[start] [language: English] [Intro | low intimate tenor | natural Haitian English phrasing] Mmm... Sometimes a good love Can scare a man too... Yeah... [Verse 1 | restrained chest voice | close conversational phrasing] You don't slam the door when we disagree You don't make me guess what the quiet means Still, when the room goes still, I count to ten And wait for the leaving to start again Then your hand finds mine and stays right there No test in the touch, no need to prepare Your breathing settles close to me And my shoulders loosen by degrees [Pre-Chorus | soft delivery | tension rising] I learned to brace Before love could turn You leave your hand here Till my body learns [Chorus | memorable hook | layered male harmonies | groove widens] I know better now Love don't have to bruise I know better now I don't have to lose Sleep to read your face Or brace when you move slow Keep on loving me Till my body knows what I know (I know better now...) [Verse 2 | warm tenor | intimate phrasing] Sometimes when you say, "I love you" My eyes go to the door I wait for one more sentence That changes what came before Then you kiss my forehead Leave your palm against my chest You don't ask me to believe you You just let the moment rest [Pre-Chorus | building | hand percussion lifts] You don't force the words You don't turn away You let your thumb move slowly Across my hand—and wait [Chorus | fuller harmonies | stronger drums | falsetto answers] I know better now Love don't have to bruise I know better now I don't have to lose Sleep to read your face Or brace when you move slow Keep on loving me Till my body knows what I know (I know better now...) [Solo | Kompa keyboard lead | vocals absent | rolling bass | rising percussion] [Bridge | bass and piano only | vulnerable low register] Maybe I can miss your call And not decide we're done Maybe you can take an hour And I won't reach for my keys Maybe when you say, "I'm here" I can let the words sit still Let the quiet just be quiet And not make it mean goodbye [Breakdown | deep Gouyad groove | close vocal | call-and-response] You stay... (I know better now) You stay... (I don't count the exits now) Baby... I'm learning... [Final Chorus | climax | gospel harmonies | full groove | falsetto ad-libs] I know better now Love don't have to bruise I know better now I can stay here too I can meet your eyes And let your touch move slow Keep on loving me Till my body trusts what I know (Oh, I know...) (I know...) [Outro | bass and piano | diminuendo: gradual | close breath] My mind already knows... My body takes its time... Stay close... It will catch up. [end]
