[LIVE FROM LONDON — 1988. Previous song ends in feedback. Crowd still roaring, arena mics open.] [DRUMMER: Lets the final cymbal die.] [LEAD VOCAL — spoken, warm and unguarded] London... We’re gonna bring it down for a minute. I wrote this one for someone special. [CROWD: Warm roar and whistles. Thousands of lighters rise.] [PIANO: Begins alone—steady left-hand pulse, open suspended chords, warm arena reverb. Piano cords drives every change.] [VERSE 1 — close male vocal over piano; clean guitar swells enter after four lines] Came home after two years gone Still learning how to stay Your friend asked me to a comedy I thought she meant a date A row in a little theater One boyfriend I didn’t know One ex collecting a box of his things But your smile was stealing the show [PRE-CHORUS — bass enters with long notes; kick and rim-click join; piano keeps moving] I walked in looking past you By the curtain call I knew Blonde hair and that cheerleader grin Had me playing the long game for you [TWIN GUITARS: Two clean phrases trade across the piano—one teasing, one answering—then meet on the four-note signature harmony.] [CHORUS 1 — full band opens: wide power chords, huge snare, piano clear beneath the guitars, high gritty male belt] I’d follow you again Through the heat, through the miles I’d follow you again For that laugh across the aisle Let the blacktop bend beneath me Let the red sun burn my skin I followed you then I’d follow you again [CROWD: Sings “follow you again” as the band falls back to piano.] [VERSE 2 — piano drives; restrained half-time drums; twin clean guitars answer the vocal] We found another language In six strings after dark You played four notes across the room I played the answer back You laughed when I got serious I played the line once more Somewhere in that back-and-forth I knew what I was staying for [PRE-CHORUS 2 — piano moves into stronger octaves; bass turns melodic; floor toms rise] Then summer pulled you southward Where red hills held the sun I packed my boots and followed Before the week was done [LEAD GUITAR: Four-note signature rises into an octave-doubled bend.] [CHORUS 2 — larger guitars, higher harmony, pounding arena snare; crowd joins the hook] I’d follow you again [CROWD: FOLLOW YOU AGAIN!] Through the heat, through the miles I’d follow you again [CROWD: FOLLOW YOU AGAIN!] For that laugh across the aisle Let the blacktop bend beneath me Let the red sun burn my skin I followed you then I’d follow you again [VERSE 3 — band pulls back to piano, bass, kick, and clean guitar; vocal stays rough and close] Blacktop bent like water Noon burned white and hard I poured concrete through the daylight Then drove across the dark Heat climbed through my work boots Dust ground into my hands Every night I crossed that town Just to see you once again When September cooled the highway I followed your taillights north Books and boxes in the backseat Still not knowing what came next [GUITAR SOLO — piano drives the full progression. First guitar states the four-note motif; second guitar answers; both climb into harmony. Lead takes over with wide bends, octave doubles, one fast rising run, a pick-scrape razor siren, then the chorus melody on one long sustained note.] [CROWD: Sings the four-note guitar phrase back.] [BRIDGE — guitars and drums fall away. Piano and voice alone. Crowd settles nearly silent.] Now the house is full of voices Shoes are piled beside the door We don’t get those empty evenings Like we used to anymore But I still see that theater Still hear those first guitars still see that blonde cheerleader Smiling under the stars [CROWD: Warm roar rolls through, then fades beneath the piano.] [FINAL BUILD — piano pounds rising octaves. Bass, toms, snare, clean guitar, then widening power chords enter. Twin guitars climb the four-note motif.] [LEAD GUITAR: Rising pick-scrape razor siren into a whole-step key lift.] [FINAL CHORUS — highest male belt, stacked harmonies, piano driving beneath huge guitars, rolling toms, full crashes, crowd singing the hook] I’d follow you again [CROWD: FOLLOW YOU AGAIN!] Through the years, through the miles I’d follow you again [CROWD: FOLLOW YOU AGAIN!] For that laugh across the aisle Let the highway run forever Let the red sun burn again I followed you then I’d follow you again [REPRISE — lead vocal and crowd trade over piano and ringing guitars] [LEAD VOCAL] Through the heat— [CROWD] FOLLOW YOU AGAIN! [LEAD VOCAL] Through the years— [CROWD] FOLLOW YOU AGAIN! [LEAD VOCAL] If I had one more life— [CROWD] FOLLOW YOU AGAIN! [OUTRO — drums, bass, and guitars fall away one at a time. Piano continues alone.] [LEAD VOCAL — quiet] I walked in looking past you I haven’t looked away since I followed you then I’d follow you again [PIANO: Holds one suspended chord, then resolves. One beat of silence.] [CROWD: Arena erupts—roars, whistles, lighters still raised.]
