[Intro 4] [Rigid marching snare, serrated bass and distorted guitar] [A trembling sub-pulse moves beneath the rhythm] [Male sung pickup] Where the hell you been? [Verse 1 12] At eleven forty-seven You were forty minutes late Three calls went to voicemail I had worn a path across the place Every number I didn’t recognize Felt like it might be the one Every car outside the window Made me turn to see who’d come Then your key went in the lock And I should’ve pulled you close Instead I said, “What the hell?” Like I hadn’t pictured you a ghost [Pre-Chorus 4] [Marching snare withdraws; trembling pulse becomes exposed] Relief got there first Anger got there loud Love was in the room But fear was what came out [Chorus 8] [March returns heavier; guitar erupts between phrases] Anger is a false flag Flying where the hurt should be Everybody sees me fighting Nobody sees what frightens me I can turn relief to warning Turn a prayer into attack When I don’t know how to say I’m scared I raise a false flag [Verse 2 12] You held up your dead phone Grease black across your hands Said the tire blew beside the freeway And the spare jack wouldn’t stand You waited there for someone Who could bring a working one I kept listing everything That you should’ve already done Then you looked at me and asked me With your back against the wall “I thought you’d be glad I’m okay” I said nothing good at all [Pre-Chorus 4] [Snare pattern begins missing beats] Nothing left to fight My hands were shaking still You went upstairs believing I was angry with you [Chorus 8] [March becomes distorted and unstable] Anger is a false flag Flying where the hurt should be Everybody sees me fighting Nobody sees what frightens me I can turn relief to warning Turn a prayer into attack When I don’t know how to say I’m scared I raise a false flag [Break 4] [Marching snare loops, degrades and collapses] [Only the trembling sub-pulse remains] [Verse 3 12] [Dry vocal, low bass and distant guitar friction] I was seventeen and bleeding His pickup in a ditch He walked past me to the fender Asked what I had done to it All the way home he was shouting I heard, “That truck mattered more” Maybe he was scared too Maybe both of those are true Understanding where it started Doesn’t make the damage right I heard his voice come through my mouth And chose another line [Bridge 8] [All rhythm disappears] I stood outside your bedroom Put my hand against the frame Every speech that I inherited Was lining up again I let every one go quiet Knocked and waited there You asked me what I wanted I wasn’t mad I was scared [Silence: 2s] [Final Chorus 12] [Loose human drums replace the marching snare] [Bass becomes warmer; guitar remains rough but restrained] Anger was a false flag Flying where my fear had been You came home—that’s all I wanted I should’ve started there I was glad to see you standing I was scared you might not be You didn’t need another warning You needed that from me I can’t change what I was handed I can change what I hand back Tonight I told you what it was And lowered the false flag [Outro 4] [Human drums withdraw; warm bass pulse remains] You said, “Next time, say that first” Yeah I will [End][End][End]
