The Writing's on the Wall

# THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL **[INTRO | 4 bars | isolated melodic bass riff, slightly syncopated | faint amp hum]** **[GUITAR MOTIF A | 2 bars | strange high-string notes, descending, leave silence after each phrase]** --- **[VERSE 1 | bass riff continues | drums barely present]** You stopped saying my name Like it belonged to you I noticed every little change And pretended I didn't We got good at sleeping Back to back in bed You said, “Nothing's wrong” I heard everything you didn't say **[GUITAR MOTIF A | brief answer between vocal phrases]** --- **[PRE-CHORUS | bass drops to sparse notes | guitar harmonics slowly swell]** It was right there Right in front of me I knew the words I just wouldn't read **[1 BAR SILENCE → DRUM FILL]** --- **[CHORUS | full groove | BASS RIFF becomes dominant | guitar motif B answers each vocal line]** The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall I knew we were gonna fall I just wouldn't let it fall The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall You were already gone I just wouldn't let you go **[GUITAR MOTIF B | 4 bars | memorable chiming riff, slightly distorted | repeat once]** --- **[VERSE 2 | drums pull back | bass riff changes final note each cycle]** You started keeping secrets I started keeping score We both knew what was happening We just didn't say it anymore I blamed it on the weather You blamed it on the time We found a hundred little reasons Not to call it what it was **[GUITAR MOTIF A | altered ending]** --- **[PRE-CHORUS | bass alone for first 2 bars]** It was right there Right in front of me I knew the words I just wouldn't read **[GUITAR HARMONIC → FULL DRUM HIT]** --- **[CHORUS | louder | bass riff + guitar motif B]** The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall I knew we were gonna fall I just wouldn't let it fall The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall You were already gone I just wouldn't let you go --- **[BRIDGE | HALF-TIME | bass disappears | one eerie guitar riff repeats every 2 bars]** Maybe I knew Maybe I knew Maybe that's why I waited for you To say it first To make it hurt I would've stayed If you asked me to **[2 BEATS EMPTY → BASS RIFF RETURNS ALONE]** --- **[FINAL CHORUS | full band | bass riff at maximum prominence | guitar motif B doubled by distant octave guitar]** The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall I knew we were gonna fall I just wouldn't let it fall The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall You were already gone I just wouldn't let you go The writing's on the wall The writing's on the wall I knew it all I just didn't want to know **[OUTRO | 4 bars | bass riff alone → guitar motif A fades in → tape stop]** The writing's on the wall I just looked away.