Smile (Once in a While)

1950s gangsta rap, jazz noir, rap opera, upright bass pizzicato, brushed dance drums, muted trumpet stabs, cello plucks, baritone sax riffs, vinyl crackle, tape saturation, plate reverb, mono drum compression, half-time swing, 96 BPM, cinematic menace, sultry danger

V4.5-ALL

[Intro]
(The sound of a car door slamming shut)
(The crunch of tires on gravel fading into a steady, clean guitar riff)
(Spoken / Quiet)
Just one more mile.
Keep the wheels on the road...
Keep the light on.
[Verse 1]
Dust on the dashboard, a map that’s been folded too tight
Counting the miles in the belly of a low-hanging night
I keep a steady hand ready for whoever might look
But the story is heavier than what I put in the book
[Pre-Chorus 1]
And I know, I know, I know the weight
Of trying to carry a shadow straight
I try, I try, I try to be
The person that they expect to see
[Chorus 1]
Smile (once in a while), let it light the room
Smile (once in a while), like a match in the gloom
If I break for a second, I’m still finding my way
Smile (once in a while), then I fade into the day
[Verse 2]
Footprints in gravel, the sound of the wind in the pines
Trying to find where the rhythm and the memory align
I wear the quiet like armor that’s starting to thin
While the storm in the distance is trying to get in
[Pre-Chorus 2]
And I know, I know, I know the drill
The world is turning, I’m standing still
I try, I try, I try to be
A little less like a tragedy
[Chorus 2]
Smile (once in a while), let it light the room
Smile (once in a while), like a spark in bloom
If I crack for a second, I’m still learning to stay
Smile (once in a while), then I drift away
[Bridge]
And the masks don’t fit the way they used to
And the mirrors never tell the whole truth
I was built from after-midnight colors
From the gravel, the wind, and the ghosts of the others
So if I laugh and it sounds a little hollow
If my heart beats loud enough to follow
It’s because I’ve been the mountain and the valley
The long road home, the dark in the alley
I don’t need to shine every minute
I don’t need to win every second I’m in it
I can be cracked, I can be tired, I can be slow
Still moving, still human, still learning to glow
[Final Pre-Chorus]
And I know, I know, I know what stays
Not the spotlight, but the small warm rays
I try, I try, I try to be
The one who can finally breathe
[Final Chorus]
Smile (once in a while), let it light the room
Smile (once in a while), like a spark in bloom
If I break for a second, I’m still finding my way
Smile (once in a while), and I’ll face the day
Smile (once in a while), when the shadows fall
Smile (once in a while), I can hear my own call
If I tremble for a second, I’m still learning to stay
Smile (once in a while), and I won’t fade away
[Outro]
(The guitar slows down to a single, ringing chord)
I won't fade away...
The small warm rays...
(The sound of the wind whistling softly through the trees)
Still moving.
Still human.
(Music fades to absolute silence)

2702/7500

[Intro] (The sound of a car door slamming shut) (The crunch of tires on gravel fading into a steady, clean guitar riff) (Spoken / Quiet) Just one more mile. Keep the wheels on the road... Keep the light on. [Verse 1] Dust on the dashboard, a map that’s been folded too tight Counting the miles in the belly of a low-hanging night I keep a steady hand ready for whoever might look But the story is heavier than what I put in the book [Pre-Chorus 1] And I know, I know, I know the weight Of trying to carry a shadow straight I try, I try, I try to be The person that they expect to see [Chorus 1] Smile (once in a while), let it light the room Smile (once in a while), like a match in the gloom If I break for a second, I’m still finding my way Smile (once in a while), then I fade into the day [Verse 2] Footprints in gravel, the sound of the wind in the pines Trying to find where the rhythm and the memory align I wear the quiet like armor that’s starting to thin While the storm in the distance is trying to get in [Pre-Chorus 2] And I know, I know, I know the drill The world is turning, I’m standing still I try, I try, I try to be A little less like a tragedy [Chorus 2] Smile (once in a while), let it light the room Smile (once in a while), like a spark in bloom If I crack for a second, I’m still learning to stay Smile (once in a while), then I drift away [Bridge] And the masks don’t fit the way they used to And the mirrors never tell the whole truth I was built from after-midnight colors From the gravel, the wind, and the ghosts of the others So if I laugh and it sounds a little hollow If my heart beats loud enough to follow It’s because I’ve been the mountain and the valley The long road home, the dark in the alley I don’t need to shine every minute I don’t need to win every second I’m in it I can be cracked, I can be tired, I can be slow Still moving, still human, still learning to glow [Final Pre-Chorus] And I know, I know, I know what stays Not the spotlight, but the small warm rays I try, I try, I try to be The one who can finally breathe [Final Chorus] Smile (once in a while), let it light the room Smile (once in a while), like a spark in bloom If I break for a second, I’m still finding my way Smile (once in a while), and I’ll face the day Smile (once in a while), when the shadows fall Smile (once in a while), I can hear my own call If I tremble for a second, I’m still learning to stay Smile (once in a while), and I won’t fade away [Outro] (The guitar slows down to a single, ringing chord) I won't fade away... The small warm rays... (The sound of the wind whistling softly through the trees) Still moving. Still human. (Music fades to absolute silence)

0/500