[One low male lead throughout] [Intro] [Low restrained lead] You don't need me You need an alibi [Verse 1] [Conversational blues phrasing] Every time the shit comes back around Somehow I become the reason You say I pushed, I pulled, I made the call Like you weren't there when you chose it I used to step in and defend you Before you had to defend yourself Thought that having your back meant I could take some blame myself [Pre-Chorus] [Phrasing tightens] Now I hear it when you tell it You don't want me on your side You want somebody in the story Who can make your choice look right [Chorus] [Open gritty melodic lead] You don't need me, you need an alibi Somebody standing next to you To make what you did look justified You don't need love, you need a witness Who'll swear your version's true You don't need me, you need an alibi And I ain't doing that for you [Post-Chorus] An alibi An alibi [Post-Chorus] An alibi An alibi I ain't doing that for you [Verse 2] [Tighter rhythmic delivery] Now you say I changed on you 'Cause I don't jump in like before You call it me abandoning you I call it letting you own what you did First time I let your choice stand You looked at me like I betrayed you Like love was only real when I Could make somebody else believe you [Pre-Chorus] [Phrasing tightens] Now I hear it when you tell it Every detail moves around Till the part where you decided Somehow never makes a sound [Chorus] [Open gritty melodic lead] You don't need me, you need an alibi Somebody standing next to you To make what you did look justified You don't need love, you need a witness Who'll swear your version's true You don't need me, you need an alibi And I ain't doing that for you [Bridge] [Exposed soulful lead] I kept confusing love with cover Like the two were just the same But standing next to somebody Ain't standing in their place Every time I took your blame You got one less reason to change I can stand beside you through it But I won't take your place again [Final Chorus] [Full voice | controlled grit] You don't need me, you need an alibi Somebody standing next to you To make what you did look justified You don't need love, you need a witness Who'll swear your version's true You don't need me, you need an alibi I won't take the blame for you [Post-Chorus] [Stripped repetition] An alibi An alibi [Stripped repetition] An alibi An alibi I won't take the blame for you [Outro] [Low exposed lead] You don't need me You need an alibi
