Head held low { the James chronicles }

[Intro - rubato fingerpicked acoustic guitar, soft banjo chime, intimate raspy whisper] (breathy, close to mic) Ooh, darkness rears its heavy head... And the weight is pulling down. (sigh) [Verse 1 - slow steady acoustic strum, warm upright bass note, gravelly baritone] Those old demons in your chest, they are tearing teeth again Scratching at the quiet walls where the doubts and shadows bend I see you fighting for your breath against the hollow cold I wish you’d feel the sacred grace my hands ache to behold. (whispered) Listen to me now... [Build-Up - banjo begins rapid syncopated roll, wooden foot-stomp enters on quarter notes, tempo accelerates to 132 BPM] You bring the fire in, you bring the thunder and the power! All the world demands of you is your presence in this hour Just that fragile, crooked smile... just your fiercely beating heart... Before the fear can break your bones or pull your ribs apart! (gasp) [Chorus - explosive four-on-the-floor kick stomp, driving banjo gallop, full-throated passionate belt with gang choir] (belted with raw rasp) Ooh girl, don’t you give up! No, no, no! You ain’t gonna collapse! (gang vocal: Hey!) Don't you dare think for a moment that your will, your will will lapse! (layered harmonies) Through every shadow, every trial, through the fire and the stone: You’re my kind of beautiful, and you will not bleed alone! You’re my kind of beautiful, and you will not bleed alone! [Verse 2 - relentless driving banjo rhythm, thumping kick, tambourine backbeat] I will hold you closer still, I will never say goodbye Even when the road is stripped and the miles multiply I will cling to every memory, every breath upon your face There is no valley deep enough to take you from this place. [Chorus - full power, explosive gang harmonies, tambourine and driving acoustic flatpicking] (roaring lead vocal) Ooh girl, don’t you give up! No, no, no! You ain’t gonna collapse! (gang vocal: Hey!) Don't you dare think for a moment that your will, your will will lapse! (harmonized shout) I know the storm is howling, but I see the morning clear: You’re my kind of beautiful, and love will hold you here! You’re my kind of beautiful, and love will hold you here! [Bridge - half-time acoustic breakdown, swelling brass horns, raw emotional gravel voice] (rough, strained chest-voice) The darkness rears its beastly skull, the terror feels so deep... The promises you made yourself are getting hard to keep. (crescendo - brass horns rising, accelerating snare roll) Look up! Look up across the hills, the dawn is breaking red! The sorrow that you're buried under has to pass ahead! (screamed belt) IT WILL PASS AGAIN! [Chorus - peak euphoric explosion, triumphant trumpet fanfare, maximum speed banjo picking, full choir holler] (full-throated belt) OOH GIRL, DON'T YOU GIVE UP! NO, NO, NO! YOU AIN'T GONNA COLLAPSE! (gang vocal: HEY!) DON'T YOU DARE THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT YOUR WILL WILL EVER LAPSE! (soaring octave harmonies) The night is breaking wide, the sun is cutting through the rain: You’re my kind of beautiful! (gang vocal sustain) Rise up and stand again! [Outro - decrescendo, banjo trails off into single picked notes, trailing acoustic chord, ragged breath] (soft whisper) Don't give up... You won't collapse... (soft whisper) Don't give up... You won't [Hard Stop]