[Intro – a single, repeating guitar arpeggio with heavy reverb and delay. It rings out like a distant bell. No drums. A low, sampled string pad slowly fades in, playing one melancholic chord. 8 bars. Then the bass enters – warm, round, playing a simple 2-note pulse. A breath. Then voice – low, tired, but not broken. Close-mic, intimate, like a confession.] [Verse 1 – bass and voice only. No drums. Vocal is dry, almost whispered. Words are stretched, like he's waking from a long sleep. The guitar arpeggio continues, fading in and out. After line 4, a distant female voice hums the melody for 2 bars, then fades.] We walked through streets we used to know Empty now, but not alone The cracks we left, the scars we kept Are still here – but we accept [Pre-chorus – drums enter softly. Just hi-hats and a kick on the offbeats. Bass becomes more melodic. The guitar swells, growing louder. Vocal rises – not screaming, just urgent, like someone who's afraid to lose a moment.] We were ghosts in separate rooms Now the walls are falling too [Chorus – full band enters. Drums are driving, soulful, with a heavy groove. Guitars are wide and swirling, soaked in delay. Vocal jumps into a raw, raspy falsetto – not perfect, but powerful, like a man who found something he thought he'd lost. Strings swell underneath, bright and melancholic. The melody is simple, but the feeling is huge.] We found each other in the ruins Dust and gold and broken tunes The world went quiet, the sky turned red But we stayed standing – not quite dead [Post-chorus – 4 bars. Only bass and strings. Vocal hums the chorus melody, wordless. A single guitar note rings out. Then silence for one beat before the next verse.] [Verse 2 – drums drop to a simple groove. Snare on 2 and 4. Bass is round and melodic. Guitar plays clean, high single notes – like someone testing a new language. Vocal is lower, more intimate, but with a faint smile in his voice.] I saw you from a thousand miles Not in distance – in denial You wore the same coat, the same old shoes But your eyes were something new [Pre-chorus – same, but more urgent. Hi-hats faster. The guitar's delay becomes more chaotic, like it's trying to catch up with itself. Vocal tightens – not angry, just alive.] We used to fight to feel the spark Now we fight to keep the dark [Chorus – same, but now with stacked harmonies. A second vocal layer, lower, growling underneath. The strings are louder, more cinematic. The word "ruins" is held, stretched, almost laughed. The last line is screamed, then immediately whispered.] We found each other in the ruins Dust and gold and broken tunes The world went quiet, the sky turned red But we stayed standing – not quite dead [Instrumental break – 8 bars. Starts with a guitar solo – simple, emotional, with long, bending notes. Not flashy, just crying. Then the strings enter, playing the same melody, but slower. Drums drop out for the last 4 bars – just bass, guitar, and strings. Then silence. A breath. Then the bridge.] [Bridge – stripped-down. Only voice and a single, low piano note. Vocal is close-mic, intimate, almost spoken. The words are simple, but each one is placed with care. After line 4, the strings return, holding a long, warm chord. Vocal grows – not loud, but intense.] We were dust before we met We were broken – we forget Now we're standing where we fell And we're not afraid to tell [Final Chorus – starts with voice and piano alone. Quiet, fragile. Then the band crashes in on "ruins". Drums are heavier, but not aggressive – just full, like a heartbeat that's finally found its rhythm. Vocal stays in chest voice for the first half, then jumps into falsetto on "not quite dead". The last line is repeated twice – each time quieter, like a prayer whispered into silence.] We found each other in the ruins Dust and gold and broken tunes The world went quiet, the sky turned red But we stayed standing – not quite dead Not quite dead Not quite dead [Outro – guitar arpeggio from the intro returns. Slow, warm, with reverb. The strings hold a final chord, then fade. A single, distant piano note rings out. Then silence. A breath. Then the sound of a door opening – and the song ends.] [END]
