[Intro | fingerpicked acoustic guitar, soft piano, bass slides in warm and clear, no drums yet] [Verse 1 | soulful intimate male vocal, acoustic guitar and piano, bass round and present, close and quiet] I'm out on the front step, jacket half on, a thought pushes through: did you lock the door? And one right behind it: did you turn off the stove? One part of me is certain. Another begs to check. I know it well — and leave it be, and head on down to my bike. The morning's been up for hours, the street is wet, and something in my chest is light. [Verse 2 | drums enter with crisp stick groove, snare tight and clear, bass melodic and upfront, steady forward motion] At the checkout my groceries lie out of order, twos and threes and one — I count, but don't rearrange. The phone rings while the belt keeps rolling, a strained voice softening the blow: you'll have to move. "I'll look into it," I say — and do: before the bags are packed, the search is running, a word sent out to those who know someone. Time is working now, and the day is still mine. [Chorus | full band, powerful bass high in the mix, punchy stick drums, Hammond organ swell, horn accents, vocal opens up with passion] Is that you walking in my steps again — the easy stride I had before it all? My body found its own way home, it walked twenty years with and ten years without. I'm steady on light feet. [Verse 3 | band pulls back, acoustic guitar and piano forward, bass soft but clear, evening calm, tender heartfelt vocal] I walk toward what was my home this morning — I know I'll soon be living somewhere else. I think of my friend and catch myself smiling: he can't stop me from loving him. A message comes through — a viewing, if you want it. I text back thanks. It can wait till morning. And I sleep one more night with the door left open. [Chorus | full band, driving bass and crisp stick drums, organ and horns, soulful vocal with grit, layered harmonies] Is that you walking in my steps again — the easy stride I had before it all? My body found its own way home, it walked twenty years with and ten years without. I'm steady on light feet. [Bridge | groove light and playful, intimate duet, main vocal answered by same voice in lighter higher register, both tender and alive] [Lighter young voice] Yes, it's me — can you feel it? [Main voice] I haven't been this hungry for a day [Main voice] since we lost track of each other. [Lighter young voice] You went your own way — now our paths cross again. [Both voices in harmony] And we walk on from here — [Both voices in harmony] same steps, same light steps. [Final Chorus | both voices together, fullest band energy, bass and drums driving, horns and organ wide, passionate joyful vocals, unhurried] It's you walking in my steps again — the easy stride I had before it all. My body found its own way home, it walked twenty years with and ten years without. We're steady on light feet. [Outro | band falls away, solo fingerpicked guitar and soft clear bass, hushed heartfelt vocal, night stillness] I close my eyes and it's quiet — not empty, just nothing spinning. I don't sleep deep, I sleep a little, and wake with more than I lay down with. The door is not locked. I know. [End]
