[Intro – softly spoken over a low clarinet vamp] “He left before the needle dropped the last refrain… but the record still remembers.” (Band enters with a brushed snare and muted trumpet sigh) ⸻ [Verse 1] The room is dim, the clock’s past two, The dancers gone, the night’s askew. The trumpet fades, the shadows groan, And I’m left with moonlight on the gramophone. ⸻ [Chorus 1] Moonlight on the gramophone, playing our tune slow, Your footsteps fade to silver, down the street they go. The needle hums a memory, the saxophone a sigh, And moonlight on the gramophone won’t say goodbye. ⸻ [Verse 2] The whisky’s warm, the chairs are bare, Your hat still hangs, pretending you’re there. I wind the handle one more time, To hear your laughter echo mine. ⸻ [Chorus 2] Moonlight on the gramophone, spinning round again, Each scratch and skip a whisper of where we’ve been. If love’s a song that drifts too soon, Then let it fade beneath the moon. ⸻ [Bridge – half-time, instrumental clarinet solo] (Clarinet solo over gentle stride piano and bass) “I dance with the echo — it leads like you used to…” ⸻ [Final Chorus – full band swell, bittersweet] Moonlight on the gramophone, glowing soft and low, The record ends, but still I know— Till daylight breaks and I’m alone, I’ll keep that moonlight on the gramophone. [Tag – spoken] “It’s the only light that’s still playing our song.”
