Songs for Lesley

Verse 1

Boxes stacked against the oven Coats piled high on every chair Somebody's brought too much trifle But we all came here for you, we're here

Chorus

Lesley, light up this whole kitchen Happy birthday, sing it loud Every candle here's for Lesley Stood there grinning in the crowd

Verse 2

Can't find a seat in this madness Somebody's coat's fallen on the floor We're squeezed in tight round the table Just to give you one year more

Pre-chorus

Someone's shouting where's the lighter Someone's counting all the years Hold on tight now, here it's coming

Chorus

Lesley, light up this whole kitchen Happy birthday, sing it loud Every candle here's for Lesley Stood there grinning in the crowd

Bridge

Doesn't matter how we crammed in Doesn't matter what got spilled Every voice here came for Lesley This whole room got filled

Chorus

Lesley, light up this whole kitchen Happy birthday, sing it loud Every candle here's for Lesley Stood there grinning in the crowd

Outro

Boxes still stacked by the oven Every coat still on its chair

Verse 1

Flour on the floor tonight Two cakes burned but they're alright Cardboard boxes, smoke alarm None of it could do you harm

Chorus

Lesley, light of every room Happy birthday, watch it bloom We would burn a hundred more Just to see the smile you wore

Verse 2

Candles melted in the heat Nobody cared, we danced our feet Icing dropped on someone's shoe Still the night belonged to you

Pre-chorus

Every year we get you here Every year the cheer gets clearer Something's building, can you feel it near

Chorus

Lesley, light of every room Happy birthday, watch it bloom We would burn a hundred more Just to see the smile you wore

Bridge

You make the mess feel like a gift You turn the ruin to a lift Nothing we bake could match your worth Nothing could touch what you are on this earth

Chorus

Lesley, light of every room Happy birthday, watch it bloom We would burn a hundred more Just to see the smile you wore

Outro

Flour still settling on the floor We'd do it all again for sure

Verse 1

Wheels come rattling cross the floor Somebody's finally home once more Ticket boards are turning grey But you light up the whole doorway

Pre-chorus

Hearts been counting down the hours Waiting on that one arrival Here it comes now, feel it rising

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, look what the day brought in Every face here wearing a grin Stand up now and sing it loud Lesley, we are glad you're in

Verse 2

Suitcase rolling, catching light Nobody minds the cold tonight Voices calling out your name Warm as morning after night

Bridge

So blow the candles, raise the cheer Every year you're still right here Let the whole station hear it ring

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, look what the day brought in Every face here wearing a grin Stand up now and sing it loud Lesley, we are glad you're in

Outro

Wheels go quiet on the ground Because you're finally home and found

Verse 1

Crates stacked high beneath the glass Wood gone soft where rain got past You brush the dust from off the lid And find the good things no one hid

Pre-chorus

I've watched you work the quiet hours Turning old crates into flowers So let me say it before it's gone

Chorus

Lesley, you hold the whole roof up Steady hands round a chipped tin cup Lesley, I'd choose this every time Your name still sits so well in rhyme

Verse 2

The panes are green with all that's grown You've made this greenhouse feel like home Nothing here was ever new But it got better next to you

Bridge

I don't need the roof to hold I just need your hand to hold Some loves shout and some stay low Yours grew slow, the way good things grow

Chorus

Lesley, you hold the whole roof up Steady hands round a chipped tin cup Lesley, I'd choose this every time Your name still sits so well in rhyme

Outro

The crates still lean beneath the glass And I still lean on you like that

Verse 1

You leave your toothbrush next to mine Two of us leaning, sharing one line The porcelain cold under bare feet I like that our mess is entwined

Pre-chorus

No grand gesture, no perfect line Just a small blue cup we call ours And this feeling keeps building

Chorus

Lesley, you make ordinary shine I found something steady when you're mine This quiet kind of loving stays Lesley, I could hold this line

Verse 2

We brush our teeth and catch your eye No mirror trick, no reason why Just two people, worn in soft Happy with the smallest tie

Bridge

Some nights are loud, some nights are slow You're the hand I always know Nothing flashy, nothing rare Just you, staying, letting me grow

Chorus

Lesley, you make ordinary shine I found something steady when you're mine This quiet kind of loving stays Lesley, I could hold this line

Outro

Two brushes leaning, blue cup, worn glaze Lesley, you're the constant in my days

Verse 1

The spade stands rusting by the bench Wet leaves have stuck there since the rain I sit right where you left your coat And feel you closer than the pain

Pre-chorus

You never needed praise or proof Just showed up when the cold came through So here's the truth I'm leaning on

