[Verse 1: Philly-soul male lead, ringing guitar chords, small boxed-in room sound, raw Philly-soul shout] Third floor, end of the hall, door three-C Lady at the office slid a key across to me Seventeen, I knew this building from the other side Slept down in the stairwell where the boiler kept it warm inside Learned which step would creak so the super wouldn't hear Learned to be gone by six before the tenants came near Used to read the mailboxes like a roll of who belonged Two-oh-four and three-ten, I would hum 'em like a song Now it's twenty winters later and the paper's got my ink First month, last month, and I didn't even blink [Pre-Hook: Philly-soul male lead, big bright keys climbing] I don't own a table and I don't own a chair But I own the right to lay my body right there [Hook: Philly-soul male lead, full band, raw powerful Philly-soul shout] Four hundred square feet, and the lock turns for me No couch and no bed, just a floor and a key Four hundred square feet, I can stretch out and shout And nobody alive gets to tell me get out [Verse 2: Philly-soul male lead, deep bass guitar, drums driving harder] Laid down on the floor and I can touch both walls I can hear the radiator bangin' up and down the halls Same pipes kept me breathin' when the cold got mean Now they're knockin' in my room like they're glad that I'm clean Ordered one big pie and I ate it on the boards Wrote three-C in marker on my hand like a reward Threw the window open, let the city pour in loud Bus brakes, barkin' dogs, a car horn and a crowd Every noise that used to wake me on that landing at three Sounds like a band warmin' up, and they're playin' for me [Pre-Hook: Philly-soul male lead, big bright keys climbing] I don't own a table and I don't own a chair But I own the right to lay my body right there [Hook: Philly-soul male lead, full band, raw powerful Philly-soul shout] Four hundred square feet, and the lock turns for me No couch and no bed, just a floor and a key Four hundred square feet, I can stretch out and shout And nobody alive gets to tell me get out [Bridge: Philly-soul male lead, room bloom, the boxed-in sound opens huge and wide] Walked back down to the stairwell, sat on the second stair Told the kid I used to be, come on up, it's right there Third floor, end of the hall, and the door is open wide Bring your bag, bring your fear, leave the cold outside [Final Hook: Philly-soul male lead, huge wide mix, raw Philly-soul shout at full power] Four hundred square feet, and the lock turns for me No couch and no bed, just a floor and a key Four hundred square feet, I can stretch out and shout And nobody alive gets to tell me get out [End]
