[Intro] [Solo female vocal, warm and close, one felt piano chord, singing the question and the hook plainly in near-whisper chest voice. Two bars.] So what's the whole point? It was never a means to an end [Verse 1] [Female vocal only, near-whisper chest voice, close and intimate. Felt piano and soft upright bass. Lots of air.] Five in the morning, I'm asking the kettle What was the point of all of it The hiding, the waiting, the fixing, the "fine" The long nights nobody could see [pause] [Chorus] [Female vocal only. The first line lifts into clear head voice, the second line resolves back down into chest voice with a long sustained carry on "through". Warm cello and upright bass. The last two lines chant on repeating notes, a few voices hum an answer after each line.] It was never a means to an end It was the end the whole way through Somebody's up, somebody's up Somebody's still up with you [pause] [Verse 2] [Female vocal only, warmer, fuller chest voice, a little more breath. Felt piano, upright bass, cello holding long notes, strings beginning to enter.] Nothing got fixed, I'll tell you that plainly The tiredness didn't leave when I did But somebody pulled out a chair and didn't ask me And somebody knocked twice and left the hall light on [pause] [Chorus] [Female vocal only, bigger. Head voice on the first line, a longer sustained carry on "through", more cello and strings, the hum answers clearer.] It was never a means to an end It was the end the whole way through Somebody's up, somebody's up Somebody's still up with you [pause] [Bridge] [Female vocal only, near-spoken, voice trembling, almost breaking. Only felt piano, very quiet. Then one full beat of silence.] You want it in a sentence Not the fixing, not the finish line A plate saved, a light left on, a "me too" The point is somebody's up with you At the hour when no one else is [Silence. One beat.] [pause] [Final Chorus] [The key lifts up a whole step. Female vocal only, full-voiced and soaring, the biggest vocal moment on the album. Full strings, cello, upright bass, light brushed percussion. A few voices hum underneath. Long sustained head-voice carries on "end", "through", and "you", moving down into warm chest voice and back up, a trembling crack at the peak. Powerful but never shouted.] It was never a means to an end It was the end the whole way through Somebody's up, somebody's up And now I'm still up with you [pause] [Vocalise] [Female vocal only, wordless, a long sustained head-voice line over soaring strings, rising and held, then falling away until only piano remains.] Ah... [pause] [Outro] [Female vocal only, whispered and plain, close to the mic, chest voice. One felt piano chord on the home chord, held. Then silence.] So that's the whole point I pour two cups and leave one on the step My door's unlocked It's morning [End]