Chorus

Lesley, you hold me steady when the world won't You stay when easier love would run Nothing about us needs to shine You're the quiet I choose, not the loud one

Verse 2

The garden's gone to grey and brown Nothing left worth standing near But you still reach for my cold hand And that's the whole reason I'm here

Pre-chorus

You never needed praise or proof Just showed up when the cold came through So here's the truth I'm leaning on

Chorus

Lesley, you hold me steady when the world won't You stay when easier love would run Nothing about us needs to shine You're the quiet I choose, not the loud one

Bridge

No one's watching, no one's counting This is just the two of us Plain as leaves against the stone Certain as the ground I trust

Chorus

Lesley, you hold me steady when the world won't You stay when easier love would run Nothing about us needs to shine You're the quiet I choose, not the loud one

Outro

Leave the spade out, let it rust You're still the one I'm holding onto

Verse 1

A soft yellow glow finds the fold of your blanket gentle as breathing, it settles and lands there under the blue the whole room turns to amber and you're already drifting, calm and unplanned there

Chorus

Lesley, the light is turning your sheets to gold Lesley, the night has nothing but you to hold nothing will wake you, nothing will reach this bed hush now, my Lesley, softly the hours unfold

Verse 2

The cotton breathes slow with every small sigh you make warm little shapes where your hands have curled and settled under the lamp the blue goes quiet and deepens and I could stay here till morning just to watch you

Pre-chorus

Somewhere the dark is folding itself around us somewhere a light keeps low and never wavers hold onto that glow while your eyes grow heavy

Chorus

Lesley, the light is turning your sheets to gold Lesley, the night has nothing but you to hold nothing will wake you, nothing will reach this bed hush now, my Lesley, softly the hours unfold

Bridge

Sleep pulls you under, slow as the tide comes in and I'll keep the light low, watching you settle again

Chorus

Lesley, the light is turning your sheets to gold Lesley, the night has nothing but you to hold nothing will wake you, nothing will reach this bed hush now, my Lesley, softly the hours unfold

Outro

The yellow glow still hums through the blue cotton fold sleep well, little Lesley, wrapped up safe and warm

Verse 1

Little motes of dust go spinning slowly down the stair Falling through a beam of evening light so soft and slow You are held inside this quiet like the softest care Nothing in this house will hurry, nothing needs to go

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes and let the day float out and drift away The house is breathing gently, and the dark is kind tonight Sleep is only waiting for a name to come and stay

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, hush now, let the hours turn to sand Rest your head, my darling, everything is going gently The whole wide world can wait outside while you are held so grand Lesley, you are loved so calmly, loved so tenderly

Verse 2

The beam of light moves slower now, it settles on the floor Just like your breathing settling deeper into sleep Nothing that you carried in will follow through that door Only quiet keeping watch, and quiet keeping deep

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes and let the day float out and drift away The house is breathing gently, and the dark is kind tonight Sleep is only waiting for a name to come and stay

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, hush now, let the hours turn to sand Rest your head, my darling, everything is going gently The whole wide world can wait outside while you are held so grand Lesley, you are loved so calmly, loved so tenderly

Bridge

Even in the dimmest room you're never left alone Every breath you take tonight is watched and warmly known

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, hush now, let the hours turn to sand Rest your head, my darling, everything is going gently The whole wide world can wait outside while you are held so grand Lesley, you are loved so calmly, loved so tenderly

Outro

The dust has settled softly on the last step of the stair Sleep now, little Lesley, you are safe and you are cared for

Verse 1

A little lamp is turning the floor into a small round moon its quiet light keeps watch while you drift far away you don't need eyes open to know that I am near you I'll stay right here with you until the break of day

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, close your eyes now, let the evening in you are held so gently nothing here can do you harm Lesley, rest inside the hush that this small light begins sleep is just another way of staying in my arms

Verse 2

Somewhere in this house the kettle settles and the clock slows down every sound tonight is learning how to hush you are the softest thing this whole wide house is holding and nothing in the dark tonight will ever rush

Pre-chorus

The circle on the floorboards barely moves at all it waits the way I wait, so patient and so slow leaning toward the moment when your breathing settles low

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, close your eyes now, let the evening in you are held so gently nothing here can do you harm Lesley, rest inside the hush that this small light begins sleep is just another way of staying in my arms

Bridge

Every shadow in this room is only resting too nothing here will stir until the morning comes for you

Chorus

Lesley, Lesley, close your eyes now, let the evening in you are held so gently nothing here can do you harm Lesley, rest inside the hush that this small light begins sleep is just another way of staying in my arms

Outro

The little lamp will keep its small round watch till morning and you will still be held when the first light comes