[SONG TITLE] [I Took the Time] [BARKLEY’S POET] [Cold Open — Female Vocal Alone, Breath-Close] I took the time… [One Full Beat of Silence] To let you fly… [Intro — Piano Enters, Distant Pedal Steel] [Verse 1 — Fragile, Restrained] Your picture caught the morning From its place beside the bed For a moment, light moved through it Like the words we never said I used to fight the daylight For arriving without you While the silence filled the hallway And every tear ran blue [Pre-Chorus — Low Cello Rising] I took the time to miss you The time to fall apart The time to sit in silence With both hands on my heart [Chorus — Wide Country-Soul Lift] I took the time To let you fly To lose your hand But keep your light Not in my arms Not by my side But with wings forever In my mind I let the tears fall I let them dry I found my way Because I took the time [Full-Line Echo — Distant] Because I took the time… [Verse 2 — Acoustic Guitar and Brushed Drums Enter] I left your coat there by the door Until the spring came through Then folded every memory Without erasing you Now when your song comes through the radio I do not turn away I let it fill the empty room Then bless another day [Pre-Chorus 2 — Violin Answers Vocal] I took the time to lose you Without losing what was true And every blue tear drying Left a little silver too [Chorus — Stronger Drums, Strings Widen] I took the time To let you fly To lose your hand But keep your light Not in my arms Not by my side But with wings forever In my mind I let the tears fall I let them dry I found my way Because I took the time [Instrumental Turn — Eight Bars, Soaring Violin and Pedal Steel] [Bridge — Piano Only, Near-Silent] Some loves do not leave us They change the way they stay They rise above the sorrow And learn another way [Build — Cello, Heartbeat Tom, Vocal Opens] So I opened every curtain Let the morning cross the floor And the light that once revealed your leaving Led me through the door [Pre-Final Drop — Music Falls Away] I took the time… [One Full Beat of Silence] To heal my heart… [Final Chorus — Full Cinematic Liftoff] I took the time To let you fly To lose your hand But keep your light Not in my arms Not by my side But with wings forever In my mind Every tear that ran blue Turned silver when it dried I did not waste the love I carried it through time I found the strength To say goodbye And found out who I was Because I took the time [Final Echo — Wide Harmony] Because I took the time… [Outro — Piano, Cello and Pedal Steel Descending] Your picture caught the morning Then the light moved through my life [Final Whisper] I’m still glad I took the time…
