[Intro] [Accordion and upright bass, ominous] [Hera - Spoken, dangerous calm] Oh, Echo, honey... sit down We need to have ourselves a little chat (little chat) [Verse 1 - Hera] [Fingerstyle guitar enters, walking bass] [Sung, bluesy, theatrical] You thought you were so smart, didn't you, sweet girl? Running your mouth while my husband gave the world a whirl (gave a whirl) That silver tongue kept me distracted, true But every deal comes due (comes due) [Echo - Nervous] I was just— [Hera - Cutting, sharp] Just WHAT? Innocent? Please, child Let me show you what I do to those who think they're clever and wild (clever and wild) [Verse 2 - Hera, cataloging] [Brass enters, tempo picks up, swing] Poor Leto, pregnant, wandering alone I made damn sure she had nowhere to call home (call home) Nine days of labor, screaming at the sky That's the price when you catch my husband's eye (husband's eye) Semele thought she could handle his real face One flash of lightning—gone without a trace (without a trace) I whispered in her ear, planted one small seed And watched her burn for her romantic greed (romantic greed) [Echo - Frightened] (romantic greed) [Hera - Mockingly] Oh, she's got a voice after all! [Chorus - Hera, powerful, reveling] [Full band, brass hits, gospel backing] Words are power, baby, that's the truth I know (truth I know) Every syllable's a weapon when you let it flow (let it flow) I'm the queen who taught the mortals how to pay (how to pay) When they dare to think they'll steal my man away (steal away) [Backing vocals - Greek chorus, stomping] (Words are power! Power! Power!) [Stomp stomp clap] [Verse 3 - Hera, darker] [Tempo slows, menacing, just bass and guitar] Io, pretty little thing? Turned her to a cow Argus watched her every move, she's cattle now (cattle now) Lamia—made her eat her babies, madness comes in stages Now she's a monster wearing her own children's face (children's face) [Echo - Horrified] That's cruel— [Hera - Cold] Cruel? No, baby. That's effective. When you steal from me, I get selective (get selective) [Bridge - Tempo change, building] [Acceleration, drums driving, brass building] [Hera - Rapid delivery] Blinded Tiresias, sent the Sphinx to Thebes (Sphinx to Thebes) Drove Heracles insane, brought him to his knees (to his knees) [Slowing dramatically, intimate] I've fought heroes, punished gods, destroyed whole towns Anyone who crosses me eventually goes down (goes down) [Echo - Pleading] Please, I didn't know— [Hera - Explosive] DIDN'T KNOW?! Ignorance ain't innocence, that's just how it goes! [Chorus 2 - Full power] [Massive orchestration, all instruments] Words are power, and yours were bought with lies! (bought with lies!) Every laugh, every story was his alibis! (alibis!) You think you're blameless? Honey, you're his accomplice, plain (accomplice, plain) And now it's time you feel some godly pain (godly pain!) [Backing vocals - Building] (Godly pain! Pain! Pain!) [Stomp stomp clap, accelerating] [Verse 4 - Hera, delivering curse] [Slowing, predatory, accordion and bass] [Spoken-sung, dangerous] That voice of yours, that chattering tongue Was the weapon you swung (weapon you swung) Let me give you something poetic, something fair A voice that only echoes what's already in the air (in the air) [Echo - Desperate] No, I'll leave— [Hera - Darkly satisfied] Disappear? Oh, sweetheart That's not nearly severe (nearly severe) [Final Chorus - Hera triumphant] [Gospel choir, full orchestration, building to climax] Words are power, and I'm taking back what's mine! (back what's mine!) You'll mouth other people's words until the end of time! (end of time!) Every single syllable will be a borrowed ghost (borrowed ghost) A living monument to the battle that you lost—and I won most! (I won most!) [Backing vocals - Mocking, building] (Words are power! Echo! Echo! ECHO!) [Full band crescendo] [Bridge 2 - Curse enacted] [Tempo slowing, supernatural, orchestral swell] [Hera - Incanting, powerful belt] From this moment forward, those words ain't yours to claim Only repetition, forever in the game (in the game) You helped him hide, made me look the fool Now watch what happens when I make the rules! (I make the rules!) [Echo's voice fragmenting] (I make the rules) (the rules) (rules) [Hera - Belt, triumphant] THIS is what you get when you cross the Queen of Gods! Your voice was your gift—now consider it LOST! [Outro - Hera victorious, Echo cursed] [Band stripping to bass and guitar] [Hera - Spoken, satisfied] Go ahead, try to warn somebody now, Echo Try to tell your side (tell your side) [Echo - Only repeating] (tell your side) (your side) (side) [Hera - Final spoken, cold] Words are power, honey... And you just gave me yours. [Echo - Fading] (gave me yours) (yours) (...) [Final bass note into silence] [End]
