[Intro — barroom, glass clinks, solo piano][Verse 1 — female vocal, near-whisper, alone, intimate]After almost four yearsThis can't be limeranceBecause I still love himNo matter how many times he's hurt meI cry every time I thinkI might never hear him sing again[Spoken over music — drunk male voice, distant, indifferent, leaving, never sings]"I'm outta here. Tell her I'll call her tomorrow."[Verse 2 — female vocal, voice breaking]It's probably best for the both of usIf he could just leave me aloneBefore he hurts me so muchThat I end up hating himBecause I can't seemTo walk away myself[Pre-Chorus — female vocal, barely holding it together — HER ACTUAL WORDS, VERBATIM]I'd give anything to just be his friend'Cause then at least he might actually care about me[Chorus — soulful powerful female lead vocal, strings rising]My red flagThe warning I keep walking throughFour years of tryin' to leave youAnd I still can't cut you looseYou say you want something realThen you won't even hold my handMy red flagI can't seem to walk away, I can't[Verse 3 — male vocal, low and warm, gentle support, half a smile in his voice]She's cryin' on my shoulderI just let her let it goI'm not here to fix herI'm just here so she knowsSomebody's steady stayin'When the whole world walks on outA fox don't chase a fairyHe just guards her while she grieves[Spoken over music — drunk male voice, indifferent]"Where's my bottle? I said I'm gone."[Verse 4 — second female vocal, warm, knowing]Hey fox, I see youSeeing the fairy — and I see both of you[spoken, warm] Come here, girl. Dance with me.[Two female voices trading lines, dancing, raising each other's spirits]Look at him one last time, girlI can't look away, TrixThen look at me instead — we're dancin' tonightHe never even sees meI see you, honey, I see all of it — and I love you anywayTake my hand, don't let goI got you, girl — I got both of you[Verse 5 — female lead vocal, quiet, half to herself, music softens — THE DARK SONG, MANDATORY]He sent me a song the other nightSaid quit trying to love me — listen to it twiceI know he'll never feel the way I feelAnd I have to accept thatEither walk away — and I can'tOr just deal with it[Pre-Bridge — female vocal, almost a prayer, quiet dread — MANDATORY]He's talking 'bout a job an hour awayAnd God forgive me, I hope he takes it'Cause maybe far is the only wayI'll ever stop showing up[Verse 6 — male vocal, low and warm, singing softly to her, steady, never says the word love]If he takes that job, I'll help you packIf he stays, I'll still be standing hereYou don't owe me nothing — not one thingJust know somebody's got your backNo matter what comes, no matter what don'tYou ain't never gonna cry alone[Spoken over music — second female voice, warm, arms wrapped around them both]"I see you. I see you both. I love you both."[Bridge — female lead with the other two voices humming beneath, piano and a heartbeat, gospel hum begins]It's probably best for the both of usIf you'd just leave me aloneBefore you hurt me so muchThat I end up hatin' youBecause I can't seemTo walk away myself[Final Chorus — all three voices singing together, female full belt, male singing "your red flag", gospel choir swelling, hopeful]My red flag! (your red flag!)The warning I keep walking through!Four years of tryin' to leave youAnd I still can't cut you loose!You say you want something realThen you won't even hold my hand!My red flag — and maybe this timeI can walk away, I can[Outro — music lifts to a hopeful major chord, all three voices together, soft, hopeful][female lead, hopeful] Maybe he'll take that job an hour away[second female, hopeful] And maybe far is where you finally breathe[male, warm, smiling] And I'll be right here, fairy — whenever you look up[all three voices together] After almost four years...[female lead, softly, at peace] Maybe this time... I look up.[piano ends on a hopeful major chord — one last glass clinks]
