[Verse 1] The wheel quit knocking an hour ago. I checked it twice before letting go. Clean shirt, good rings, six strings in hand; Still can’t say what the hell I’ve planned. Oil in the creases the soap won’t reach, A whole damn song instead of speech. “Just something I made” is my best disguise. Then I sing your name and spoil the lie. [Pre-Chorus] I know what to do when the bearings scream. Don’t know what to do when you matter to me. Can’t find a joke that’ll make this disappear. Fuck it. I want you here. [Chorus] I want you here. There, I said it. Let the whole damn cavern hear. All this noise to say I miss you; All these jokes to hide the fear. Let the wheel turn without me. Let the water take its course. I want you here. I’m gonna sing it Till I’ve shouted myself hoarse. [Verse 2] I learned to be useful before I was grown, One more pair of hands when the money got low. Carried my share, then I carried some more, Till I couldn’t sit still without keeping score. Now I count my worth like the coins in my coat. Hate how that bargain gets stuck in my throat. Nothing needs fixing. The work’s all clear. I’m out of excuses. I want you here. [Chorus] I want you here. There, I said it. Let the whole damn cavern hear. All this noise to say I miss you; All these jokes to hide the fear. Let the wheel turn without me. Let the water take its course. I want you here. I’m gonna sing it Till I’ve shouted myself hoarse. [Bridge] I’ve said things I don’t get to take back. A sweet tune won’t make that right. I owe you words when the strings go quiet; “I was wrong” won’t need stage lights. Then comes the part I keep rewriting, Scratching holes in the same old page: I love you. There. No clever ending. No joke to make it go away. [Final Chorus] I want you here. There, I said it. Let the whole damn cavern hear. All this noise to say I miss you; All these jokes to hide the fear. Let the wheel turn without me. Let the water take its course. I want you here. I’ll still mean it When I’ve sung this whole thing hoarse. [Outro, spoken] I love you. There. That part wasn’t the guitar.
