[Instrumental intro] [verse 1: (vocals: baritone, melancholic narration, close-mic with slight tape saturation)] An autumn moon is roaming through the park, Sets the fallen leaves ablaze in the dark. And just yesterday,the sun was so strong, We’d forgotten autumn before long. But she hurried to make her claim, With a wet wind and a cold rain. And today,instead of school with you, Through the park we walk. [transition: 4 sec, bass note slides down to D, rain sample intensifies, hi-hat enters with slow shuffle] [chorus: (emotional intensity: yearning crescendo)] To finally say goodbye to summer, We came into the cold park. So long,summer—we thank you for the spark. The lake and woods are wearing now A white and chilling shroud And the autumn haze,the autumn haze, the autumn haze. [interlude: 8 sec, feedback swell guitar noise, drum fill with snare rolls, tape slowdown effect] [verse 2: (vocals: warm nostalgia, subtle vibrato on "my own")] So lonely,empty, and so grim, But familiar still,and so my own. Remember how the noise would brim Here in summer? Now it’s overgrown. The paths and lanes have turned to gold, This morning,for our eyes to hold. The raindrops fall—they fall and fall, And it’s not the storm’s fault at all. [transition: 2 sec, crash cymbal wash, all instruments except bass and pads drop out] [chorus: (emotional intensity: yearning crescendo)] To finally say goodbye to summer, We came into the cold park. So long,summer—we thank you for the spark. The lake and woods are wearing now A white and chilling shroud And the autumn haze,the autumn haze, the autumn haze. [interlude: 8 sec, feedback swell guitar noise, drum fill with snare rolls, tape slowdown effect] [verse 3: (vocals: spoken-word shifting to a bitter sneer on "curses")] A drunken groundskeeper,with a bitter frown, Sweeps the dead leaves into the cold mist down. He curses them under his breath,a low sound: "Ah,come on, winter, come on, stick around." We won't get in the way of his chore, We'll just slip on past,careful and poor. A useless endeavor. He's begun in this weather. [transition: 4 sec, sudden cut to dry drum machine beat and radio filter effect] [chorus: (emotional intensity: resigned acceptance)] To finally say goodbye to summer, We came into the cold park. So long,summer—we thank you for the spark. The lake and woods are wearing now A white and chilling shroud And the autumn haze, the autumn haze, the autumn haze. [bridge: (contrast: stark dynamic drop to half-time)] (Instrumental) [outro: 45 sec, fade-out with cold ending, main vocal phrase "Through the park we walk" repeats 3x with increasing delay and reverb] An autumn moon is roaming through the park, Sets the fallen leaves ablaze in the dark. And just yesterday,the sun was so strong, We’d forgotten autumn before long. But she hurried to make her claim, With a wet wind and a cold rain. And today,instead of school with you, Through the park we walk... (Through the park we walk...) (Through the park we walk...) [Instrumental outro]
