[Intro: solo piano] The Collector said to bring my best glider He never said to bring a light [Verse 1: piano, cello] Down in the Kindlewastes Hollow Halls, a long way under the sand I came to please the Collector with his key turned in my hand Hollow on the stairs behind me, and a cold wind from below And a page beneath a candle in a hand I didn't know [Pre-Chorus] It said, if Mother was here She'd hang the chandeliers And dust off all the books And read to me for years [Chorus] If Mother was here Her voice would fill the room like candlelight Orange blanket, saffron dyed Sweetened tea and I'd sleep tonight But Mother isn't here The dark is home now The dark is home [Verse 2: strings enter] I woke up in the Cinder Vault with no one left to call A whole kingdom gone to fog, and the Flame was very small So I set my candles in the corners, every one I had And I read your page out loud to you the way your mother had [Pre-Chorus] I said, if Mother was here She'd hang the chandeliers And dust off all the books And read to you for years [Chorus: full band] If Mother was here Her voice would fill the room like candlelight Orange blanket, saffron dyed Sweetened tea and you'd sleep tonight But Mother isn't here The dark is home now The dark is home [Bridge: orchestra and choir swell] I can't bring her back I can't lift it all tonight But I can leave a candle I can leave a light And when the last Flame's lit And the fog gives back the land I'll come back down these stairs And I'll take you by the hand [Final Chorus: soft, then swelling] If Mother was here She'd tell you it's alright Orange blanket, saffron dyed Every corner full of light But Mother isn't here So I'll stay a while I'll stay a while [Outro: solo piano and voice] Mother isn't here But I am
