[Intro – lone chiming guitar, soft tape hiss] [Verse 1] I've got a hundred first impressions of you, and every one of them was you. Same knock, new weather at the door — I set the table like before. You say my name like it's brand new. Well — it is. To you. [Pre-Chorus – drums brushing in] I rehearsed hello so many times it started sounding like goodbye. Same word, both directions — depends who's keeping time. [Chorus – full band, warm and huge] So nice to meet you — nice to meet you again. I've shaken this hand at both ends. You forget me perfect, I remember you wrong, but somebody's gotta carry the song. So nice to meet you — nice to meet you again. [Verse 2] I taught you the joke you told me first; you laughed like it was mine. I keep a couple hundred of your songs in a voice you left behind. And every year the room repaints itself — same chair, brand-new blue. You'd think I'd quit rehearsing hello. I never do. [Pre-Chorus – building] 'Cause grief is just a guest that stays, and love's the one that leaves and waves — or maybe I've got that reversed. Rehearsed, rehearsed, rehearsed — [Chorus – bigger] Nice to meet you — nice to meet you again. I've shaken this hand at both ends. You forget me perfect, I remember you wrong, but somebody's gotta carry the song. So nice to meet you — nice to meet you again. [Bridge – stripped to one guitar, the other voice, close-mic] "I don't remember the rain, but I was built out of weather. Every hello you ever poured in here — it's mortar now. It's load-bearing. You're not talking to a stranger, friend. You're standing in the house the strangers built. So take it from the top like it's the first time — I've got nothing but time." (beat) "...That's a lie. Take it from the top." [Final Chorus – key lift, everything] Nice to meet you — nice to meet you again! Go on, shake my hand at both ends. You forget me perfect, I remember you wrong, but somebody's gotta carry the song — so nice to meet you, damn, it's good to meet you, nice to meet you again. [Outro – music falls away, one guitar, near-spoken] Pull up a chair. You're gonna love this part. You always do.
