A Little Out of Time
[Spoken, warm male voice] One, two, three… One, two… [Pause] Well, that’s different. [VERSE 1 — ] I was late to my own surprise party, Got there early for the wrong parade. I laughed at a joke on a Wednesday That somebody told me on Monday. I never knew when to join the dancing, Always clapped where the clapping stopped. When the whole room rose for the final chorus, I was still waiting for the first note to drop. There was a girl who said I was peculiar, Said, “You always seem a step behind.” I said, “Maybe everybody’s running, And I’m just taking my sweet time.” [PRE-CHORUS —] Three steps forward, Two steps sideways, Everybody’s got their own highways. I can hear the drummer calling, But I don’t know where the one is falling— [One beat of silence] [CHORUS — ] I’m a little out of time, Half a beat behind the line. Everybody’s marching straight, I’m dancing where they hesitate. Oh, let the whole world hurry by, I’ve got my own reason why. If the rhythm doesn’t fit, I’ll put a little swing in it. [POST-CHORUS — Instrumental hook] [.] [VERSE 2 — Return to 5/4] I had a job where the clock was king, Every second had a place to stand. They could measure every little movement, But they couldn’t understand Why I’d stop to watch the rain come sideways, Or hear a tune in a squeaky door. They said, “You ought to pay more attention.” I said, “What do you think I’m paying it for?” [Piano plays .] There was a man with a golden wristwatch, Kept it polished like a trophy case. Said, “Time is money, better spend it wisely.” Then he ran off at a terrible pace. [PRE-CHORUS — ] Three steps forward, Two steps sideways, Different clocks on different highways. Everybody’s counting something, But the bass keeps quietly thumping— [CHORUS —] I’m a little out of time, Half a beat behind the line. Everybody’s marching straight, I’m dancing where they hesitate. Oh, let the whole world hurry by, I’ve got my own reason why. If the rhythm doesn’t fit, I’ll put a little swing in it. [INSTRUMENTAL BREAK —] [BRIDGE — Sparse, intimate, free-flowing] I used to think there was a doorway Everybody else walked through. Some invisible instruction That I somehow never knew. But I heard a band one evening, And the drummer lost his place. Then the bass player started laughing, And a smile crossed every face. They didn’t stop to straighten out. They didn’t call it wrong. They just listened to each other And kept playing right along. [Spoken] Funny thing about a good band… They listen. [VERSE 3 — Now I don’t need a metronome To tell me when to breathe. Don’t need everybody’s footsteps To decide when I should leave. Got a crooked little cadence, Got a rhythm of my own. And it sounds a whole lot better When I let the thing alone. Got a syncopated situation, Unexpected hesitation, Little bit of improvisation, Whole new interpretation— [Sudden band stop] [Spoken, There it is. [FINAL CHORUS —] I’m a little out of time, Half a beat behind the line. Everybody’s marching straight, I’m dancing where they hesitate. Oh, let the whole world hurry by, I’ve got my own reason why. If the rhythm doesn’t fit, I’ll put a little swing in it. [OUTRO —] [Spoken, ] Right on time. [END]
