Songs for Vera

Verse 1

Muddy shoes tossed on the mat Left right where you walked through Every mess you leave behind us Just means we get more of you

Chorus

Vera, the whole house lights up Nobody shines quite so clear Sing it loud and sing it nearer Glad another year, you're here

Verse 2

You track the whole world through this door Fields and storms stuck to your feet We never mind the floor you tracked up You bring the noise, you bring the heat

Pre-chorus

Hear the hands start clapping now Feel the joy begin to swell Something in us wants to tell you

Chorus

Vera, the whole house lights up Nobody shines quite so clear Sing it loud and sing it nearer Glad another year, you're here

Bridge

However far your feet have gone However deep the mud, however far You always find your way here to us Right where you are

Chorus

Vera, the whole house lights up Nobody shines quite so clear Sing it loud and sing it nearer Glad another year, you're here

Outro

Kick off your shoes and stay a while We're glad you tracked your way back home

Verse 1

Something's still burning in the gutter Small light that just won't shudder Everybody thought it would fade But you're not built that way, Vera

Pre-chorus

You keep glowing after dark Long after the rest lose their spark Something in you refuses to end

Chorus

Vera, Vera, here's to your fire Nobody burns like you, nobody's higher We're gathered round you, glad you're near Vera, Vera, we're so glad you're here

Verse 2

Every year the smoke clears slow You're still standing in the glow People come and people go But you stay lit, that much we know

Chorus

Vera, Vera, here's to your fire Nobody burns like you, nobody's higher We're gathered round you, glad you're near Vera, Vera, we're so glad you're here

Bridge

Blow out candles, make a wish We'll cheer for you like this Another year and you're still bright Warmer than the porch light

Chorus

Vera, Vera, here's to your fire Nobody burns like you, nobody's higher We're gathered round you, glad you're near Vera, Vera, we're so glad you're here

Outro

Long after the party's ember fades You'll still be the warmth that stays

Verse 1

Cracked booth, torn wallpaper wall Pinball lights still burning tall Nobody fixed this place in years But you made it matter after all

Pre-chorus

Every candle needs a spark Every corner needs some light So here's to the one who starts it

Chorus

Vera, put your hands up high Every year you're getting nearer To the best one yet, so let's try Vera, this whole room's here for you

Verse 2

That old machine still rings its bell Same worn stool, same story to tell We keep coming back for the noise Because you're the reason it rings so well

Pre-chorus

Every candle needs a spark Every corner needs some light So here's to the one who starts it

Chorus

Vera, put your hands up high Every year you're getting nearer To the best one yet, so let's try Vera, this whole room's here for you

Bridge

Blow it out, make your wish loud Nothing here feels ordinary now Not with you standing in the middle Turning this dive into somewhere proud

Chorus

Vera, put your hands up high Every year you're getting nearer To the best one yet, so let's try Vera, this whole room's here for you

Outro

The lights still flicker where you stood This booth was never this good

Verse 1

One yellow stub falls from your hand Lands on the gravel where we stand No one else would keep a thing so small But you kept it, you kept it all

Chorus

Vera, you make the small things stay Every plain hour turns golden with you near Nothing about you is hard to hold dear Vera, you make the ordinary clearer

Verse 2

Trains keep leaving, we let them go We're not chasing anywhere, we're slow You laugh and the whole platform softens No rush in you, and I love that often

Pre-chorus

I've watched you turn waiting into rest Watched you make the quietest things the best Now the whistle blows and I lean into this

Chorus

Vera, you make the small things stay Every plain hour turns golden with you near Nothing about you is hard to hold dear Vera, you make the ordinary clearer

Bridge

Not every love needs a grand terrain Some just settle like light after rain You're the steady kind, the kind that's true I keep choosing this, I keep choosing you

Chorus

Vera, you make the small things stay Every plain hour turns golden with you near Nothing about you is hard to hold dear Vera, you make the ordinary clearer

Outro

Somewhere a stub still rests on the track I'd drop it again just to have you back

Verse 1

Sleeves of old records stacked by the wall Dust hanging still in the afternoon light I put one on just to hear it fall And there you are again, out of sight

Pre-chorus

Every song we played is coming back now Nothing about this feels far away I keep finding you in the smallest things

Chorus

Vera, you're the one I keep returning to Nothing about you has ever felt like less Time moves on but you get clearer Every year with you I love you best

Verse 2

The needle catches, skips, then finds its groove Just like we did, without even trying You made a home out of nothing to prove And I'm still here, no reason for lying

Bridge

Some things fade the more you hold them You only shine the more I do

Chorus

Vera, you're the one I keep returning to Nothing about you has ever felt like less Time moves on but you get clearer Every year with you I love you best

