Lyrics

**(VERSE 1 - Whispered, breathy, over sparse piano)**
*Sunrise crawls… through the blinds…*
*(Hee-hee!)*
*Not a promise… just a weight… on my mind…*
*Every step… every note… every stare…*
*Got me carryin’ shadows… everywhere…*
*Ooh… my body SCREAMS…*
*(Aow!)*
*Like a million moves… trapped inside my dreams…*
*Muscles shakin’… bones so cold…*
*Dreadin’ all the stories… left untold…*

**(PRE-CHORUS - Tension builds. Strings swell softly)**
*And my soul… (Oh!)… just tryna hold… on…*
*To the hope… that used to… feel… so strong…*
*But it’s slippin’… yeah…*
*(Gasp) Slippin’ away…*

**(CHORUS - Explosive. Full MJ power: driving bassline, sharp synth hits, gospel-tinged backing vocals)**
**THIS FOREVER TIRED! (Hoo!)**
*Sunlight feels like chains!*
**THIS FOREVER WIRED! (Aow!)**
*Burnin’ through the pain!*
*I step into the GLOW… (Shamone!)*
*Put on the SHOW… yeah!*
*But inside… I’m just…*
**RUSTED CLOCKWORK… WINDIN’ DOWN!**
*GEARS ALL GROUND… LOSIN’ TIME… IN THIS TOWN!*
**GIVIN’ YOU MY ALL… (Yeah!)**
*‘Til the curtain FALLS…*
**THEN THE SILENCE… SCREAMS… SO LOUD!**
*(Beat drops out - only a deep, slow heartbeat)*
*…Just my heart… weary… and proud…*
*(Hoo!)*

**(VERSE 2 - Rhythm tightens. Funky, muted guitar joins)**
*See the SMILE… (Ooh!)*
*See the LIGHT… in my eyes…*
*(Shamon!)*
*Nothin’ broken… nothin’ wrong… in your sight…*
*But beneath the sparkle… ‘neath the shine…*
*Lies an old machine… runnin’ outta time…*
*Springs are weak… (Ooh no…)*
*Gears won’t speak…*
*Just a whisper left… from the PEAK!*

**(PRE-CHORUS 2 - More urgent. Ad-libs layer)**
*When the lights… go… DARK… (Oh!)*
*And the stage… feels… so… VAST…*
*That’s when the quiet… comes… so FAST…*
*(Gasp) And it HURTS… yeah…*

**(CHORUS - Even bigger. Soaring strings, crashing drums, choir enters)**
**THIS FOREVER TIRED! (Good God!)**
*Sunlight feels like chains!*
**THIS FOREVER WIRED! (Can you feel it?!)**
*Burnin’ through the pain!*
*I step into the GLOW… (For you!)*
*Put on the SHOW… yeah!*
*But inside… I’m just…*
**RUSTED CLOCKWORK… WINDIN’ DOWN!**
*GEARS ALL GROUND… LOSIN’ TIME… IN THIS TOWN!*
**GIVIN’ YOU MY ALL… (Everything!)**
*‘Til the curtain FALLS…*
**THEN THE SILENCE… SCREAMS… SO LOUD!**
*(Beat drops - heartbeat solo)*
*…Just my heart… weary… and proud…*
*(Hee-hee… Hoo!)*

**(BRIDGE - Stark. Vulnerable. Almost spoken-word over heartbeat & piano)**
*All I want… (Ooh…)*
*Is a moment…*
*No noise… no pain… (No!)*
*No expectations… crashin’ like rain…*
*Just… to BE… (Just to be…)*
*Is that… too much?*
*Or… not enough?*
*(Voice cracks, whispers)*
*…Peace…*
*(A cappella choir hums mournfully)*

**(GUITAR SOLO - Tearful, bluesy, echoing the bridge's ache)**

**(FINAL CHORUS - Triumphant yet exhausted. Epic key change)**
**THIS… FOREVER… TIRED! (But I rise!)**
*Sunlight… BREAK the chains!*
**THIS… FOREVER… WIRED! (One more time!)**