Verse 1]
(Sparse — foot stomps and handclaps only, lots of room to breathe)
Put the past in a book! [ BOOM - clap ] (sharp inhale — shallow gasp)
Put the ink on the page! [ BOOM - clap ]
Turned a whole lot of hurt into wisdom and age.
Drove the Cadillac down! [ BOOM - clap ] (sharp inhale — shallow gasp)
Through the bending oaks! [ BOOM - clap ]
Used to brace for the wind, just waiting to fall,
Now I’m shedding the leaves and letting go of it all!
[Chorus]
(The choppy march stops. The rhythm swings wide open into a driving stadium rock beat — full band, ringing guitars, B3 organ, gospel-style backing vocals.)
There’ll be a day that doesn’t make the turn by tomorrow,
When the road just stops and you run out of line!
But the sun’s coming up and the engine is running,
(shallow inhale)
And I’m taking my time ‘cause it’s still all mine!
[Verse 2]
(Drop back down — sparse, just stomps and claps again)
Got a heavy silver watch! [ BOOM - clap ] (sharp inhale — shallow gasp)
With a steady sweep! [ BOOM - clap ]
Got a whole lot of love and some company to keep.
Used to hammer the glass! [ BOOM - clap ] (sharp inhale — shallow gasp)
Used to fight with the past![ BOOM - clap ]
Now I’m letting ‘em tick, and I’m letting ’em pass!
[Chorus]
(Wide open again, full band)
There’ll be a day that doesn’t make the turn by tomorrow,
When the road just stops and you run out of line!
But the sun’s coming up and the engine is running,
(shallow inhale)
And I’m taking my time ‘cause it’s still all mine!
[Bridge]
Hear the quiet in the room! [ BOOM - clap ]
Make the ordinary loud! [ BOOM - clap ]
Watch my boy hold the line, making everybody proud!
I sat down with the ending and we made a deal…
(Music stops dead. Do not sing. Count: 1… 2… — then one audible breath in)
…Now I’m taking the wheel.
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
(Biggest moment of the song — fullest band, full gospel choir on the backing vocals)
There’ll be a day that doesn’t make the turn by tomorrow,
When the road just stops and you run out of line!
But the sun’s coming up and the engine is running,
(shallow inhale)
And I’m taking my time ‘cause it’s still all mine!
[Outro]
(Back to the marching beat. Keep stacking layers each line — but ride the whole thing into a long, gradual fade-out, dissolving completely to silence.)
Yeah, I’m taking my time! [ BOOM - clap ]
Pour the coffee slow! [ BOOM - clap ]
Change the song on the dial![ BOOM - clap ]
Let the engine hum! [ BOOM - clap ]
Staying the whole waaay dooown… to the end.
(Long, slow fade to silence — let the last words trail off and hang.)
