[Intro] [Solo steel-string acoustic guitar, deep warm picking, rhythmic thumb slaps against the body] "Once... just one time the fog opened up, and then it was gone." [Steady, hypnotic acoustic pulse begins] [Verse 1] Salt grass on the dune Cold light of the moon A hand inside the glove Sky without a lid Footsteps where we hid Just one taste of love [Pre-Chorus] [Strumming builds with low-end resonance, deep baritone hum] Only one breath Before the tide turns in Only one seam Where the waters begin [Chorus] [Full dynamic acoustic strumming, deep resonant baritone belt with heavy vibrato] Once, I stood inside the clear Once, the shoreline had no fear A single spark against the stone A flash of gold, then left alone Once... only once Then it washed away [Verse 2] [Guitar drops back to sparse, rhythmic bass-string fingerpicking] Green moss on the stone Breathing on my own Heat upon the skin Shadow in the trees Fading in the breeze Never comes again [Pre-Chorus] [Vocal intensifies, earthy growl rising from the chest] Only one pulse Before the winter gray Only one sun To illuminate the clay [Chorus] [Maximum vocal resonance, wide open ringing acoustic chords] Once, I stood inside the clear Once, the shoreline had no fear A single spark against the stone A flash of gold, then left alone Once... only once Then it washed away [Bridge] [Tempo pulls back, hypnotic single-chord acoustic drone; low vocal chants rising to an agonized, throaty wail] Reach into the wave... Nothing left to save... A memory like glass Watch the colors pass [Deep, sustained vocal cry transitioning to a gritty baritone growl] Once... yeah... Once upon the open sea! [Guitar Solo] [Raw acoustic fingerstyle solo with bent low notes, sliding chords, and wood taps] [Chorus] [Explosive final chorus, powerful chest voice, raw and unpolished dynamic delivery] Once, I stood inside the clear! Once, the shoreline had no fear! A single spark against the stone A flash of gold, then left alone Once... only once Then it washed away! [Outro] [Rhythm slows to gentle, fading natural harmonics; hushed, gravelly whisper] One breath. One spark. Gone into the dark. Once. [Final resonant low E-string allowed to decay into silence] "Peace." [End]
