[Intro | Clean guitar arpeggio (E minor), warm piano, autumn wind field recording] (Breathy hum, vocal fry on “fall”) Fall… fall… autumn leaves… [Verse 1 | Intimate, breathy, close‑miked, vocal fry at ends] They told me love was summer bright But you were golden in the fading light Every leaf that let go of the tree Taught me the beauty of being free (Piano – soft chord, #11) We walked through parks of rust and gold Your hand in mine – a story told Not forever, but enough The falling taught me how to love [Pre‑Chorus | Slight lift, drums enter with brush, vocal agility] And I don’t miss you like a wound I miss you like the month of June That turned to October without a fight Just colour… and quiet light (Drum fill – tom roll) [Chorus | Full band, soaring belt, layered harmonies] AUTUMN LEAVES – THEY DRIFT AND TURN LIKE EVERY LESSON I REFUSED TO LEARN YOU WERE THE SEASON THAT TAUGHT ME TO FALL AND LAND WITH GRACE – WITHOUT A WALL (Guitar – melodic shred lick, tapped harmonic) AUTUMN LEAVES – THEY COVER THE GROUND IN EVERY COLOUR THAT LOVE EVER FOUND I’M NOT THE SAME AS I WAS BEFORE YOU BLEW THROUGH MY DOOR… AND LEFT ME WANTING MORE [Verse 2 | Slightly heavier, vocal fry on “remember”] I’ve gathered leaves inside a book Pressed and dried – each one a look Back to the afternoons we stole From calendars that age the soul (Fretless bass – melodic slide) You said “nothing gold can stay” But gold still glows on a cloudy day So I’ll keep autumn in my chest A quiet flame that does its best [Chorus | Repeat, with key shift up to F minor, more powerful] AUTUMN LEAVES – THEY DRIFT AND TURN LIKE EVERY LESSON I REFUSED TO LEARN YOU WERE THE SEASON THAT TAUGHT ME TO FALL AND LAND WITH GRACE – WITHOUT A WALL (Guitar – emotional solo, blues bends, 12 bars) [Bridge | Stripped: voice + piano, whispered] I don’t need you to stay I just need to remember you this way… Falling. [Final Chorus | Quiet, then explosive last line] AUTUMN LEAVES – THEY DRIFT… (Sudden full band) AND SO DID WE. BUT EVERY FALL HAS GIVEN ME… THE HONESTY TO BE. (Hold final note – vocal fry on “be”, decay) [Outro | Wind, single guitar note, breath]
