[Intro - 4 bars of sparse, felt piano notes, capturing silence] (Instrumental) [Verse 1 - Narrative, low chest voice, recalling wild youth] I thought that squandering was just being free Back in those afternoons of reckless ecstasy We roared against the wind, reaching for the stars in the sky Believing we could own the universe, you and I That innocence, a wine that never seemed to end That ignorance, a broken warmth we tried to mend [Pre-Chorus - Cello enters with long, mournful bows] The streetlights flicker, growing dim and pale Your shadow fades, a ghostly, blurred-out trail The wind brushes my face, nowhere for my tears to hide A thousand words are locked away deep inside Trapped on the tip of my tongue, frozen in the cold Stories untold, left for the night to hold [Chorus 1 - Eb minor, subtle sub-bass, heavy vocal weight] Destiny’s a dream, just a fleeting light Waking up to nothing in the dead of night Loving was a sting, a beautiful pain The echoes of us still dancing in my brain Even if I turn away and never look behind I’m still standing here, the ghost you left to find [Verse 2 - Slow blues drums enter, bluesy electric guitar textures] That corner in the cafe, our favorite place to sit Where we’d fight all night, refusing to ever quit So stubborn, believing we could break the hex of fate Now it’s just an empty space, a little too late The laughter from the past, the ghost of your grin It cuts through the silence like a needle on my skin [Bridge - Modulation to E major, cinematic peak, soulful resonance] Oh Time, can’t you just slow down your pace Let me take one last look at your smile, at your face Everything we were, if I could do it all again I’d hold on so tight, I’d never let it end [Crescendo - Powerful soulful resonance, not screaming] [Final Chorus - E Major, grand and emotional release] (Destiny’s a dream, just a fleeting light) Waking up to nothing in the dead of night (Loving was a sting, a beautiful pain) The echoes of us still dancing in my brain Even if I turn away and never look behind I’m still standing here, the ghost you left to find [Outro - All instruments cut to a single cello note, whisper delivery] That was our madness, our beautiful fire My final flicker, my last desire You’re long gone, and I won’t look back again Goodbye... my sweet innocence.
