Keep the Chain On

[Intro - two bars, clipped guitar and bass] Three flights up Same loose stair [Verse 1] Your number's peeling off the door My thumb remembers where to press I brought the key you asked me for A little late and overdressed The hallway bulb is running hot A moth keeps circling in the glare You turn the lock, you leave the chain And say, "What are you doing here?" I hold the key up by its ring It makes a little silver sound You look at me, then at my hand Neither one of us looks down [Pre-Chorus] There's a narrow strip of kitchen And your shoulder in the frame You could take it in a second But you ask about the rain [Chorus] Keep the chain on I can hear you fine You don't have to let me in To keep me here a little while Keep the chain on Let the brass pull tight I came to give your key back Now we're talking through the night [Verse 2] You've moved the table from the wall I see the pale mark underneath Your glass is sweating on a book You wipe your palm against your jeans You ask if I still miss the train I ask if that tap ever stops You say it only drips at night We listen till another drops The lift comes up, the lift goes down We both go quiet while it moves I try to pass the key across You say, "That thing was always loose" [Pre-Chorus] So I turn it in my fingers Like there's something left to learn You lean against the door a little I can see the chain turn [Chorus] Keep the chain on I can hear you fine You don't have to let me in To keep me here a little while Keep the chain on Let the brass pull tight I came to give your key back Now we're talking through the night [Bridge - bass and rimshot, close vocal] "Put it on the ledge," you tell me So I set it by the bell There's a small white crescent on it From the winter when it fell My hands have nothing left to carry Your fingers rest against the frame You start to say, "Before you go-" Then you say my name [Final Chorus - melodic lift, guitar answers] Keep the chain on I can hear you fine You don't have to let me in To keep me here a little while Keep the chain on Let the brass pull tight The key is on the ledge now But I'm still here tonight [Outro - short dub delay, unresolved] You ask about the rain again I tell you it's almost stopped