Songs for Albie

Verse 1

Yellow boots left prints in the snow Melting quick where the bus queues go But the warmth you bring don't fade that way It's the thing that carries me through the day

Pre-chorus

Every year the cold comes round But you're the warmest thing I've found So let the whole room lift the sound

Chorus

Happy birthday, Albie, sing it loud Albie, Albie, love you proud You light a room up, plain and true There's no one round here quite like you

Verse 2

Slush and grey outside the door But you make me want to laugh some more You bring the sunshine, rain or shine Best kind of trouble, always mine

Pre-chorus

Every year the cold comes round But you're the warmest thing I've found So let the whole room lift the sound

Chorus

Happy birthday, Albie, sing it loud Albie, Albie, love you proud You light a room up, plain and true There's no one round here quite like you

Bridge

Another year has come and gone But your kind of light keeps shining on Whatever comes, whatever's new

Chorus

Happy birthday, Albie, sing it loud Albie, Albie, love you proud You light a room up, plain and true There's no one round here quite like you

Outro

The footprints melt, but you remain The warmest thing in wind or rain

Verse 1

Sleet was hammering the glass Wipers fighting, going fast Dashboard clock burned green and low Still I felt you driving past

Pre-chorus

You made the cold nights hold their nerve You gave the dark a reason to curve Tonight we're lighting up the whole damn block

Chorus

Albie, Albie, light the room Every candle's for you soon We don't care about the weather Albie, blow it out too smartly

Verse 2

You laugh and windows start to steam Ordinary turns to dream Every year you get louder Never fading, never lean

Chorus

Albie, Albie, light the room Every candle's for you soon We don't care about the weather Albie, blow it out too smartly

Bridge

Raise a glass, raise a cheer This whole crowd is glad you're here You're the spark we didn't plan for You're the one we're shouting for

Chorus

Albie, Albie, light the room Every candle's for you soon We don't care about the weather Albie, blow it out too smartly

Outro

Green light glowing, storm outside You're the warmth we can't deny

Verse 1

Bucket left out by the dunes Salt spray hitting the wood You'd have filled it up with laughing Given half a chance you would

Pre-chorus

Every year you show up brighter Never once you let us down So light the candles, get up closer

Chorus

Albie, Albie, light the room Nobody wears it half as smartly You make the whole house feel like summer Albie, Albie, hold that party

Verse 2

Wind was wild out on the sand Still you stood there tall and steady You've always been the one we count on Even when the world's unready

Chorus

Albie, Albie, light the room Nobody wears it half as smartly You make the whole house feel like summer Albie, Albie, hold that party

Bridge

Here's to you and every year you've earned Here's to all the love that's coming back around

Chorus

Albie, Albie, light the room Nobody wears it half as smartly You make the whole house feel like summer Albie, Albie, hold that party

Outro

That bucket's still out by the water Waiting, like we do, for you

Verse 1

Milk bottles wait out on the step The brass handle turns slow and low You're somewhere warm behind that door And that's the only place I go

Chorus

Albie, you're the calm I come home to Nothing about you ever feels unplanned Steady as the turning of a handle Albie, I would know you by your hand

Verse 2

I don't need the porch light on I know the sound your kettle makes You hum something low and off key And it's the tune my whole day takes

Pre-chorus

I've loved you in the plain hours The ones nobody writes a song about This is where the feeling starts to shout

Chorus

Albie, you're the calm I come home to Nothing about you ever feels unplanned Steady as the turning of a handle Albie, I would know you by your hand

Bridge

You never make me knock twice No performance, no goodbyes rehearsed Whatever door I'm standing at You already had it open first

Chorus

Albie, you're the calm I come home to Nothing about you ever feels unplanned Steady as the turning of a handle Albie, I would know you by your hand

Outro

The bottles will still be waiting But I'm already through the door

Verse 1

One handle, and we split it even You take the heavy side again I never once said put it down Some weight I carry without grieving

Pre-chorus

It is not much, a bag, a load But you make plain things feel like home I am not scared of where this goes

Chorus

Albie, you make the ordinary hold Plastic stretching thin but never cold Whatever bends, I bend it too Albie, I chose you, I still choose

Verse 2

Some nights the walk home takes forever You hum a tune I half remember I watch your hand around the strap Steady, like you'll hold it whenever

Chorus

Albie, you make the ordinary hold Plastic stretching thin but never cold Whatever bends, I bend it too Albie, I chose you, I still choose

Bridge

No grand thing said, no promise sworn Just this, and this, and being worn Together, easy, nothing forced

