Deceivers Recognize Deception - Polished Promises -

[Intro, Em pedal tone and driving eighth notes; dry close male vocal, room bleed] Deceivers recognize deception The room turns cold when the grin gets wide Every clean excuse has a crooked side Deceivers recognize deception [Verse 1 — Betrayal and Dishonesty, Em-C-G-D clipped downstrokes; picked bassline, tape-saturated guitars] A promise walks in wearing Sunday clothes Leaves by the back while the front door shines Every handshake carries a borrowed name Every witness learns how to praise the game I kept the faith till the faith wore thin Now every answer sounds rehearsed again [Pre-Chorus — Emotional Burnout, climbing bass against held minor chords; call-and-response backing vocals] I’m too drained to feel concern Or be afraid anymore No more bargaining with the burn No more waiting by the door [Chorus — Depression and Hopelessness, anthemic Em-G-D-C progression; stacked gang vocals, punchy snare] I’m too drained to feel concern or be afraid anymore I feel like my chance to recover has already passed Don’t sell me another polished promise about a better tomorrow Maybe nothing will improve, and I’ve stopped fighting that truth Deceivers recognize deception Deceivers recognize deception [Verse 2 — Political Disillusionment, palm-muted minor-key drive; spring-reverb guitar stabs, close-mic vocal] They raised a banner over unpaid dues Painted every failure as public news Said the road was open, charged us at the gate Then blamed our empty pockets on the weight I watched good reasons turn to alibis Till mercy learned to advertise [Pre-Chorus — Emotional Burnout, suspended chords with snare lift; rough double-track vocal, live-room spill] I’m too drained to feel concern Or be afraid anymore The loudest cure became the sore And I don’t buy it anymore [Chorus — Depression and Hopelessness, wide minor-key release; distorted chord guitars, call-and-response gang vocals] I’m too drained to feel concern or be afraid anymore I feel like my chance to recover has already passed Don’t sell me another polished promise about a better tomorrow Maybe nothing will improve, and I’ve stopped fighting that truth Deceivers recognize deception Deceivers recognize deception [Bridge — Resignation After Failed Change, half-time Em with descending bass; spoken-to-shouted male vocal, tape compression] Betrayal wears a reasonable face Burnout leaves without a trace Hopelessness counts every cost Disillusionment names what was lost Resignation shuts the final door Then asks what all the noise was for [Breakdown, single-note guitar throb and tom hits; whispered lead, distant gang response] Don’t sell me another polished promise [Backing vocals, clipped response] Not tomorrow Don’t sell me another polished promise [Backing vocals, shouted response] Not anymore [Final Chorus, full-band double chorus in Em; overdriven guitars, crashing cymbals, raw gang vocals] I’m too drained to feel concern or be afraid anymore I feel like my chance to recover has already passed Don’t sell me another polished promise about a better tomorrow Maybe nothing will improve, and I’ve stopped fighting that truth Deceivers recognize deception Deceivers recognize deception I’m too drained to feel concern or be afraid anymore Don’t sell me another polished promise about a better tomorrow Deceivers recognize deception Deceivers recognize deception [Outro, Em stop-time hits; dry close vocal, amp hum and room decay] Maybe nothing will improve And I’ve stopped fighting that truth Deceivers recognize deception