The Last Beautiful Thing

[Intro – motorik pulse begins under tape-warped piano] There you were. Bad timing, obviously. [Verse 1 – intimate, conversational] You were leaning on the bonnet watching evening lose its nerve every window catching fire every shadow getting blurred You said, “Funny how it looks better when you know it’s nearly gone” I said, “That’s a terrible philosophy” Then stood there proving you right [Pre-Chorus – restrained tension] Everything was turning gold everything was letting go And for once I didn’t want to know what happened next [Chorus – wide, addictive] You were the last beautiful thing before the lights went out The last beautiful thing I couldn’t talk myself around No warning no grand goodbye Just your face against that dying sky You were the last beautiful thing I saw clearly [Post-Chorus – dreamy layered harmonies] Last beautiful thing last beautiful thing [Verse 2 – sharper, more personal] There were sirens somewhere distant or maybe just a passing train you tucked your hands into your pockets like you’d already left the frame I wanted something unforgettable you wanted something true Turns out they’re not the same thing I learnt that watching you [Pre-Chorus] Everything was turning strange every colour rearranged And for once I didn’t try to make it stay [Chorus] You were the last beautiful thing before the lights went out The last beautiful thing I couldn’t talk myself around No warning no grand goodbye Just your face against that dying sky You were the last beautiful thing I saw clearly [Instrumental – distorted psychedelic breakbeat, backwards piano, warped strings, analogue synth spirals] [Bridge – near-silent, spoken] I used to think beautiful things were meant to be kept. That was the mistake. [long pause] Some things are only beautiful because they leave. [Final Chorus – enormous, luxurious, nocturnal] You were the last beautiful thing before the whole night changed The last beautiful thing before nothing stayed the same No warning no grand goodbye Just your hand slipping out of mine You were the last beautiful thing I saw clearly The last beautiful thing I couldn’t save [Outro – pulse continues, instruments dissolving into tape-warp] Still there for half a second Then gone