[Intro, close room tone, acoustic guitar alone, dry male baritone enters after 2 bars, raw heartland Americana feel] [Verse 1, intimate and plainspoken, no band yet] Hear what they're saying Thank you for playing A fool dreams and fools line up to pay [Verse 2, add warm bass very lightly, electric guitar tremolo in the distance] See where this is going The eyes keep on rolling Till a stranger dies And strangers can't look away [Chorus, drums enter softly, wider heartland-rock lift, backing singers stay out] This is just a bad dream She whispers in the evening Now, the time has come for you to rise These American Eyes [Verse 3, pull back to acoustic guitar, bass, and dry snare taps] Court is in session Your silence is in question A flower fades But flowers still dance in the rain [Verse 4, add darker electric guitar, low strings underneath, slow tension rising] Try, if you're able Freedom is a fable The devil grins And devils are coming your way [Chorus, full band, restrained strings, bigger but still human] This is just a bad dream She whispers in the evening Now, the time has come for you to rise These American Eyes [Bridge, backing singers enter for the first time, call-and-response feeling, band grows urgent] Can you recognize these American Eyes? Can you recognize these American Eyes? Can you recognize these American Eyes? Are you really surprised You believed all the lies? [Final Chorus, full heartland band, backing singers behind the lead, electric guitar ringing, drums wide but dry] This is just a bad dream She whispers in the evening Now, the time has come for you to rise These American Eyes These American Eyes Don't you dare close your eyes! These American Eyes [Outro, band drops away, acoustic guitar ends alone]
