Collateral

Indie Folk, Post-Rock, Shoegaze, Slowcore, Sadcore, Dark Folk, Emo, Atmospheric Sludge Metal

**[The song begins with a single, clean electric guitar playing a simple, repeating arpeggio. The notes are sparse and hang in the air. A faint, ambient synth pad drones softly underneath.]**

**(Verse 1)**
I only ever meant to love
I only ever brought my hands held out
Empty, but I thought that was enough
A quiet, good intentioned cloud
But clouds, they only block the sun
And good intentions come undone
I see it now, when all is said and done
The damage I have left in everyone

**[A simple, mournful cello line enters, mirroring the vocal melody.]**

**(Chorus)**
And I am the collateral
The well-intentioned fall
The crack inside the wall you tried so hard to build so tall
I am the sorry echo in the hall
After the good times all
Came down... came down...

**[A soft, simple drum pattern enters—just a kick drum on the 1 and 3, and a brushed snare. It feels like a tired march.]**

**(Verse 2)**
I followed no map, just my heart's north star
But it was faulty from the start
A flickering light that led too far
And tore your world apart
I built my homes on shaky ground
With love, but not a single sound
Of reason... just the frantic, hopeful beat...
The rhythm of my own defeat

**(Chorus)**
**[The drums become slightly more defined. A second, harmony vocal layer joins.]**
And I am the collateral
The well-intentioned fall
The crack inside the wall you tried so hard to build so tall
I am the sorry echo in the hall
After the good times all
Came down... came down...

**(Bridge)**
**[The music swells. The guitar becomes more distorted and reverb-drenched. The drums build, adding cymbals. The cello becomes more urgent.]**
And oh, the wreckage I survey
The faces I turned grey
With my chaotic, clumsy way of caring...
I never meant to leave you bearing
The weight of my undefined, directionless designing...
My love was just a landslide, mining
Everything you had secure...

**[The music reaches its peak intensity, then cuts abruptly. Silence for two beats. Only the faint ambient pad and the raw, dry vocal remain.]**

**(Outro)**
(Whispered, broken)
So I will love you best from right here... alone.
Where my good heart can't break another one of its own.
I'm so sorry for the collateral.

**[The final guitar arpeggio rings out alone, then fades to silence.]**

2276/7500

**[The song begins with a single, clean electric guitar playing a simple, repeating arpeggio. The notes are sparse and hang in the air. A faint, ambient synth pad drones softly underneath.]** **(Verse 1)** I only ever meant to love I only ever brought my hands held out Empty, but I thought that was enough A quiet, good intentioned cloud But clouds, they only block the sun And good intentions come undone I see it now, when all is said and done The damage I have left in everyone **[A simple, mournful cello line enters, mirroring the vocal melody.]** **(Chorus)** And I am the collateral The well-intentioned fall The crack inside the wall you tried so hard to build so tall I am the sorry echo in the hall After the good times all Came down... came down... **[A soft, simple drum pattern enters—just a kick drum on the 1 and 3, and a brushed snare. It feels like a tired march.]** **(Verse 2)** I followed no map, just my heart's north star But it was faulty from the start A flickering light that led too far And tore your world apart I built my homes on shaky ground With love, but not a single sound Of reason... just the frantic, hopeful beat... The rhythm of my own defeat **(Chorus)** **[The drums become slightly more defined. A second, harmony vocal layer joins.]** And I am the collateral The well-intentioned fall The crack inside the wall you tried so hard to build so tall I am the sorry echo in the hall After the good times all Came down... came down... **(Bridge)** **[The music swells. The guitar becomes more distorted and reverb-drenched. The drums build, adding cymbals. The cello becomes more urgent.]** And oh, the wreckage I survey The faces I turned grey With my chaotic, clumsy way of caring... I never meant to leave you bearing The weight of my undefined, directionless designing... My love was just a landslide, mining Everything you had secure... **[The music reaches its peak intensity, then cuts abruptly. Silence for two beats. Only the faint ambient pad and the raw, dry vocal remain.]** **(Outro)** (Whispered, broken) So I will love you best from right here... alone. Where my good heart can't break another one of its own. I'm so sorry for the collateral. **[The final guitar arpeggio rings out alone, then fades to silence.]**

0/500