Songs for Etta

Verse 1

Three balloons caught on the fan Tangled up since half past ten Somebody climbed a kitchen chair Just to make you smile again

Pre-chorus

There's a box still taped up tight Nobody will say what's in We keep glancing at the light

Chorus

Etta, this whole room's for you Every balloon, every string You make ordinary better You're the reason we all sing

Verse 2

Candles waiting on the side Somebody's guarding them from the fan We've been laughing half the night Trying to follow your master plan

Bridge

However old you're turning now You still light up every room However far you've come somehow You make the whole house bloom

Chorus

Etta, this whole room's for you Every balloon, every string You make ordinary better You're the reason we all sing

Outro

Those balloons will drift down soon But you're the one we're keeping

Verse 1

Plates are stacked along the counter Someone's ordered one more round Every candle in the window Flickers when you walk in town

Pre-chorus

We drew hearts before you got here Traced your name into the fog Now the room's about to open

Chorus

Etta, someone find a table Pull another chair up quick Etta, you're the whole occasion Nothing here without your trick

Verse 2

Rain is streaking down the street glass Nobody minds the weather tonight You could walk in soaked to bone here Still be the best thing in sight

Bridge

However far this year has carried However long the roads have been Wipe a circle in the window Look how loved you've always been

Chorus

Etta, someone find a table Pull another chair up quick Etta, you're the whole occasion Nothing here without your trick

Outro

Let the glass stay warm a little Let this table hold you well

Verse 1

Tongs are resting by the crumbs Something good has come undone Room is loud with all your name Nobody here feels quite the same

Chorus

Etta, look what love can do Every table leans toward you Clap your hands and call her name Etta, burning like a flame

Verse 2

Paper's spread out on the board Plenty here for the whole crowd Somebody always saves you more That's the kind of love you're for

Pre-chorus

Feel the warmth around this place Watch it rising on each face Building up to say it plain

Chorus

Etta, look what love can do Every table leans toward you Clap your hands and call her name Etta, burning like a flame

Bridge

Stand up now, let's toast you right Sing it louder into the night You're the reason we're all here

Chorus

Etta, look what love can do Every table leans toward you Clap your hands and call her name Etta, burning like a flame

Outro

Crumbs are gone, the tongs lie still We're still full of you, we will

Verse 1

Gloves hung upside down to dry Two empty hands beside the sink I see them there and think of you Of all the little things you do

Pre-chorus

It's not the grand that keeps me here It's dishes done and coffee near It's this small life I'm leaning into

Chorus

Etta, you're the calm I choose Steady when I'd start to lose No one else has ever known Etta, how to make house feel like home

Verse 2

You leave your mark on ordinary things A cup, a chair, the songs you sing I notice how the whole room shifts When you walk in, when you leave, when you drift

Chorus

Etta, you're the calm I choose Steady when I'd start to lose No one else has ever known Etta, how to make house feel like home

Bridge

Not everyone gets to be this known Held this plain, this fully shown You make the quiet feel like proof

Chorus

Etta, you're the calm I choose Steady when I'd start to lose No one else has ever known Etta, how to make house feel like home

Outro

Still the gloves hang by the sink Still I love you more than I think

Verse 1

The mug sits green on all that mail Bills I keep meaning to sort better Some things I never get around to Loving you, I never need a letter

Chorus

Etta, you're the calm in my whole day You make the hard parts feel much lighter Every room feels right when you're in it Etta, you're the one who makes things brighter

Verse 2

You leave your coffee going cold Too busy listening to my chatter I used to think small things meant nothing Now I know it's all that matters

Pre-chorus

I've counted every way I need you None of them add up to clever But my heart keeps doing the same sum

Chorus

Etta, you're the calm in my whole day You make the hard parts feel much lighter Every room feels right when you're in it Etta, you're the one who makes things brighter

Bridge

No grand words, no perfect setter Just this life, and you, and me Steadier than any letter Simple as a cup of tea

Chorus

Etta, you're the calm in my whole day You make the hard parts feel much lighter Every room feels right when you're in it Etta, you're the one who makes things brighter

Outro

The mug still sits there, green and steady Like you, love, always here, already

Verse 1

Old wood gives a little sigh Under our feet as we go by Nowhere else I'd rather stand You reach back and take my hand

