[Verse 1: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, marching snare] Twenty-six years in a room with no air Forty folding chairs and a broken chair Every fall it's a new crop of shy Mumblin' kids with their eyes on the sky I tell 'em plant your feet, I tell 'em open the door I tell 'em sing to the back row, then sing a little more Somebody back there's waitin' on you So sing to the back row and you'll make it through [Pre-Chorus: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, rising] Then they picked my name from a thousand names Sing before the championship game [Chorus: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, full voice] I don't need a mic to be heard I been throwin' my voice since the very first word Forty thousand people and a cold night sky I'll sing to the back row till the rafters cry [Verse 2: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, the toms rolling in] Walk to the circle in my best black coat Hand on the mic and a knot in my throat Lights on my face and the cameras turn One deep breath like I taught them to learn First note leaves me and the speakers go dead Forty thousand people and a hum overhead Somebody's laughin' in the cheap seats now And I hear my own voice sayin', you know how [Pre-Chorus: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, rising] Plant your feet and open the door Sing to the back row, then sing a little more [Chorus: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, full voice] I don't need a mic to be heard I been throwin' my voice since the very first word Forty thousand people and a cold night sky I'll sing to the back row till the rafters cry [Bridge: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, the stadium going quiet] And they go quiet, section by section Hush runs up the stairs in my direction Players with their helmets in their hands Every kid I ever taught is in these stands Old man in a jersey takes his cap off slow Little girl up on his shoulders mouthin' every note I know [Final Chorus: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, bare-voice finale, last note held] I don't need a mic to be heard I been throwin' my voice since the very first word Forty thousand people and a cold night sky I'll sing to the back row till the rafters cry [Outro: Showstopping musical-theater female lead, guitars and toms ring out] Somebody back there was waitin' on me And I sang to the back row, and the back row could see [End]
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