[INSTRUMENTAL — soft kick, pads brightening, piano near for once] [VERSE 1 — close, calm] Dawn shift done, walking Bread van, first buses Everyone I grew up with Left for somewhere louder Kev's in Perth, Sal's in Bristol Daz sends photos of his balcony And I'm still here, same streets Used to feel like losing [VERSE 2 — warmer] But somebody's mum needs lifts Somebody's kid needs Sundays Somebody's brother answers knocks Somebody holds the door This town ain't a sentence It's a shift you volunteer for And the mornings smell like bread here That's not nothing [HOOK — warm, resolved chant] I stay (I stay) I stay This is mine, I'm staying I stay (I stay) I stay This is mine, I'm staying [VERSE 3 — softest] Maybe one day I'll go too Never say never But tonight there's tea to make And a door that needs my key Mum's up early, brother's home late Both of them need feeding Open all night, this house Even when I'm not [INSTRUMENTAL — everything warm, chops answer the piano] [FINAL HOOK — fullest, chops stacked] I stay (I stay) I stay This is mine, I'm staying I stay (I stay) I stay This is mine, I'm staying [LONG OUTRO — hook fragments dissolving into the groove, dawn pads] I stay (I stay) This is mine, I'm staying (I stay) [INSTRUMENTAL OUTRO — piano holds the last chord, hats tick out slow]
