[Verse 1 — immediate intimate female whisper-rap, smoky Appalachian drawl, deep sub-bass, sparse trap percussion] “You got a country twang Make sure they hear it when you sang Don’t stray too far from the script You’ll be okay” “Don’t go too soft Or they’ll put you in a box Don’t go too hard Or they’ll turn you off” Everybody’s got a little piece of advice Everybody knows what I oughta sound like One says stay sweet, one says get mean One says be yourself, but not that version of me [Pre-Chorus — half-sung, hypnotic melody, distant slide guitar] I’m tired of reading directions From people who don’t know my reflection Tired of chasing their approval When all I wanted was connection [Chorus — haunting low melodic hook, slow head-nodding beat, layered breathy harmonies] I’m gonna sing what I wanna sing Even if nobody hears a thing Let the whole damn room go quiet Let the telephone never ring I don’t need a thousand voices Telling me what I should be If I’m the only one who hears it At least one person heard me [Post-Chorus — whispered, rhythmically repeated] At least one… At least one… At least one person heard me [Verse 2 — tighter rhythmic cadence, distorted bass, restrained anger] “Don’t get political, don’t get strange Don’t go switching up your range Keep that country in your blood Give ’em something they can love” “Make it shorter, make it clean Give ‘em something for the stream Make it catchy, make it sell But don’t you give ’em too much hell” I’ve been measured by a hundred little rulers All held by people who ain’t walking in my shoes They want the fire, but they want it in a jar Want the truth, but only if it doesn’t leave a scar [Pre-Chorus — soft, increasingly weary] I’m tired of reading directions Like my heart needs their correction I don’t wanna be their product I just wanna make connections [Chorus — fuller bass, ghostly doubled vocals, emotional but restrained] I’m gonna sing what I wanna sing Even if nobody hears a thing Let the whole damn room go quiet Let the telephone never ring I don’t need a thousand voices Telling me what I should be If I’m the only one who hears it At least one person heard me [Bridge — drums disappear, low humming bass, close-mic whispered vocal] Maybe I’ll sing a country song Maybe I’ll scream till my throat gives out Maybe I’ll whisper something ugly That I never said out loud Maybe I’ll find another rhythm Nobody thought belonged to me Maybe I’ll make a little noise That doesn’t fit their categories [Spoken — intimate, no music] And maybe nobody listens. [Two beats of silence] But I did. [Final Chorus — slow, emotional, layered harmonies, deep rolling bass] I’m gonna sing what I wanna sing Even if nobody hears a thing Let the whole damn room go quiet Let the telephone never ring I don’t need a thousand voices Telling me what I should be If I’m the only one who hears it At least one person heard me [Final refrain — beat gradually strips away, almost whispered] At least one… At least one… At least one person heard me [Hard stop]
