Songs for Mabel

Verse 1

Brown paper rolling out flat Boxes open on the table We're taking our time with this one Nothing about you feels able to wait

Pre-chorus

Something's coming, keep it hidden Hold the ribbon, hold your breath Everyone here is grinning

Chorus

Mabel, this day was made for you Cut the string and let it fall You're the reason we're all singing Mabel, you're loved by us all

Verse 2

Tape stuck sideways to your finger Corners folding all wrong We don't care how it looks We just wanted the day to feel long

Pre-chorus

Something's coming, keep it hidden Hold the ribbon, hold your breath Everyone here is grinning

Chorus

Mabel, this day was made for you Cut the string and let it fall You're the reason we're all singing Mabel, you're loved by us all

Bridge

However old this makes you We still see you clear as day Same warmth underneath it all Not one bit of that will fade

Chorus

Mabel, this day was made for you Cut the string and let it fall You're the reason we're all singing Mabel, you're loved by us all

Outro

Let the paper stay unfolded We'll keep singing while it does

Verse 1

Plums stacked high in a wooden crate Brass scales waiting, ready to weight Nothing on earth could tip them fair You're the treasure that nobody can spare

Chorus

Mabel, Mabel, heavy as gold Worth more than these hands can hold Put you on the scales tonight Mabel, you outweigh the light

Verse 2

Every plum picked out with care None of them shine like you do there Stack the crate up to the brim Still you'd outshine every one of them

Pre-chorus

Load the scales, call out the weight Watch the needle swing and wait Nothing balances what you make us feel

Chorus

Mabel, Mabel, heavy as gold Worth more than these hands can hold Put you on the scales tonight Mabel, you outweigh the light

Bridge

No number fits what you're worth Not since the day of your birth Every year the scale tips more We just keep loving you, that's for sure

Chorus

Mabel, Mabel, heavy as gold Worth more than these hands can hold Put you on the scales tonight Mabel, you outweigh the light

Outro

Stack the plums back in the crate You're the finest thing we weigh

Verse 1

You left the shears out on the peg Ready for whatever this year brings Every packet that you kept and saved Turns out to be worth more than things

Pre-chorus

We watched you dig and never quit Turning rough ground into a fable Now the candles catch and lift

Chorus

Happy birthday, Mabel Steady hand and heart of gold You make the whole house stable Mabel, worth more than we're told

Verse 2

You know which seeds need patient light And which ones bloom before they're able You've taught us all to wait it out Nothing rushed, nothing unstable

Bridge

Here's to the rust and here's to the bloom Here's to the hands that built this table Every year you plant something new And somehow it always comes back Mabel

Chorus

Happy birthday, Mabel Steady hand and heart of gold You make the whole house stable Mabel, worth more than we're told

Outro

Hang the shears back on the peg Another year for you to hold

Verse 1

Green linoleum under blue light Nothing open but that old machine You stood there like you owned the night Best thing my tired eyes had seen

Pre-chorus

I wasn't looking for a single thing Then you turned around and stayed Now my whole heart's leaning

Chorus

Mabel, you make the quiet hours able To hold more than I thought they could Steady as a kitchen table You're the reason I stay for good

Verse 2

We didn't need the lights turned on You laughed and the whole room woke Every plan I had was gone Traded for the way you spoke

Chorus

Mabel, you make the quiet hours able To hold more than I thought they could Steady as a kitchen table You're the reason I stay for good

Bridge

Years from now or still tonight It won't matter how much time has passed You're the calm inside the light The first thing steady, built to last

Chorus

Mabel, you make the quiet hours able To hold more than I thought they could Steady as a kitchen table You're the reason I stay for good

Outro

Green linoleum, blue light still glows You're the truest thing that no one knows

Verse 1

Bucket on the grey concrete Water going cold at your feet Broom leant up against the wall You hum like the day's complete

Pre-chorus

I watch you work and I forget my name Nothing about this moment feels the same Something in me is already gone

Chorus

Mabel, you make the plainest hour able To hold a love that's steady, not unstable You never asked to be my fable But here we are, and you're my Mabel

Verse 2

Your hands are rough from all you've done Still you reach for me like I'm the one Some folk chase the far and shining I found mine in the low grey sun

Bridge

No grand words, no cable strung with light Just this yard, this soap, this quiet night I don't need a story to tell it right

Chorus

Mabel, you make the plainest hour able To hold a love that's steady, not unstable You never asked to be my fable But here we are, and you're my Mabel

Outro

Bucket empty now, the broom put away I'd choose this same grey with you any day

Verse 1

I walked out where the thorn bush grows Past the flat grey stones in rows Nothing there to catch the eye But I thought of you and wondered why

Pre-chorus

The plainest ground can hold the most I never needed any coast Just this quiet, and you close

