[Verse 1]
When companies need cash to grow their dreams
They issue bonds like IOUs it seems
But investors wonder - will they get paid back?
That's where the rating agencies track
Every detail of financial health
Measuring risk like measuring wealth
[Chorus]
Triple-A means bulletproof and strong
Investment grade where pension funds belong
Double-B and lower - high yield zone
Where junk bonds dance but risks have grown
Moody's, S&P, and Fitch decide
Which bonds are safe, which bonds collide
[Verse 2]
Investment grade from Triple-A down to Triple-B
These bonds are trusted, low-risk guarantee
But cross that line to Double-B and below
High yield territory where big returns flow
Default rates climb as ratings descend
Higher payments compensate risk's upward trend
[Chorus]
Triple-A means bulletproof and strong
Investment grade where pension funds belong
Double-B and lower - high yield zone
Where junk bonds dance but risks have grown
Moody's, S&P, and Fitch decide
Which bonds are safe, which bonds collide
[Bridge]
Analysts dig through balance sheets and cash
Credit committees debate before they slash
Or boost a rating up or down the scale
One notch can make a billion-dollar tale
Outlooks stable, positive, or negative
Tell us which way the ratings locomotive
[Verse 3]
When downgrades strike from investment to junk
Portfolio rules force massive sales - kerplunk!
But upgrades boost the price and cut the yield
Credit ratings are the market's shield
Protecting buyers from tomorrow's pain
Teaching risk like sunshine after rain
[Outro]
From Aaa to D, the spectrum tells the story
Of corporate debt and credit rating glory
Three agencies guard the bond world's gate
Helping investors calculate their fate