(Barbershop Quartet) [OPENING – SPOKEN / RECITATIVE] [Baritone – spoken, amused] Well… he came out early this year. [Tenor – spoken, light] Did he see it? [Bass – spoken, certain] Oh, he saw it. (Short dominant chord — clippers buzz — cue song) --- [VERSE 1 – THE SHADOW] [Lead] Stepped from the doorway, blinked at the glare Camera lights and February air Looked to the ground like he always does Nodded once—yeah, that was enough [Tenor – floating, sweet] There it is… plain as day [Baritone] Soon as he flinched, we all knew the play [Bass – grounding] When Timmy sees his shadow, boys, The calendar fills with noise --- [CHORUS 1 – PRIMARY HOOK] [All] Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Stepped outside and looked away Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Saw his shadow, sealed our days [Tenor – hovering] There it is—clear as policy… [All] Pointed north, then blamed the cold Same old warning, freshly told Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Six more weeks of what we know --- [VERSE 2 – WEEKS ONE & TWO] [Lead] Week one starts with a pressroom glare “This isn’t normal,” he says, right there [Baritone] Emergency tone, no emergency plan [Tenor – sing-song] Strong words floating, no steady hand [Bass] Week two brings marches, signs in rows Same chants back from summers ago [Tenor – cheerful] Permits lost… then found too late… [Bass] “Mostly peaceful,” taped to the gate --- [CHORUS 2 – ACCELERATION] [All] Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— There it is, plain as day Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Turned right back, winter stayed [Tenor – bright] Seasonal… but mandatory… [All] Raise the voice, divide the blame Same results, different name Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Six more weeks—just the same --- [VERSE 3 – WEEKS THREE & FOUR] [Lead] Week three—audits buried deep Paper trails nobody keeps [Baritone] Numbers wobble, stories bend [Tenor – innocent] Nothing to see… they all defend [Bass] Week four—sirens after dark Curfews drawn in fading chalk [Tenor – light laugh] Very clear… but not too sharp… [Bass] Storefront glass like winter rain Sweep it up, deny the stain --- [VERSE 4 – BARBERSHOP REALITY (COLOR & MASK)] [Lead] Funny thing— We can color everybody’s hair just fine [Tenor – delighted] Orange… purple… neon green… [Baritone] Whole rainbow spinning in the chair [Tenor – mock pride] Very bold… very seen… [Bass] But nobody wants a shave anymore [Tenor – sudden concern] Oh no—absolutely not… [Bass – deadpan] Chafes too much under the mask, they say [Tenor – cheerfully reasonable] Expression’s good—just not the face… (Brief pause — clippers buzz) [Lead] So we trim around the edges, careful-like [Tenor – instructional] Frame the statement… don’t press too hard… [Baritone] Leave the jawline undefined [Tenor] Strong colors… gentle lines… [Bass] That’s how winter wears you down [Tenor – floating] Comfort wins… every tiiime… --- [BRIDGE – THE TRUTH] [Bass – solo, slow] Funny thing about a shadow on the ground It only shows when the light’s around [Tenor – halo harmony] Mmm… so we dim it… just a touch… [Lead] You don’t chase it, you don’t pretend [Tenor – faux calm] No need to rush… it’s only winter… [All] You change the source… or wait it out again --- [FINAL CHORUS – ACCEPTANCE] [All – warm, inevitable] Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— No surprise left in the room Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Shadow fell, we felt it bloom [Tenor – gentle] High-vis season… nothing new… [All] Sweep the floor, spin the chair Winter’s still thick in the air Oh Timmy, Timmy, Timmy— Counting weeks like we always do --- [TAG – BARBERSHOP BUTTON] [All – very slow, ringing] Tim—myyy… [Tenor – floating] Saw… his… sha-dow… [Bass] Mm—mm… [Lead – spoken, calm] Told ya. [Tenor – barely audible, smiling] Every year…
