[INTRO — INSTRUMENTAL — DETUNED PIANO + LOW DOOM GUITAR + SWUNG BONE-LIKE PERCUSSION + UPRIGHT BASS + DISTANT THEATER ROOM TONE — PRONOUNCED LOPING SWING — NO VOCALS] --- [VERSE 1 — MALE LEAD: LOW, CLOSE-MIC, GRAVELLY STORYTELLER — RESTRAINED SWUNG DELIVERY — SPARSE DRUMS + CROOKED PIANO + UPRIGHT BASS] The marquee lost half its letters One red bulb refused to quit I heard a trumpet through the plaster Though no one had performed in it Dust covered every ticket The stage was black with age I found a side door off its hinges And stepped behind the stage A piano struck three crooked notes Then swallowed the fourth Something underneath the floor Was keeping time for more --- [PRE-CHORUS — MALE LEAD: RESTRAINED, UNEASY — TIGHT SWUNG PHRASING — BONE CLICKS INTERLOCKING WITH THE DRUMS] A chair scraped back— No one sat. The drum gave one dry rattle— Then somewhere in the dark— A jawbone clicked like castanets. --- [CHORUS — MALE LEAD: POWERFUL, DARK, THEATRICAL — HEAVY SWUNG DOOM GROOVE — VOCAL PHRASES LOCKED TO THE LOPING RHYTHM] Bone music— Rattling underneath the boards Bone music— Breathing through the theater floor No fingers on the keys No lungs inside the horn Still every note arrives Before the next one's born Bone music— Keeping time without a clock Bone music— Grinding underneath the rock I came looking for a song— Something else had struck the first chord. --- [VERSE 2 — MALE LEAD: GRAVELLY, FASCINATED, UNEASY — DARK JAZZ SWING — SYNCOPATED STORYTELLING LOCKED TO UPRIGHT BASS AND BONE PERCUSSION] The trumpet had no player Just a rib cage in the chair Two finger bones kept tapping On a snare beside it there A spine leaned over the piano Its knuckles crossed the keys The bass player had no body— Just a coat beneath the knees Then the drummer raised his head And pointed past the stage— At the empty chair With my initials carved beneath the paint. --- [PRE-CHORUS — MALE LEAD: TIGHT, BUILDING, RHYTHMICALLY SWUNG — GUITARS AND DRUMS RISING — VOCAL PHRASES INTERLOCKING WITH BONE CLICKS] The brass began to tremble— Though nobody drew a breath The floorboards bent beneath the beat— Like something underneath them stretched The conductor lifted one white finger. One— Two— Three— --- [SHORT CHORUS — MALE LEAD: DARK, MENACING, RHYTHMICALLY SWUNG — VOCAL AND BONE PERCUSSION LOCKED TOGETHER] Bone music— Rattling underneath the boards Bone music— Breathing through the theater floor One— Two— Three— The room keeps score. --- [BRIDGE — MALE LEAD: NEAR-WHISPER, HYPNOTIC — LAZY SWUNG PHRASING — UPRIGHT BASS + BONE PERCUSSION ONLY] The conductor turned. No face. Just a white baton resting between his teeth. He pointed to the chair. I stepped back. My footsteps answered from somewhere on the stage. One. Two. Three. I wasn't moving. --- [BREAK — INSTRUMENTAL — SWUNG BONE PERCUSSION + DISTORTED BASS + RISING GUITAR FEEDBACK — RHYTHM REMAINS HEAVILY SWUNG] [WHISPERED BACKING VOCALS] Take your place. [MALE LEAD — RHYTHMICALLY TIGHT] I never gave you my name. [WHISPERED BACKING VOCALS] You left it on the chair. --- [FINAL CHORUS — MALE LEAD: FULL, GRAVELLY, HAUNTED — HEAVY DOOM METAL WITH A CLEAR SWUNG POCKET — VOCAL RHYTHM LOCKED TO SWUNG DRUMS AND BONE PERCUSSION] Bone music— Now the floor knows where I stand Bone music— Something's counting through my hands The chair is warm— The trumpet bends my breath The coat beside me turns its collar And leaves no room for flesh Bone music— No curtain call tonight Bone music— Every joint falls into time I came looking for a song— The empty chair is occupied. --- [OUTRO — INSTRUMENTAL — SWUNG PIANO + UPRIGHT BASS + DISTANT BRASS + FADING BONE PERCUSSION — RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL CROOKED THREE-NOTE RHYTHM — NO VOCALS] [CHAIR SCRAPES BACK] [ONE BONE CLICKS] [SECOND BONE CLICKS] [THIRD BONE CLICKS] [THE TRUMPET PLAYS THE OPENING THREE NOTES] [FINAL LOW DOOM GUITAR CHORD]
