things can't live together in this monetary space
Global liquidity, fixed rates, and domestic policy's pace
[Verse 2]
Option A said "tighten up the belt"
Keep thirty-five dollars to an ounce
But austerity's a pain that's always felt
And gold runs come when politics announce
[Chorus]
Print less money, buy more gold, lend out dollars too
Sounds so simple, sounds so right, but here's what logic knew
Three things can't live together in this monetary space
Global liquidity, fixed rates, and domestic policy's pace
[Verse 3]
Option B said "flip the trade around"
Export more and import way much less
But partners need those dollars to stay sound
Deflation brings a global economic mess
[Bridge]
Capital controls might slow the bleeding down
Two-tier markets split the price in town
But leaks appear and credibility fades
Every clever fix just masquerades
[Verse 4]
The fundamental problem won't go away
Reserve demand keeps growing every year
But gold supply can't match that kind of play
At fixed exchange rates, crisis must appear
[Chorus]
Print less money, buy more gold, lend out dollars too
Sounds so simple, sounds so right, but here's what logic knew
Three things can't live together in this monetary space
Global liquidity, fixed rates, and domestic policy's pace
[Outro]
That's why Nixon had to make the break
Some things you just can't fake
In monetary space
You can't have it every way