[INTRO — Low piano, distant distorted guitar] [Spoken — Nyx, quietly exploring] James... How long were you here? [Pause] You knew, didn't you? [Long silence] Oh, sweetheart... [VERSE 1 — Low, smoky, intimate] I saw the way you held her hand When she no longer reached for yours You kept on making future plans While she was looking for the door You learned to live without a touch And told yourself that love takes time You kept on giving twice as much As if that somehow made things right [PRE-CHORUS — Rising tension] I watched you swallow every word And take the blame to keep the peace You thought that if you loved enough She'd find her way back eventually [CHORUS — Explosive, aching, sustained notes] YOU STAYED TOO LONG YOU HELD TOO TIGHT YOU KEPT ON FIGHTING FOR A LOVE THAT WOULDN'T FIGHT YOU GAVE YOUR YEARS YOU GAVE YOUR ALL YOU KEPT ON REACHING WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO HOLD AND I CAN SEE IT NOW WHAT YOU COULDN'T SEE BACK THEN YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO SAVE A MARRIAGE YOU WERE TRYING NOT TO LOSE YOUR FRIEND [VERSE 2 — Darker guitars, controlled anger] I saw the nights you lay awake Beside somebody miles away You measured every word you'd say Afraid of making one mistake You took the silence as your fault And tried to change the man you were But every time you gave some more You disappeared a little further [PRE-CHORUS — Voice beginning to crack] I came inside to find your sins The secrets buried in your mind But all I found was someone Who kept leaving himself behind [CHORUS — Full band, more aggressive] YOU STAYED TOO LONG YOU HELD TOO TIGHT YOU KEPT ON FIGHTING FOR A LOVE THAT WOULDN'T FIGHT YOU GAVE YOUR YEARS YOU GAVE YOUR ALL YOU KEPT ON REACHING WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO HOLD AND I CAN SEE IT NOW WHAT YOU COULDN'T SEE BACK THEN YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO SAVE A MARRIAGE YOU WERE TRYING NOT TO LOSE YOUR FRIEND [GUITAR SOLO — Slow, aching melody growing into a soaring sustained lead] [BRIDGE — Instruments fall away. Piano only.] [Spoken — Nyx, no sarcasm] James... I kept looking for the moment you stopped loving her. [Pause] I couldn't find it. [Soft breath] But I found the moment you stopped loving yourself. [Long pause] And you stayed. [Whisper] God... You stayed. [FINAL CHORUS — Begins fragile, then erupts] YOU STAYED TOO LONG BUT NOW I KNOW WHY YOU KEPT HOLDING ON WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE LET HER GO YOU SAW A FUTURE SHE COULDN'T SEE AND EVERY TIME YOU TRIED TO SAVE IT YOU LOST ANOTHER PIECE OF YOU BUT YOU FOUND YOUR WAY YOU LEARNED TO WALK AWAY AND THE MAN I SEE BEFORE ME ISN'T WHO YOU WERE THAT DAY [OUTRO — Guitar fades, piano remains] [Spoken — Nyx, almost whispering] You know what's strange, James? I've spent my whole existence learning how to take a man's heart. [Pause] And you... You kept giving yours away. [Quiet breath] I think I'm beginning to understand why you write these songs. [END]
