Hard to Name

[Verse 1]
You say I’m a princess
He said it first
So you repeat
Crown made out of side-eyes
Glass shoes on my bare feet
Watch her touch your shoulder
Smile too long and I see red
I taste her name like poison
Swallow it and burn instead (ah)
[Pre-Chorus]
I breathe in your excuses
Slow
Through my teeth
You say
“It’s nothing
Baby”
But nothing cuts this deep
[Chorus]
I’m hard to name
Hard to hold
Hard to claim
You call it “care”
‘Cause that other word feels strange
Say it soft
It bruises
Say it loud
I break
I just press my mouth to yours
And let my breathing take its place (huh)
Let my breathing take its place (oh)
[Verse 2]
You call me your madness
Like it’s something you can fix
I wrap around your bad days
Haunt the cracks inside your ribs
Every woman in your stories
Is a shadow on my skin
You swear you’re in the moment
Why you letting all of them in? (mm)
[Pre-Chorus]
My pulse on your shoulder
Counting every sin
You say
“It’s only memories”
Why they living in your grin?
[Chorus]
I’m hard to name
Hard to hold
Hard to claim
You call it “care”
‘Cause that other word feels strange
Say it soft
It bruises
Say it loud
I shake
I just press my mouth to yours
And let my breathing take its place (ah)
Let my breathing take its place
[Bridge]
(yeah)
Close your eyes
Feel me crawl under your skin
All that heat
All that hurt
All the ways that we begin
Never say it
Never say it
Let it hang between our teeth
I’ll spell it on your collarbone
In every broken breath you steal from me (oh)
[Chorus]
I’m hard to name
Hard to hold
Hard to tame
You call it “care”
Like you’re scared of what I’d take
Say it soft
It bruises
Say it loud
I fade
Just press your mouth against my throat
Let our breathing take its place
Let our breathing take its place (shh)

Slow-burning alt-R&B with female vocals; intimate close-mic whispers, soft chesty lead, and stacked sighing harmonies. Minimal subby bass and sparse, clicky percussion under detuned Rhodes and distant guitar swells. Verses stay hushed and breathy, pre-chorus adds rising pads and soft syncopation, chorus widens with reverb-laced ad-libs and audible inhaled breaths as part of the groove, ending on a stripped, half-spoken outro., emotional