[Verse 1 — Immediate rhythmic acoustic guitar, light cajón groove, intimate natural clean vocal] You get brave when I’m not around That’s what everybody tells me Got a whole lot coming out your mouth Long as you know I can’t hear it Then I walk in and nothing happened Now you swear they made it up I don’t care who you were talking to I wanna hear it from you [Pre-Chorus — Acoustic groove pulls back, soft cajón pulse, vocal stays controlled] You don’t have to explain I’m not asking what you meant Just give me the same energy You had when you said it then [Chorus — Wide acoustic strumming, stronger cajón groove, spacious melody, layered natural harmonies] You had so much to sa-a-a-ay———— [Higher harmony follows the held melody] When I wasn’t around Now I’m right he-e-e-ere———— [Lower harmony enters underneath] And nothing’s coming out Don’t tell me what you meant Don’t clean it up for me If you meant every word— [Lead opens into longer melody] Say it aga-a-a-ain—————— [High harmony trails lead melody] (Aga-a-a-ain————) [Lower harmony enters underneath sustain] I’m listening now [Lead] Say it again [Verse 2 — Stronger rhythmic acoustic strumming, bouncing cajón groove, confident natural vocal] Now it’s “that’s not what I told them” Now it’s “somebody changed the words” Funny how the story falls apart The second that it gets returned You can blame whoever brought it back You can swear they’re starting shit But nobody put the words in your mouth You’re the one who started it [Pre-Chorus — Cajón builds underneath, acoustic strumming gradually opens] Save the explanation I’m not asking where it went I just want that same confidence You had when you said it then [Chorus — Bigger acoustic strumming, driving cajón, wider natural harmonies] You had so much to sa-a-a-ay———— [Higher harmony follows the held melody] When I wasn’t around Now I’m right he-e-e-ere———— [Lower harmony enters underneath] And nothing’s coming out Don’t tell me what you meant Don’t clean it up for me If you meant every word— [Lead opens into longer melody] Say it aga-a-a-ain—————— [High harmony trails lead melody] (Aga-a-a-ain————) [Lower harmony enters underneath sustain] I’m listening now [Lead with harmony climbing underneath] Say it again [Bridge — Acoustic guitar drops to low muted picking, sparse cajón taps, restrained close vocal] I’m not asking for an apology Keep it, I don’t need it I’m not asking you to take it back I wanna know if you still mean it You were comfortable saying everything When I wasn’t in the room [Acoustic guitar strips down to single quiet chords, cajón drops out] Well— I’m standing right in front of you [Breakdown — Hard percussive acoustic strumming, heavy cajón hits, raw urgent clean vocal with natural strain] KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY NOW THAT I’M HERE YOU WERE LOUD ENOUGH THEN LET ME FUCKING HEAR IT [Acoustic guitars hit and stop between lines] DON’T BLAME THEM DON’T CHANGE SHIT YOU SAID IT ONCE SO SAY IT AGAIN [Final Chorus — Biggest acoustic strumming, powerful cajón groove, lead surrounded by layered natural harmonies] You had so much to sa-a-a-ay—————— [High harmony sustains above lead] So much to sa-a-a-ay———— [Lower vocal enters] When I wasn’t around [Lead] Now I’m right he-e-e-ere—————— [High harmony follows melody] (Right he-e-e-ere————) [Lower harmony underneath] And nothing’s coming out [Lead] Don’t tell me what you meant [Second vocal] Don’t change it now [Lead] Don’t clean it up for me [Second vocal sustains underneath] I already know———— [Lead climbs] If you meant every wo-o-o-ord———— [Harmony climbs separately underneath] Then say it aga-a-a-ain—————— [High harmony] (Aga-a-a-ain——————) [Lower vocal enters over both] I’m listening now [Lead continues sustain] Aga-a-a-a-ain—————— [High harmony trails] (Aga-a-a-ain————) [Acoustic guitar and cajón cut completely] [Lead — quiet, clean, restrained, close-mic] Say it again.
