(An iconic 1987 synth-pop ballad turning into an upbeat soft-rock duet. Starts tenderly at 105 BPM in $4/4$, shifting into an energetic 110 BPM four-on-the-floor rhythm with rich)
[INTRO — no drums, street hum, low engine idle]
Occasionally
From within the fumes
Of carbon dioxide
Will waft fumes
Of burning radiator fluid
Almost flowery
[PAUSE — one bar, traffic hiss]
[VERSE 1 — beat enters soft, late snare, cold bass]
There are moments
When I feel isolated
And alone
They have been increasing
In frequency
And I am powerless
To stop them
I use them
To my advantage
A time
For self-reflection
Sometimes
It’s too much
There has to be
A happy medium
[BREAK — drums filter down, bass remains]
Almost flowery
[VERSE 2 — warmer, more human]
So much can be learnt
If you allow yourself
To converse with another
Surrounded by icons
Of friends
Lost to the past
And now
There’s not enough time alone
And yet
So many people to see
How does one
Fit it all in?
Better phone skills
Could help
[HOOK — soft, repeatable]
Surrounded by people
Still feeling cold
Too much alone
Then nowhere to go
Almost flowery
Burning through the air
So many people
And no one quite there
[INSTRUMENTAL BREAK — 8 bars]
[Kick and Snare behind the beat Rhythms chords with tape wobble]
[Low traffic rumble Faint phone-line tone fading in and out]
[VERSE 3 — slightly frustrated]
It’s just such
An unnatural way
Of conversing
Not enough pause
Or time
For reflection
Surrounded by people
Yet still feeling cold
Could it just be
The winter?
[BREAK — one chord, cold room tone]
Could it just be
The winter?
[VERSE 4 — darker, resigned]
Too many
With too many opportunities
Passed
While others
Will brass rings
While others
Will brass rings
[HOOK — return, slightly fuller vocal double]
Surrounded by people
Still feeling cold
Too much alone
Then nowhere to go
Almost flowery
Burning through the air
So many people
And no one quite there
[BRIDGE — drums drop, vocals close]
There are moments
When I feel isolated
And alone
I use them
To my advantage
But sometimes
It’s too much
There has to be
A happy medium
[FINAL HOOK — stripped back]
Surrounded by people
Still feeling cold
Too much alone
Then nowhere to go
Almost flowery
Burning through the air
So many people
And no one quite there
[OUTRO — beat dissolves into traffic / engine fade]
From within the fumes
Of carbon dioxide
Burning radiator fluid
Almost flowery
[FINAL SPOKEN LINE]
Could it just be
The winter?
ASDFd
