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STAGES lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
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Intro
February. Shutters still up. They say grief come in five stages. Nobody mentioned stairs. For my brother.
Verse 1
Woke up 6:15, made coffee for two out of habit Set his cup by the window, steam ghostin' off the cabinet Ironed his green windbreaker, hung it back up by the door Lauderhill kept movin' like it ain't down one no more Two-for-five on Sistrunk, ordered his with extra heat Receipt print party of one, I still pulled out two seats
Pre-chorus
They said it'd be five of 'em, not how steep the stairway Put his pictures face-down Tuesday, stood 'em up Wednesday 'Cause he still here
Chorus
Five stages in one house and all the lights cut off, lights cut off I walk it room to room with his name in my mouth, name in my mouth Denial drew the curtains, anger put a fist through glass Bargain on both knees in the hallway, beggin' February back It's heavy on the stairs but I climb, I don't stay, I don't stay It happened. I remain., I remain, I remain
Verse 2
Stage two came in swingin', snatched the calm off the shelf Fist-size hole by the thermostat, patched it by myself Interrogatin' rumors up and down 27th Ave Every whispered name a match thrown at the gas Broke grandma's good glass, still runnin' thirty-minute math Walked four forty-one on foot, can't trust me with the wheel Wanted war with all of Broward, 'til his mama grabbed my wrist
Pre-chorus
They told me it was five, not that they could share a day Stage two in my knuckles while stage three knelt down to pray And he still here
Chorus
Five stages in one house and all the lights cut off, lights cut off I walk it room to room with his name in my mouth, name in my mouth Denial drew the curtains, anger put a fist through glass Bargain on both knees in the hallway, beggin' February back It's heavy on the stairs and tonight I almost stayed, almost stayed It happened. I remain., I remain, I remain
Post-chorus
I remain, Say it plain, I remain Five rooms, one name, one name It happened. I remain., I remain
Verse 3
Stage three caught me bargainin' in a church lot off 183rd Lord, take the car, the chain, the tax return, take my last word Take ten years off my end and put 'em back on his clock Twenty-seven seconds of him laughin', saved on my phone I ration it like water, scared the cloud gon' call him home
Verse 4
Stage four ain't knock, it moved in, boxes in the hallway Slept through both alarms, shift cut, check half-pay Dishes stacked like evidence, affidavits in the sink His nephew need a ride off Sheridan, so I'm in the street Some days the whole fight is one washed dish, one made bed Took stage four's best swing and got up Thursday instead
Pre-chorus
They told me it was five, ain't say they swap and switch Denial pour his coffee while depression dim the lights And I'm still here
Chorus
Five stages in one house and all the lights cut off, lights cut off I walked it room to room with his name in my mouth, name in my mouth Denial drew the curtains, anger put a fist through glass Bargain on both knees in the hallway, beggin' February back It's heavy on the stairs but I climbed it anyway, anyway It happened. I remain., I remain, I remain Say it 'til it's plain: it happened. I remain.
Post-chorus
I remain, Say it plain, I remain Five rooms, one name, one name The lights work now, lights work now It happened. I remain.
Verse 5
Stage five ain't a finish line, it's a porch chair that finally fit Sunrise comin' up on Sunrise, I let the light sit Taught his nephew all five stages, count 'em on one hand Pinky up in Pembroke Pines, he grin, say he understand Still pour coffee for two, his cup go to the yard now He gone. I'm still here. Both fit on this porch somehow.
Outro
Five rooms. One house. Walked every one. It happened. I remain.
Inside the recording
February. Shutters still up. They say grief come in five stages. Nobody mentioned stairs.
They said it'd be five of 'em, not how steep the stairway Put his pictures face-down Tuesday, stood 'em up Wednesday
Five rooms. One house. Walked every one. It happened. I remain.
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.