Chorus

Mabel, you're the truest thing I know Steady as the way these old rocks grow Mabel, I don't need a finer view Every plain road leads to you

Verse 2

Small things scatter where we tread Nothing showy, nothing said But you take my hand there anyway And that's the part that makes my day

Chorus

Mabel, you're the truest thing I know Steady as the way these old rocks grow Mabel, I don't need a finer view Every plain road leads to you

Bridge

No need for shine, no need for sound I found something solid, I found stable ground And it was you the whole way through

Chorus

Mabel, you're the truest thing I know Steady as the way these old rocks grow Mabel, I don't need a finer view Every plain road leads to you

Outro

Still that same path, still those same stones Still you, and still my heart at home

Verse 1

White foam is sliding slowly over the dark, quiet sand gulls are calling softly somewhere far along the shore close your eyes now, let the tide carry off the day you are the one I am watching over, nothing more

Chorus

Mabel, Mabel, rest your head down low the dark is only water, and it moves so slow wrapped up warm and steady, safe in every fold you are held here gently, Mabel, close and whole

Verse 2

Somewhere out past the water the gulls are going quiet the night folds over softly like a blanket pulled up high nothing needs to happen, nothing needs your eyes open just this breath, just this warmth, just this soft goodnight

Pre-chorus

Hush now, the tide has nowhere else to be tonight it only wants to reach you, then to fall away again so let your small hands loosen, let your shoulders settle down

Chorus

Mabel, Mabel, rest your head down low the dark is only water, and it moves so slow wrapped up warm and steady, safe in every fold you are held here gently, Mabel, close and whole

Bridge

Every wave that reaches you will leave you just the same soft, and warm, and certain, wrapped in your own name

Chorus

Mabel, Mabel, rest your head down low the dark is only water, and it moves so slow wrapped up warm and steady, safe in every fold you are held here gently, Mabel, close and whole

Outro

Somewhere the foam is settling soft along the sand sleep now, you are certain, held in someone's hand

Verse 1

The house breathes slow around you, every corner standing guard brass and quiet metal keeping watch, patient on the wall nothing here will stir tonight, nothing here will fall you are held inside this stillness, safest of them all

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes, the dark is gentle, nothing here to fear every hush within this room was gathered for you, dear so let the weight of sleep come find you softly here

Chorus

Mabel, sleep is calling soft and low the whole wide house is holding steady, watching as you go Mabel, dream beneath this quiet sky you are so beloved, little one, and safe as night rolls by

Verse 2

Up above you, something solid guards the ceiling's edge like a promise painted quiet, like a steady pledge nothing sharp and nothing sudden ever comes this way only calm and only comfort, only rest and stay

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes, the dark is gentle, nothing here to fear every hush within this room was gathered for you, dear so let the weight of sleep come find you softly here

Chorus

Mabel, sleep is calling soft and low the whole wide house is holding steady, watching as you go Mabel, dream beneath this quiet sky you are so beloved, little one, and safe as night rolls by

Bridge

Every wall was built to keep you, every hinge to hold you near nothing moves without your knowing, nothing waits to bring you fear you are the reason this whole quiet house stands still

Chorus

Mabel, sleep is calling soft and low the whole wide house is holding steady, watching as you go Mabel, dream beneath this quiet sky you are so beloved, little one, and safe as night rolls by

Outro

The house will breathe here softly long after you have gone to sleep and every quiet corner still will keep you safe to keep

Verse 1

Dust turns slowly gold where the light comes creeping in Falling soft and warm on the floor beside your bed You watch it drift like something small and safe within A quiet little world that glows around your head

Pre-chorus

Now the evening folds its wings and settles low Every corner dims to amber, hushed and slow Close your eyes and let the warmth begin to grow

Chorus

Mabel, the light still holds you soft and true Nothing can reach you now, nothing can harm Sleep in the glow that only knows you Mabel, you rest inside this calm

Verse 2

Shadows grow long and gentle across the wooden floor Stretching out slow like something learning how to rest You breathe as easy as the hush behind the door Curled where the last thin ribbon of gold felt best

Pre-chorus

Now the evening folds its wings and settles low Every corner dims to amber, hushed and slow Close your eyes and let the warmth begin to grow

Chorus

Mabel, the light still holds you soft and true Nothing can reach you now, nothing can harm Sleep in the glow that only knows you Mabel, you rest inside this calm

Bridge

Somewhere the sun has already gone to sleep But its last warm breath still lingers here for you Held in this room where nothing moves too deep

Chorus

Mabel, the light still holds you soft and true Nothing can reach you now, nothing can harm Sleep in the glow that only knows you Mabel, you rest inside this calm

Outro

Somewhere that gold still turns slow across the floor And you are held there, safe, and needing nothing more