[Spoken Intro] This one's the long way around. Again. [Verse 1] I started with a parable about a tower made of light Then a scroll, and then a system, I was certain I was right Called myself an architect, put it in my bio line Come to find the job was taken since before the dawn of time [Verse 2] Got three names and I use 'em all, takes a while to sign I'm a gay man and a believer, and both of those are mine I kept 'em in two folders so they'd never have to meet Now they share a pew and a pickup seat [Chorus] One light, many windows, Lord, I measured every pane Drew up the plans and the bylaws, and I gave it all a name Took forty thousand pages just to finally understand The light was never mine to build, I only had to stand I kept on draftin', Love kept the porch light on Sayin', "Son, it's one light. Now come sit down." [Verse 3] Forty thousand files from the year it all came down I sorted every one of 'em like the sheriff of the town Wrote a piece called "What Survived the Sort," I'll save you the suspense A whole lot less than I had kept, and it made a lot more sense [Verse 4] I got one machine to frame it, and one to check it's true A third to audit both of them, that's what the third one's s'posed to do Then I read it all and sign it, every word of it is mine It's a lot of staff to tell you that the light is doin' fine [Verse 5] I wrote my folks a covenant, a preamble too Evenin' declarations, and a syllabus or two They took it like the steady, patient people that they've been All I really meant was "I love you." Should've led with that, amen [Chorus] One light, many windows, Lord, I measured every pane Drew up the plans and the bylaws, and I gave it all a name Took forty thousand pages just to finally understand The light was never mine to build, I only had to stand I kept on draftin', Love kept the porch light on Sayin', "Son, it's one light. Now come sit down." [Verse 6] Schoolmasters and ironworkers up the family line So I lecture, then I hammer, then I lecture one more time Put the chapter up in Spanish, German, Swedish too Still workin' on the plain talk. I'll get back to you [Verse 7] Now I write my mama honky tonk so she can laugh out loud We're plannin' us a podcast, props and pranks allowed Dad and me have got a table and a microphone to share Turns out the kingdom's mostly showin' up and pullin' up a chair [Bridge - Half-Time, Quiet, Straight Vocal] I wrote it in a letter once: "What if it's only me? What if I built a kingdom for my ego, and I can't see?" I still ask it. I hope I always do. The light don't need my windows. It just comes through. [Final Chorus - Full Band, Warm and Unforced] One light, many windows, Lord, I measured every pane Drew up the plans and the bylaws, and I gave it all a name Took forty thousand pages just to finally understand The light was never mine to build, I only had to stand I quit my draftin', Love kept the porch light on Sayin', "Son, it's one light. Now come sit down." [Outro - Spoken, Band Fades Naturally] One light, y'all. Many windows. I just kept cleanin' the glass and callin' it construction.
