[Intro: Sludge-metal male lead, tar-thick detuned riff, a single match strike] Sundown on the thirty-first, she came down with a light Set it in my window, said don't let it die tonight [Verse 1: Sludge-metal male lead, pounding half-time drums, roaring sludge-metal howl] Miss Odette from upstairs, ninety if she's a day Lit it off her own and she would not look away Said a candle in the window keeps the block in the clear Said just let it burn, boy, and the dark won't come near I laughed at the old lady, said it's a stick and a string Ten o'clock, a draft came through and took the whole thing Across the street the Parkers' window dropped to black, just gone Wasn't no power cut, 'cause the Johnsons' lights were on I grabbed a book of matches and I put it back right And the black stopped movin', like it lost my sight [Hook: Sludge-metal male lead, full crushing riff, howl at full power] Burn slow, burn slow, little wick, little wick Every window goin' black and it's closin' in quick Burn slow, burn slow, don't you dare go out I been strikin' matches all night, now it knows my house [Verse 2: Sludge-metal male lead, heavier drums, howl rising] Eleven o'clock and it guttered again Two more houses went under, the Okafors, then Ben So I struck another, and another, and the dark held still Every time I lit it, it sat back on the hill That's eleven matches gone, I been countin' the sticks And the black is three doors down, it's at the Fitzpatricks' I can see it in the gutters, I can see it in the trees Like a tide of ink that's rollin' in on hands and knees And every time I strike it, there's a hiss in the street Like somethin' turnin' 'round when it hears the heat [Hook: Sludge-metal male lead, full crushing riff, howl at full power] Burn slow, burn slow, little wick, little wick Every window goin' black and it's closin' in quick Burn slow, burn slow, don't you dare go out I been strikin' matches all night, now it knows my house [Bridge: Sludge-metal male lead, guttering riff, the riff flickers in and out in volume swells] Then the ceiling started poundin', Miss Odette with her cane Hollerin' down the radiator, boy, you lit it again I said never let it die, never said light it new My flame keeps it blind, but your matches lead it to you Every strike was a doorbell, every match was a sign You been callin' it to supper and it's comin' to dine [Final Hook: Sludge-metal male lead, last match unstruck, riff crushing and slow] Burn slow, burn slow, little wick, little wick Every window goin' black and it's closin' in quick Burn slow, burn slow, don't you dare go out I been strikin' matches all night, now it knows my house [Outro: Sludge-metal male lead, riff ringing out] One match left between my fingers, and it's breathin' at the glass I ain't strikin' nothin', let it wait, let it pass [End]
