Spiny

[Verse 1]
Spiny on the sidewalk
Tiny tough guy walk
Little king of the alley
Everybody scatter when he comes around
They jump off the porch
They clear the whole block
Don’t touch
Don’t talk
But he still looks back
Just hopin’ someone hollers his name
[Chorus]
Spiny
Spiny
You got a heart under all that armor
Spiny
Spiny
You can’t hold a hand when your guard gets sharper
You chase ‘em away when they get too near
But you can’t keep runnin’ from the mirror and the fear
Spiny
Spiny
Somebody’s gonna love you
Right here
[Verse 2]
He curls up tight by the back-door light
Hidin’ under cardboard boxes
Watchin’ all the neighbors laughin’ in the yard
He hums little songs he never learned right
Just to feel some noise
But the echo answers
Like an empty room in his chest
[Chorus]
Spiny
Spiny
You got a heart under all that armor
Spiny
Spiny
You can’t hold a hand when your guard gets sharper
You chase ‘em away when they get too near
But you can’t keep runnin’ from the mirror and the fear
Spiny
Spiny
Somebody’s gonna love you
Right here
[Bridge]
One soft night on the edge of town
He hears a little voice say
“You can calm down”
There’s Chiffon singin’ in the clover patch
Feelin’ out of place with her tangled past
She don’t jump back
She just kneels in the grass (hey)
Says
“You can stay prickly
I’ll love you like that”
[Chorus]
Spiny
Spiny
You got a heart under all that armor
Spiny
Spiny
Look at you leanin’ in
Lettin’ her walk farther
She don’t run away when you get too near
She just hums real low
Says
“I’m right here
My dear”
Spiny
Spiny
Now you got a love that don’t fear
[Outro]
Spiny
Spiny (oh Spiny)
Chiffon by your side in the midnight air
Tiny little world but the love feels wider
Two shy souls
One brave pair
Spiny
Spiny
You finally found someone who cares

pop, Early-70s pop-soul anthem, male vocals: bright live band with tight rhythm section, tambourine, punchy horns, walking bass, and clap-along groove. Verses keep it cool and conversational, guitar comps and organ pads. Chorus lifts with stacked call-and-response backing vocals, horn stabs, and big, open drum feel. Bridge drops to bass and vocal, then full-band swell into a final, jubilant chorus outro., soul