Keep a Place for Me

Lyrics

[Verse 1] You left your blue coat folded on the chair I still see the sleeve when the cell goes bare They call count, I answer, then I count again Four walls keep the hours better than my friends Your last letter’s soft from the crease in my hand A little kitchen story from the life we had You wrote, “The roses came back by the gate” I read that line till the morning gets late [Pre-Chorus] I tell myself you’re sleeping just fine Then your name slips out when they kill the lights [Chorus: Lo-fi duet, two voices in harmony] [Lead] If you can hear me, keep a place for me [Duet] We’ll keep a place, we’ll keep a place [Lead] I’m still your son beneath this number they gave me [Gang replies] Still your son, still your son [Lead] When the door shuts hard, I say your name [Duet] We say your name, we say your name [Lead] I’m sorry I made home carry all this pain [Gang replies] Come back home, come back home [Verse 2] Ma, I remember rain against the screen Your old kettle singing while you made the tea My little brother sleeping halfway through a show I said I’d be back before he got tall, I know Now he sends a drawing folded into thirds A crooked little house and a sun without words I press it to my chest when the hallway goes still Try to be the man that he thinks I can still be [Pre-Chorus] I tell myself there’s time to make this right Then your handwriting blurs beneath the light [Chorus: Lo-fi duet, two voices in harmony] [Lead] If you can hear me, keep a place for me [Duet] We’ll keep a place, we’ll keep a place [Lead] I’m still your son beneath this number they gave me [Gang replies] Still your son, still your son [Lead] When the door shuts hard, I say your name [Duet] We say your name, we say your name [Lead] I’m sorry I made home carry all this pain [Gang replies] Come back home, come back home [Bridge] I won’t ask you to forget what I have done Just leave the porch light on for my little brother If he asks where I am, tell him I’m learning How a heart can break and still turn toward home [Final Chorus: Lo-fi duet, fuller harmony, tender gang replies] [Lead] If you can hear me, keep a place for me [Duet] We’ll keep a place, we’ll keep a place [Lead] I’m still your son beneath this number they gave me [Gang replies] Still your son, still your son [Lead] When the door shuts hard, I say your name [Duet] We say your name, we say your name [Lead] I’m sorry I made home carry all this pain [Gang replies] Come back home, come back home [Outro] Your blue coat’s waiting on the chair I hold that thought and breathe the air