You Wanted Me To Stay

[Intro] [Muted electric guitar, soft piano, distant ambient textures] Mm, yeah... I left the porch light burning Like you'd find your way back home Funny how the room feels colder When you know you're not alone [Verse 1] Even when she was away She wanted me to stay And I can't believe How easily she lied to me I counted every passing day While she was giving us away I kept her picture by the bed Believed in every word she said Her voice was coming through the phone Saying, "Baby, I'll be home" And I was smiling like a fool While someone else was holding you [Pre-Chorus] [Bass enters, drums building beneath restrained vocals] I gave you all my sleepless nights You gave somebody else your time And now you're standing at my door Asking what I'm leaving for [Chorus] [Full band enters, wide guitars, emotional soaring vocals] You wanted me to stay While you were slipping away I gave you everything I had You gave me reasons not to stay And I don't wanna say goodbye Don't wanna leave this love behind But I can't hold on to someone Who's already let me go You wanted me to stay So why'd you throw us away? [Post-Chorus] [Echoing vocals over guitar melody] Oh-oh, oh-oh You threw us away Oh-oh, oh-oh And begged me to stay [Verse 2] [Rhythmic guitar, tight percussion, vocals slightly sharper] Your suitcase sitting by the stairs Your favorite perfume in the air You say that it was just one night As if that somehow makes it right I know the way you look at me When there's a truth you don't wanna see You reach for me, I turn aside God, I hate that I still wanna try I wish that I could hate your name Wish it would make this hurt less strange But all the memories we made Don't disappear because you've changed [Pre-Chorus 2] [Drums intensify, harmonies underneath] I would've crossed a thousand miles Just to see you smile You couldn't make it through one night Without somebody by your side [Chorus] [Full band, stronger vocals, higher harmonies] You wanted me to stay While you were slipping away I gave you everything I had You gave me reasons not to stay And I don't wanna say goodbye Don't wanna leave this love behind But I can't hold on to someone Who's already let me go You wanted me to stay So why'd you throw us away? [Bridge] [All instruments cut except piano. Vocals raw, quiet, close to breaking.] Tell me, did you think of me When you were tangled in his sheets? Did you forget the promises Or did they mean nothing to you? [A short silence, then a trembling vocal pickup.] 'Cause I was here I was right here I never made you question where I'd be [Drums slowly return.] And that's the part that kills me most You knew I'd always be right here [Vocals rise, distortion building.] I would've stayed through anything Through every storm and every change But I can't stay through this No, I can't stay through this! [Final Chorus] [Full instrumentation, sustained lead vocals, soaring backing harmonies] YOU WANTED ME TO STAY WHILE YOU WERE SLIPPING AWAY I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I HAD YOU GAVE ME REASONS NOT TO STAY And God, I wish that I could lie Say there's a way to make this right But loving you is killing me And leaving's how I stay alive You wanted me to stay But you threw us away [Instrumentation drops to piano and a single sustained guitar note.] [Outro] Even when she was away She wanted me to stay And I can't believe... [Almost whispered] I still wish she'd ask me to. [Piano resolves. Silence.]