Pre-chorus

Every board we cross feels slower Like the night don't want to end This is more than getting closer

Chorus

Etta, hold onto me here Nothing sudden, nothing to fear You're the calm I've been chasing Etta, you make it all clear

Verse 2

Water's dark beneath the rail Still I don't feel like I'll fail You laugh soft into the breeze Steady me with words like these

Chorus

Etta, hold onto me here Nothing sudden, nothing to fear You're the calm I've been chasing Etta, you make it all clear

Bridge

No need to rush this walk we're on Whatever comes, I'm glad you're here Some loves shout and some are quiet Ours just settles, soft and near

Chorus

Etta, hold onto me here Nothing sudden, nothing to fear You're the calm I've been chasing Etta, you make it all clear

Outro

Wood still creaks beneath our feet You're the reason it feels sweet

Verse 1

Somebody stitched this cushion soft for resting weary arms Now it holds you closer than a thousand lullaby charms Carved wood remembers every quiet evening spent this way Rocking gentle rhythms till the last light fades to grey

Chorus

Etta, hush now, let the evening settle round your head Nothing in this whole wide world can touch you in your bed Etta, close your eyes and drift where soft and slow is best You are loved beyond all measure, now it's time to rest

Verse 2

Wrapped in wool and worn out threads that someone's hands once made You are safer than a promise, softer than the shade Every stitch was placed with patience, every seam with care Just like you are held tonight within this quiet air

Pre-chorus

Outside the window darkness gathers soft and low and slow Breathe it in and let your busy little thoughts just go Nothing here will wake or worry, nothing here will grow

Chorus

Etta, hush now, let the evening settle round your head Nothing in this whole wide world can touch you in your bed Etta, close your eyes and drift where soft and slow is best You are loved beyond all measure, now it's time to rest

Bridge

Rest here where the old chair creaks a tune so long and low Nobody will move you till the morning starts to glow

Chorus

Etta, hush now, let the evening settle round your head Nothing in this whole wide world can touch you in your bed Etta, close your eyes and drift where soft and slow is best You are loved beyond all measure, now it's time to rest

Outro

Sleep now soft against the seat where all is calm and still Somebody will be right here, watching over you until

Verse 1

You are wrapped in a fringe of wool gone soft with the evening Denim knees hold still so the dark feels like a blessing Nothing asks you to be anywhere but here Sleep is only a hush that keeps arriving

Pre-chorus

Your breathing slows to match the quiet in the room Shadows settle where the lamp light used to loom Close your eyes, let the whole wide night lean in

Chorus

Etta, the dark is only asking you to rest Fingers of wool are combing you toward better Nothing tonight will ever love you less Sleep now, Etta, safe beneath the letter of this house

Verse 2

Somewhere a fringe sways slow against a knee Small as a whisper, steady as the tide can be You are held here tighter than a fist of thread Warm as the wool that never once let you go cold

Bridge

Let every worry drop like thread let loose Nothing tonight is chasing after you

Chorus

Etta, the dark is only asking you to rest Fingers of wool are combing you toward better Nothing tonight will ever love you less Sleep now, Etta, safe beneath the letter of this house

Outro

Somewhere the wool still hangs against the dark of denim knees Sleep now, small one, held in something softer than the breeze

Verse 1

A yellow light slides slow across the old brick wall far off where the quiet tracks run out of sight you're wrapped up warm before the evening starts to fall held closer than the hush that settles in tonight

Pre-chorus

Somewhere out there engines hum and rumble on their way but nothing out there needs to come and steal this hour so let your breathing find the calm and drift and stay

Chorus

Etta, the dark can't touch you here nothing tonight could ever be better close your eyes, there's nothing to fear you are the warmest thing in this letter

Verse 2

The wall goes dim again once that light has passed it by but you don't need a lamp to know you're safe and sound this little room holds softer things than stars up in the sky and every hush inside it wraps you gently round

Bridge

Let the far tracks hum their sleepy tune rest inside the calm that fills this room

Chorus

Etta, the dark can't touch you here nothing tonight could ever be better close your eyes, there's nothing to fear you are the warmest thing in this letter

Outro

The light moves on but leaves its warmth here on the wall and you sleep on, the softest thing of all