Angel Tree

[Intro – soft piano and gentle ukulele, warm synth pad, distant gulls] [Verse 1 – fragile and close, sung gently, piano and ukulele] Man drove down from up north Chainsaw hummin' in my bones Turned my branches into wings Carved me eyes I'd never known Now folks pull off the beach road Stretch their legs and stare up high Read the little sign beneath me Says I held three lives one night [Chorus – stacked harmonies, synth bass and steady kick pulse in] They carved me into angels But I was only a tree I remember every hand That held on to me [Verse 2 – building slowly, synth bass rising, distant wind] Hundred summers, give or take Tire swings and young folks' names Then the sky turned green, the Gulf stood up Forty feet came up the lane They came swimmin' from the house Grabbin' anything they could Four hours that water pulled Four hours I stood [Drop – everything falls away to piano and voice] [Chorus – stacked harmonies swell back in, kick drum pulsing] They carved me into angels But I was only a tree I remember every hand That held on to me [Verse 3 – pulled back, piano and ukulele, close and weary] Bartender 'cross the street Tells it truer than my sign "There was more than three," he tells 'em Every stranger, every time Some made it to another tree Old couple rode off on a piece of roof And they walk back out and count my wings Like they're lookin' for the proof [Bridge – whisper-quiet, piano and voice only] There was one down in my heart Where my branches split in two Floatin' wreckage pinned her there Couldn't climb, couldn't move Held somebody's dog up through my leaves Other arm around my spine But I felt her heart all night Beatin' up against mine [Verse 4 – piano and soft synth pad, quiet, slowly gathering] When the water slid back out They climbed down, every one She was still there in my heart Standin' when the night was done Every soul walked out alive Every leaf I had turned brown That's how you get to be an angel They had to cut me down [Chorus – slow build, drums gathering, harmonies rising] They carved me into angels But I was only a tree I remember every hand That held on to me [Final Chorus – live drums crash in at full force, soaring falsetto on "four," anthemic release] They carved three into angels But I still carry four (Four) I remember every hand And hers I remember more [Outro – drums cut out, single piano note fading, voice alone] Heart Beatin' up against mine Beatin' up against mine