[INTRO bright but gentle Christmas street ambience, distant carol choir, soft piano and glockenspiel in 6-8, upright bass and brushed drums fade in, no vocals yet, hint of accordion and fiddle] [VERSE 1 male lead, rough but warm, close and intimate over piano, guitar and soft sleigh bells Rain on the glass and tinsel in the gutters Last train has gone and the late crowd mutters Neon halos on the puddled street Choirs in the distance, half-price meat Got a paper crown from a barroom floor It says king for a night, I have been here before Spent my change on a lukewarm tea And every car that passes looks a bit like we] [PRE CHORUS 1 male voice lifts, drums and brass swell, subtle backing “ahh” choir I missed the last ride back to who we were But I am still saving this empty seat for her] [CHORUS 1 male and female duet, full band, major-key lift, clear Christmas feel with bells and choir On the night bus, Christmas Eve Where the lost hearts go when they cannot quite leave Every stop is a maybe, every light a sign And I swear I hear your laugh in every brake-line whine If you are out there, freezing too Under bargain-store stars and a plastic moon I will ride this circle till it turns to us Merry Christmas from the back of the night bus] [VERSE 2 female lead, clear and emotional, band drops softer, glockenspiel and accordion answering vocal lines I am by the window in a charity coat Got your old scarf wrapped round my throat Smells like smoke and cinnamon still From the flat we had above the hill Watched the landlord hang the fairy lights While we fought through rent and silent nights Now the driver hums Silent Night off key And the empty seat beside me feels a lot like we] [PRE CHORUS 2 female lift, fiddle and brass decorate, gentle choir pads I missed the last chance not to let you go So I ride past the places only we would know] [CHORUS 2 both singers stronger, harmonies thicker, brass band and bells more present, real Christmas-anthem energy On the night bus, Christmas Eve Where the lost hearts go when they cannot quite leave Every stop is a maybe, every light a sign And I swear I hear your voice in every engine whine If you are out there, freezing too Under bargain-store stars and a plastic moon I will ride this circle till it turns to us Merry Christmas from the back of the night bus] [MIDDLE 8 call and response, band swells to a cinematic, carol-like peak with brass and choir Male: There is a billboard selling perfect snow Female: There is a doorway where the soft lights glow Male: There is a couple kissing by the late-night store Female: And a choir that cannot hit the notes anymore Male: I would trade all the candles and the choirs that shine Female: For your cold hands finding these cold hands of mine Both: For a busted cracker joke and your tired old grin And a key in the lock as the year draws in] [BREAKDOWN spoken and half-sung over very sparse piano and soft distant choir, bells only on the bar ends Male: If you hear this in the creak of the seats and the hum of the road Female: If you see my face in the fog on the glass Male: There is a place here with your name in the dust Female: One more ride, one more Christmas on the night bus] [FINAL CHORUS big major-key lift, full brass, loud bells, big backing choir and gang vocals on last lines On the night bus, Christmas Eve Where the lost hearts go when they cannot quite leave Every stop is a question, every street a rhyme And I still keep our promise one stop at a time If you are out there, hurting too Under second-hand lights and a half-lit moon I will ride this circle till it turns to us Merry Christmas from the back of the night bus Merry Christmas from the back of the night bus] [OUTRO instruments only, brass and fiddle echo the chorus melody, choir humming softly like a carol, sleigh bells fade with the bus engine into quiet winter night]
