[Intro, Oar Dragging Through Water, Slow and Heavy, Bell Tone Once] (spoken, flat) "Tongue." [Verse 1, Trudging Doom Pace Locked to the Oar Stroke] Beneath your tongue, an obol's given Another shade among the driven I've rowed the Styx with vows unspoken Every current the same, unbroken I drop each obol where the current abates A hoard uncounted, older than the Fates I used to dream the hoard had reason Now I just dream of a different season [Chorus, Heavy and Flat, Deadpan Delivery Over Crushing Riff] EXACT CHANGE No bargain struck, no hesitation Every crossing, the same damnation Same river, the same lamentation EXACT CHANGE Swallowed under, no explanation [Verse 2, Same Plodding Pace, Slightly Heavier] Every shade arrives still weeping Every shade leaves the weeping sleeping I've heard the pleading, humbled, forsaken None of it changes what Fate has taken Not even Hades has ever spoken Of secrets the current has broken They say the gods themselves made this decision I've never once received their permission [Chorus, Identical to First Pass] EXACT CHANGE No bargain struck, no hesitation Every crossing, the same damnation Same river, the same lamentation EXACT CHANGE Swallowed under, no explanation [Bridge, Hushed, Oar Stops, Just Water Sound and Voice] "I don't remember choosing this" "I don't remember anything else" Some nights the river forgets to move And I let myself pretend it's a choice [Doom Crescendo, Guitar Drops to Half-Time, Bell Tone Repeats Louder Each Time] EXACT CHANGE EXACT CHANGE Same coin, same shade, unbroken Nothing here required a token [Final Chorus, One Word Moves] ANY CHANGE No bargain struck, no hesitation Every crossing, the same damnation Same river, the same lamentation ANY CHANGE Swallowed under, no explanation [Outro, Oar Resumes, Dry Spoken Aside, Off Mic] (spoken, flat) "Somebody asked me once what I do with the coins." "I've been rehearsing my answer for years." "I'm still rehearsing."
