About the song
A story for this song hasn’t been added yet.
Words from the artist’s archive
NO EARPIECE lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Verse 1
The scorer sees the lane; his teammate reads the shoulder One chases points, one keeps the cheap shot from getting closer One spends a foul to keep the season on its feet The league mails out a fine; the franchise buys another week The replay names the conflict after damage has a face Protection looks like trouble when the camera starts too late One jersey gets the headline, one absorbs the blame The box score has no column for who kept the scorer in the game
Chorus
No earpiece, no black suit You know the guard by what they do They move before the danger's seen You learn who's with you by who gets between
Verse 2
A calendar says coffee; the red folder says attack She moves one meeting, sends a loaded favor back A rumor rides the elevator; she stops it at the floor His title leaves without a stain; her inbox keeps the score She asks for numbers twice; a costly yes becomes a no The threat arrives with perfect slides and nowhere left to go No siren marks the rescue, no applause records the shift Some guards protect your future by refusing what you wish
Chorus
No earpiece, no black suit You know the guard by what they do They move before the danger's seen You learn who's with you by who gets between
Verse 3
At noon, one empty chair becomes a border in the lunchroom She pulls it beside the kid the jokes have pushed from view A laugh can be a weapon when the crowd can split the blame One friend risks the circle so another keeps their name At two a.m., that courage counts the cups and memorizes exits Keeps a phone charged, keys collected, reads the shift in faces The party calls her boring till the parking lot gets honest Somebody gets home because she noticed what they missed
Verse 4
A username gets cornered by a hundred borrowed mouths The strongest crowd won't mirror what it came to shut down They save the proof, report in order, starve the bait of speed They close the swarm, not the speaker, giving one person room to breathe No fists, no tinted motorcade, no salary, no fame Just people taking turns to stand where harm had found a lane The suit was just a symbol; the decision was the shield A bodyguard is not a look, it's who gets between
Chorus
No earpiece, no black suit Now you know the guard by what they do They move before the danger's seen You learn who's with you by who gets between
Outro
Not a uniform, the job is the space between.
Inside the recording
The scorer sees the lane; his teammate reads the shoulder One chases points, one keeps the cheap shot from getting closer
No earpiece, no black suit You know the guard by what they do
Not a uniform, the job is the space between.
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.