THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE

L’amour ne suffit pas toujours [Intro — Female / Whisper] Female: I thought that time had changed you I thought I’d see it in your eyes (Fuu… haa…) But there you were Still standing Where I left you behind [Verse 1 — Female] Female: Same little words Same careless smile Same way of turning every wound Into somebody else’s trial I learned to fall I learned to rise I crossed a thousand lonely nights And built a life that’s finally mine I didn’t grow To come back to you I grew To come back to myself [Verse 2 — Male] Male: I knew your voice Before you spoke I saw the distance in your eyes But still I reached for hope Maybe I’m late Maybe I’m wrong But every road I ever took Still somehow brings me where you are Female, distant: That’s not enough… Male: Then tell me what is [Pre-Chorus — Call & Response] Male: If I choose you again— Female: I won’t choose the pain again Male: If I still love you— Female: Love doesn’t erase what happened Male: Je te choisirais encore Female: Je sais… Mais non. [Chorus — Female Lead / Male Response / Choir] Female: Je t’aime But you can’t cross this line Male: Je t’aime Give me one more night Female: You can love me You can call my name You can choose me Again and again Male: I would choose you Again and again Female: But love cannot make me Bleed the same way again Choir: Oh— L’amour… L’amour… Female + Choir: L’amour ne suffit pas toujours Male, underneath: Don’t let me go… Female: Sometimes love Is letting go [Interlude — Vocal Harmony] Female Choir: Ah— ah— Je t’aime… Male Choir: Encore… encore… Female Choir: Mais non… Mais non… Together: L’amour ne suffit pas toujours [Verse 3 — Female / Male Overlap] Female: Once I would search For reasons to forgive you Male: I never asked you to— Female: I know Once I would carry What you refused to carry Male: I can change— Female: Maybe you can Male: Then wait for me— Female: No. (Beat stops) Change for yourself Not for me [Pre-Chorus 2 — Building] Male: Was everything we had a lie? Female: No Male: Was everything we felt a lie? Female: No Male: Then why can’t love be enough? Female: Because some wounds Survive the love that made them [Chorus — Bigger] Female: Je t’aime But you can’t cross this line Male: Je t’aime I’m still on the other side Female: You keep choosing me Male: Every time Female: But I finally learned Male: Tell me what you learned Female: To choose myself this time Choir: Choose yourself Choose yourself Female: L’amour ne suffit pas toujours Male: Je te choisirais encore Female: And I believe you But I won’t return [Bridge — Piano Only] Male: If I become the man You wanted me to be… Female: Don’t. Don’t become him for me. Become him Because you finally understand Why you should. Male: And if someday— Female: No promises. Male: Not even someday? Female, whisper: Pas aujourd’hui. Peut-être jamais. Not today. Maybe never. [Final Chorus — Full Orchestra / Duet / Choir] Male: Je t’aime! Female: Je t’aime… Male: Then stay! Female: I can’t. Male: Choose me again! Female: I choose the woman I became! Male: Je te choisirais encore! Female: I know! I know! I know— And that’s what makes this hurt! Choir: L’AMOUR— L’AMOUR— Female — soaring: I CAN LOVE YOU AND STILL WALK AWAY! I CAN REMEMBER WITHOUT LIVING YESTERDAY! Male + Female Choir: Je t’aime… Je t’aime… Female — highest sustained note: L’AMOUR NE SUFFIT PAS TOUJOURS! Full Choir: L’amour ne suffit pas toujours! [Outro — Lonely Piano] Male, distant: I would still choose you… Female, whisper: I know. (pause) Male: Je t’aime. Female: Je t’aime aussi. (long silence) But stay on your side of the line. (Fuu… haa…) Female, almost inaudible: Au revoir.