Chorus

Albie, you make the ordinary hold Plastic stretching thin but never cold Whatever bends, I bend it too Albie, I chose you, I still choose

Outro

Both our hands still on the same thin line Steady now, and always mine

Verse 1

A puddle holds the streetlamp's glow Rusted chains, the bikes stand slow I walk this street a hundred times But you turn it into something fine

Chorus

Albie, you're the warmth I find In the ordinary, in the grey and mild Albie, steady, close and true Every plain thing shines near you

Verse 2

No one else would stop to see Orange light on old debris But you notice what gets left behind And that's the kindest thing, that's your kind

Pre-chorus

I never needed grand or new Just this street, just this view And you beside me, leaning in

Chorus

Albie, you're the warmth I find In the ordinary, in the grey and mild Albie, steady, close and true Every plain thing shines near you

Bridge

Some loves come with fireworks lit Ours came quiet, and it fit No need to shout it from a height You're the calm inside my night

Chorus

Albie, you're the warmth I find In the ordinary, in the grey and mild Albie, steady, close and true Every plain thing shines near you

Outro

The puddle fades, the light moves on But what you gave me still stays warm

Verse 1

A soft fringe of wool drags slow across the floor tonight Trailing behind you like a hush that wants to stay Every small sound in this room is turning gentle in the light And I am watching over you the whole and easy way

Chorus

Albie, Albie, let the day float off your chest Close your eyes now, let the quiet carry you along You are held here, Albie, safer than you've ever guessed Nothing in the dark tonight can do you any wrong

Verse 2

The blanket's edge is combing lines across the polished ground Slow as breathing, slow as everything should be There is nowhere you should hurry to, no reason to be found Just this room, this warmth, this quiet holding you and me

Pre-chorus

Your small hand is loosening, your breathing settles low The night is only kindness now, it isn't going anywhere So let your worries empty out and let the stillness grow

Chorus

Albie, Albie, let the day float off your chest Close your eyes now, let the quiet carry you along You are held here, Albie, safer than you've ever guessed Nothing in the dark tonight can do you any wrong

Bridge

Sleep is only love wearing its softest, quietest coat You are wanted here, and wanted is enough to keep you warm

Chorus

Albie, Albie, let the day float off your chest Close your eyes now, let the quiet carry you along You are held here, Albie, safer than you've ever guessed Nothing in the dark tonight can do you any wrong

Outro

Somewhere the wool fringe rests now, still against the floor And you are resting too, held here, needing nothing more

Verse 1

Cream linen lifts and settles soft against the frame tonight and somewhere in that quiet breath you're held and feel alright warm air comes drifting slow across the room where you now lie so let your busy little day go drifting on and by

Pre-chorus

Close now those heavy eyes and let the humming start feel how the whole wide house is wrapped around your heart and sleep is only waiting just a breath or two away

Chorus

Albie, Albie, hush now, let the dark be kind drift now, little dreamer, leave the day behind nothing in this soft room ever meant you harm Albie, you are held here, safe and always warm

Verse 2

Out beyond the window all the stars are settling too every quiet corner of this house belongs to you nothing needs to hurry, nothing needs to rush or climb rest now in the gentle turning of the night time

Bridge

Should the wind come calling soft against the pane know you're loved the same in sun as you're loved in rain nothing out there in the dark can ever reach this bed

Chorus

Albie, Albie, hush now, let the dark be kind drift now, little dreamer, leave the day behind nothing in this soft room ever meant you harm Albie, you are held here, safe and always warm

Outro

Let the curtain settle soft against the open frame sleep now, little Albie, loved and always safe the same

Verse 1

The rain is drawing rivers down the window by your seat and the dashboard glows a soft and gentle orange hue everything outside is wet and hurried, dark and fleet but nothing in this moving world can ever trouble you

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes and feel the engine humming low and slow let the wipers count the seconds as the wet road passes by you are held so close and nothing here will let you go

Chorus

Albie, the night is soft around you now the rain outside is only rain, it cannot reach this glow you are the warmest thing in this whole quiet town sleep, little Albie, there is nowhere safe to go

Verse 2

Somewhere far the thunder mutters but it stays outside the glass every drop that hits the window slides away and disappears you are wrapped in warmth so steady that the moments pass and there is nothing in this dark that you should ever fear

Bridge

Let the light stay low and orange, let the rain keep falling soft you are carried, you are certain, you are never lost

Chorus

Albie, the night is soft around you now the rain outside is only rain, it cannot reach this glow you are the warmest thing in this whole quiet town sleep, little Albie, there is nowhere safe to go

Outro

The rain will keep on falling soft against the glass tonight and you will keep on sleeping in the warm and steady light