[Key: E Dorian | Mode: Dorian | Chord Progression: Em7-A-G-D (Verses/Chorus), C#m-A-B (Bridge) | BPM: 104 | Style: Wry Nocturnal Jangle-Pop Post-Punk, British Indie | Vocal Identity: Female Deadpan Contralto, British Accent, Near-Monotone, Dry Close-Mic] [Dry Solo Bass Intro, 2 bars, E Dorian, Walking Fingerstyle Bass Alone, No Vocals] [Wry Observational Verse 1, 12 bars, E Dorian, Deadpan British Contralto, Walking Bass and Clean Telecaster Chime, Light Drums] Top deck, front seat, the last bus home With the heating turned up far too high I rub a porthole in the window And let the lit up houses file on by There's a man with a curry on a settee And a cat on the sill giving me the eye His name is Derek, he's forty one Does nights at a depot, and he's fine He rings his mum on Sundays Saving up for Lisbon, though he won't say why [Dry Wondering Chorus, 8 bars, E Dorian, Same Deadpan Contralto, Telecaster Chimes Open Up, Light Drums Steady] I don't know the first thing about you But I've given you a name A job, a sister, a favourite mug And a reason you're home late I've never once been wrong about it Because nobody's asked me why So I'll keep on filling in the blanks Till the bus has passed you by [Amused Domestic Verse 2, 12 bars, E Dorian, Deadpan British Contralto, Walking Bass and Sparse Telecaster, Light Drums] A few stops on, a kitchen lit like a shop Two of them stood at the sink, not speaking She's washing, he's drying, and the tea towel Gets passed along like a ceasefire that's holding Her name is Priya, she's a paralegal He's called Tom, and he's thinking about the car Six years together, give or take And they've both been saving what they meant to say For a better night, which never comes Because the plates are clean and then it's late [Dry Wondering Chorus, 8 bars, E Dorian, Same Deadpan Contralto, Telecaster Chimes Open Up, Light Drums Steady] I don't know the first thing about you But I've given you a name A job, a sister, a favourite mug And a reason you're home late I've never once been wrong about it Because nobody's asked me why So I'll keep on filling in the blanks Till the bus has passed you by [Tentative Certain Verse 3, 8 bars, E Dorian, Deadpan British Contralto, Walking Bass and Sparse Telecaster, Drums Thinning Out] Then a top floor flat with every light on Even the hall and the bathroom A woman at a table with her tea gone cold I've given her a sister up in Leeds A job she's good at, and a fern that's thriving She's busy, she's happy, she's perfectly fine I'd put my money on it every time [Quiet Turning Bridge, 16 bars, C# Minor, Contralto Closer to the Mic, Drums Drop Out, Bare Walking Bass and One Sustained Telecaster Note] Then the bus took the bend by the bakery And the glass went dark, and someone was in it Top deck, front seat, looking back at me So I tried it, just to see I gave her a name, and it came easily A job, a mum she hasn't rung For a month of Sundays A flat that's tidy... And a reason she's not home this late I was certain of every detail Right up to the second I asked Who told me that I was fine I've never been sure of any of it I only ever say it with a straight face Like I know... [Quietly Unsettled Final Chorus, 8 bars, E Dorian, Deadpan Contralto Unchanged, Walking Bass and Telecaster Chimes Open Up, Drums Return Softly] I don't know what to say about you But I've given you a name A job, a sister, a favourite mug And a reason you're out this late I've only ever been wrong about it But nobody's told me why So I'll keep on filling in the blanks Till the bus has passed you by [Unresolved Outro, 4 bars, E Dorian, Contralto Fades Out, Bare Walking Bass and Sparse Telecaster, Vocal Fade] Another window, lit... Somebody's put the kettle on And he's called Colin... I think [Solo Instrumental Outro, 8 bars, Decrescendo, Telecaster Drops Away, Bare Walking Bass] [Smooth slow fade, clean outro note]
