THE RAVEN (1990’s L.A. GANGSTA STYLE)

[Intro — spoken, low and ominous] Yeah... Los Angeles. 12:03 in the morning. Rain on the boulevard... City lights bleeding through the blinds. And I was sitting there alone... Thinking about her. Thinking about the one thing I couldn't bring back. Then I heard it... Knock... knock... knock... ________________________________________ [Verse 1] Midnight on the west side, rain on the glass, Neon on the pavement, memories of the past. Bottle on the table, record turning slow, I was talking to her picture like she might say hello. Seven months gone, but I still hear her name, Every room in this apartment don't feel quite the same. Her perfume in the closet, her jacket by the door, I swear I saw her shadow dancing across the floor. Then— Knock, knock, knock. I froze in my chair. Nobody should be knocking 'cause nobody was there. I grabbed my .38, moved quiet to the door, Looked through the peephole... Nothing on the floor. Then— Knock, knock, knock. I opened it wide. Cold night air came rushing like something stepped inside. I looked down the hallway. Nothing but black. Then I heard wings— WHUMP! Something landed on the fire escape. ________________________________________ [Pre-Chorus] Black feathers in the window, Eyes like burning chrome, Big shadow on the moonlight, But I knew I wasn't home. He stared right through me, Like he knew what I had lost... I said, “Tell me, bird... Can I get my baby back?” ________________________________________ [Chorus — deep, hypnotic] NEVERMORE... That's all he said. NEVERMORE... Inside my head. “Will I see her someday?” NEVERMORE. “Will this pain ever fade?” NEVERMORE. “Can I leave this nightmare?” The bird just stared at me... NEVERMORE. ________________________________________ [Verse 2] Now I'm talking to a bird like a fool in the night, But something in his eyes told me this wasn't right. I said, “You came from somewhere, some cemetery gate? You got a message from the other side or did I just lose my faith?” He tilted his head. Didn't make a sound. Then flew from the window and circled the room around. Landed on the bust above the door, Black wings spread wide, like he'd been waiting there before. I said, “Was she alone when she crossed that line? Did she think about me at the very last time?” The raven looked down. His eyes burned red. Then he opened his beak... And the whole room shook. “NEVERMORE.” ________________________________________ [Chorus] NEVERMORE... That's all he said. NEVERMORE... Inside my head. “Will I hold her again?” NEVERMORE. “Will I dream her tonight?” NEVERMORE. “Will somebody save me?” The raven didn't blink... NEVERMORE. ________________________________________ [Verse 3 — faster, increasingly paranoid] Now the walls getting closer, the ceiling getting low, Streetlights through the curtains start to flicker and glow. The record keeps spinning but the needle won't move, Same four bars repeating like it's stuck in a groove. I hear her voice whisper, “Baby, come home...” But when I turn around— I'm still alone. The raven starts laughing. Or maybe that's me. I see feathers in the mirror where my reflection should be. I said, “You ain't a bird. You're a messenger from hell.” He said nothing. But I swear that I heard a bell. Then every light went out. Every clock stopped dead. And her voice came screaming from inside my head. I dropped to my knees. I begged, “Let her go!” The raven spread his wings... And the whole room turned cold. ________________________________________ [Bridge — stripped down, whispered] I asked him: “Is there heaven?” Nevermore. “Is there forgiveness?” Nevermore. “Is there another life?” Nevermore. “Is there somewhere I can find her?” Long silence... Then— NEVERMORE. ________________________________________ [Verse 4 — emotional climax] Sun came up over L.A., but I never saw the dawn. Rain stopped falling... But the darkness carried on. Police found my apartment with the front door wide. No footprints in the hallway. No bird outside. Just feathers on the carpet and her picture on the wall. And a chair by the window where I swear I heard her call. They said I was dreaming. They said I needed sleep. But every night at midnight I hear those wings above me. Now I don't leave the apartment. I don't answer the door. 'Cause every time I hear that knocking— I already know what's coming for me. ________________________________________ [Final Chorus — huge, dark, layered vocals] NEVERMORE... From the streets to the sky. NEVERMORE... Till the day that I die. “Will I ever forget her?” NEVERMORE. “Will I ever be free?” NEVERMORE. “Is she waiting somewhere?” The raven looks at me... NEVERMORE. ________________________________________ [Outro — spoken] So if you're driving through L.A. at three in the morning... And you see a black bird sitting on a telephone wire... Don't stop. Don't look up. And whatever you do... Don't ask him about the dead. Because once he knows your name... He'll follow you home. Nevermore. ...Nevermore... ...Nevermore...