[Isolated multitrack studio production; close-miked instruments; controlled dry recording room; one weathered male lead vocalist; all harmony parts are overdubbed layers of this same male singer; drums begin immediately; progressive psychedelic rock; continuous instrumental pocket] [Intro — immediate close-miked drums and rotating vintage-organ figure; bass enters on beat one; short 7/8 instrumental cycle; male lead enters quickly; tight controlled studio sound] [Verse 1 — single close-miked expressive male lead; intimate melodic delivery; organ figure continually circles underneath] There's a receipt inside the drawer The ink is almost gone A number where the date should be From somewhere that moved on There's handwriting I recognize But haven't seen in years A photograph where everybody Looks too young to disappear I used to think the days went somewhere Like money being spent Now I'm not sure they went at all Or what the counting meant [Pre-Chorus — same male lead; harmony rises through instruments rather than additional voices; drums become more insistent; organ voicings widen] The clock can tell me what it is It can't tell me where it went [Chorus — clean transition into broad 4/4; strong melodic hook; same male lead remains clearly dominant; two restrained overdubbed copies of his voice add close harmony; organ and guitar answer vocal phrases] Count it up It won't come even Years don't balance Days don't keep Some went fast And some went missing Some I swore were mine to keep Count it up The numbers fail me All that living Where'd it go? I can tell you what I'm doing I can't tell you where the time goes [Verse 2 — return to asymmetric 7/8 movement; single close-miked male lead; lyrical bass becomes more active; clean guitar countermelody] There's a house I knew by heart once Somebody changed the door The room where we stayed up till morning Isn't that room anymore People I thought looked ancient Were younger than I am That's the part nobody tells you Till you finally understand You don't notice years departing There's no ceremony held Tuesday turns into December While you're busy being yourself [Pre-Chorus — same male lead; ascending organ chords against descending bass; controlled harmonic tension] The clock can tell me what it is It can't tell me where it went [Chorus — broad 4/4; same male lead dominant; two restrained overdubbed copies of his voice provide close harmony; guitar harmonizes organ motif] Count it up It won't come even Years don't balance Days don't keep Some went fast And some went missing Some I swore were mine to keep Count it up The numbers fail me All that living Where'd it go? I can tell you what I'm doing I can't tell you where the time goes [Bridge — continuous drums; interlocking organ, bass and tom pattern; meter alternates 7/8 and 4/4; single male vocal becomes more urgent while remaining close and controlled] Maybe that's the trick of it Nothing leaves while you're looking Nothing changes while you watch Then somebody says a year And suddenly— you've lost a decade. [Instrumental harmonic turn — rhythm section continues uninterrupted; organ climbs while bass descends] I remember being twenty Like it happened down the hall That's the part I can't explain at all [Final Chorus — broad 4/4; strongest harmonic movement of the track; same close-miked male lead remains dominant; restrained overdubs of that identical singer build three-part harmony; instruments provide most of the expansion] Count it up It won't come even Years don't balance Days don't keep Some went fast And some went missing Some I finally learned to keep Count it up The numbers fail me Maybe numbers never know I can tell you that I'm living I can't tell you where the time goes [Outro — return briefly to original 7/8 organ figure; rhythm continues underneath close-miked male lead; instruments progressively remove notes] I remember being twenty Like it happened down the hall. [Unresolved organ chord; immediate clean stop]
