Keep the Television On

Faithful cover, symphonic goth rock, spoken word delivery

[Intro]
The rabbit ears leaned crooked on the set,
A blue line crawled across the glass.
Mom had left the hallway light on,
But every other room was black.

A host with a painted-on smile announced
A film the station shouldn’t air:
A silver man from broken channels,
A girl who dreamed in signal glare.

[Verse 1]
The local station missed the opening reel
And found it buried in the static seam.
A sheriff drove through violet weather
Where clocks forgot their scripted scene.

The picture rolled, the speakers trembled,
The couch springs pressed against my knees.
A plastic ray-gun on the carpet
Buzzed faintly with a borrowed feed.

[Pre-Chorus]
I should have turned the channel,
I should have called upstairs,
But something in that flickering room
Was stitching worlds in pairs.

[Chorus]
Keep the television on till morning,
Let the lost ones cross the screen.
There’s a planet in the living room,
And a doorway in the beam.
If the signal starts to rupture,
If the picture turns to white,
Don’t touch the dial, don’t wake the house—
Stay with me tonight.

[Verse 2]
A woman made of paper circuitry
Stepped out from a canceled show.
The weather man said “clear conditions,”
While her eyes turned every wavelength low.

The late-show host forgot his punchline,
The laugh track coughed and died.
Then a child in a tuning helmet
Looked straight through the glass and sighed.

[Pre-Chorus]
The commercials sold us breakfast,
The movie sold us fear,
But underneath the humming tube
A breach was drawing near.

[Instrumental]

[Bridge]
At half past two, the broadcast folded,
Leaving only snow and sound.
Then one red dot began expanding,
Spilling footsteps on the ground.

A voice said, “You have seen our ending.
Will you tell us where to go?”
I pointed toward the silent hallway.
Something answered from below.

[Breakdown]
No credits.
No warning.
No station identification.

[Chorus]
Keep the television on till morning,
Let the lost ones cross the screen.
There’s a planet in the living room,
And a doorway in the beam.
If the picture starts to rupture,
If the walls turn hard and bright,
Don’t touch the dial, don’t wake the house—
Stay with me tonight.

[Final Chorus]
Keep the television on till morning,
Let the strange ones learn my name.
They came in through a dying signal,
They left through the window frame.
And when the station sighs off softly,
When the tube goes cold and white,
I’ll leave one chair beside the set—
For whoever comes tonight.

[Outro]
Years later, the screen is gone,
The rabbit ears are boxed away.
But sometimes blue light fills the curtains
When no broadcast’s set to play.

2884/7500

[Intro] The rabbit ears leaned crooked on the set, A blue line crawled across the glass. Mom had left the hallway light on, But every other room was black. A host with a painted-on smile announced A film the station shouldn’t air: A silver man from broken channels, A girl who dreamed in signal glare. [Verse 1] The local station missed the opening reel And found it buried in the static seam. A sheriff drove through violet weather Where clocks forgot their scripted scene. The picture rolled, the speakers trembled, The couch springs pressed against my knees. A plastic ray-gun on the carpet Buzzed faintly with a borrowed feed. [Pre-Chorus] I should have turned the channel, I should have called upstairs, But something in that flickering room Was stitching worlds in pairs. [Chorus] Keep the television on till morning, Let the lost ones cross the screen. There’s a planet in the living room, And a doorway in the beam. If the signal starts to rupture, If the picture turns to white, Don’t touch the dial, don’t wake the house— Stay with me tonight. [Verse 2] A woman made of paper circuitry Stepped out from a canceled show. The weather man said “clear conditions,” While her eyes turned every wavelength low. The late-show host forgot his punchline, The laugh track coughed and died. Then a child in a tuning helmet Looked straight through the glass and sighed. [Pre-Chorus] The commercials sold us breakfast, The movie sold us fear, But underneath the humming tube A breach was drawing near. [Chorus] Keep the television on till morning, Let the lost ones cross the screen. There’s a planet in the living room, And a doorway in the beam. If the signal starts to rupture, If the picture turns to white, Don’t touch the dial, don’t wake the house— Stay with me tonight. [Instrumental] [Bridge] At half past two, the broadcast folded, Leaving only snow and sound. Then one red dot began expanding, Spilling footsteps on the ground. A voice said, “You have seen our ending. Will you tell us where to go?” I pointed toward the silent hallway. Something answered from below. [Breakdown] No credits. No warning. No station identification. [Chorus] Keep the television on till morning, Let the lost ones cross the screen. There’s a planet in the living room, And a doorway in the beam. If the picture starts to rupture, If the walls turn hard and bright, Don’t touch the dial, don’t wake the house— Stay with me tonight. [Final Chorus] Keep the television on till morning, Let the strange ones learn my name. They came in through a dying signal, They left through the window frame. And when the station sighs off softly, When the tube goes cold and white, I’ll leave one chair beside the set— For whoever comes tonight. [Outro] Years later, the screen is gone, The rabbit ears are boxed away. But sometimes blue light fills the curtains When no broadcast’s set to play.

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