Outro

Dust still turns in the same old light And Vera, you are still my favourite sight

Verse 1

Green light humming on the floor Some machine left on to glow Nothing in that room was special Until you stood in the door

Pre-chorus

I wasn't looking for anything Didn't know I had a hunger But something in me started leaning

Chorus

Vera, you make the whole room clearer Every ordinary thing gets nearer Even the cracked tile under our feet Vera, nothing has felt so dear as

Verse 2

We stood there long past midnight Talking about nothing at all The coil kept ticking behind you And I forgot how to stall

Chorus

Vera, you make the whole room clearer Every ordinary thing gets nearer Even the cracked tile under our feet Vera, nothing has felt so dear as

Bridge

Whatever era comes next I want you steady in it However far, however near I'll keep choosing this minute

Chorus

Vera, you make the whole room clearer Every ordinary thing gets nearer Even the cracked tile under our feet Vera, nothing has felt so dear as

Outro

That light still hums somewhere Still glowing green for you

Verse 1

Somewhere behind that door the house breathes soft and slow Curling at the edges where the yellow paper peels Nothing in this house has ever wished you harm Rest inside the hush that this old room reveals

Chorus

Vera, close your eyes now, let the evening in Sleep is only kindness wrapped around your name Every corner of this room was made to keep you safe Vera, you are held here, gentle just the same

Verse 2

Watch the small light fading underneath the door Warm and low and steady like a heartbeat in the wall Nobody will wake you, nothing here will call You can drift off softer than a feather's fall

Pre-chorus

Hush now, little breaths are slowing, sinking deep and slow Even shadows soften when the lamp begins to dim Sleep is only waiting on the edge of a lullaby

Chorus

Vera, close your eyes now, let the evening in Sleep is only kindness wrapped around your name Every corner of this room was made to keep you safe Vera, you are held here, gentle just the same

Bridge

Paper thin and peeling, still it holds its place Just like love that's older, worn but never gone You are safe inside this quiet, golden space

Chorus

Vera, close your eyes now, let the evening in Sleep is only kindness wrapped around your name Every corner of this room was made to keep you safe Vera, you are held here, gentle just the same

Outro

Sleep now behind the door where yellow light is turning gold You are the warmest thing this old room ever gets to hold

Verse 1

Behind the curtain the glass is breathing slow and grey Little drops are sliding down in no hurry to stray Outside the wind is turning over fields and trees Nothing out there can touch you where you lay

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes and let the hush come nearer Every breath you take is drawing you dearer So let the whole wide dark grow softer now

Chorus

Vera, hush now, let the night grow clearer Sleep is only morning waiting nearer Wrapped up warm while stars keep watch above You are held, Vera, closer and dearer

Verse 2

Somewhere past the velvet the cold is climbing the pane Quietly it gathers like a soft forgotten rain Here inside the room stays golden, round and low You have nothing in this warmth to explain

Pre-chorus

Close your eyes and let the hush come nearer Every breath you take is drawing you dearer So let the whole wide dark grow softer now

Chorus

Vera, hush now, let the night grow clearer Sleep is only morning waiting nearer Wrapped up warm while stars keep watch above You are held, Vera, closer and dearer

Bridge

Let every worry melt away like fog upon the glass Nothing needs to hurry, nothing needs to pass You are safe as candlelight held steady in a jar

Chorus

Vera, hush now, let the night grow clearer Sleep is only morning waiting nearer Wrapped up warm while stars keep watch above You are held, Vera, closer and dearer

Outro

Somewhere the glass still wears its slow and silver trace Sleep now, you are held in the softest place

Verse 1

Down where the tide has settled soft and low tonight an old boat rests, turned over, holding in the light its oar leans quiet on the wet and gentle floor and you are safer than you ever were before

Pre-chorus

Nothing can reach you underneath this wooden roof the dark outside can never test that truth so let your breathing slow to something warm and near

Chorus

Vera, Vera, hush now, close your eyes the whole wide sky has folded into quiet skies nothing in this world could ever love you clearer nothing in this world could hold you dearer, Vera

Verse 2

The oar don't move, it only rests against the wood waiting out the night the way a good thing should and just like that, you don't need to do a thing just breathe it slow and let the small waves sing

Pre-chorus

Nothing can reach you underneath this wooden roof the dark outside can never test that truth so let your breathing slow to something warm and near

Chorus

Vera, Vera, hush now, close your eyes the whole wide sky has folded into quiet skies nothing in this world could ever love you clearer nothing in this world could hold you dearer, Vera

Bridge

Sleep can be a small boat turned against the weather holding you and holding all this warmth together

Chorus

Vera, Vera, hush now, close your eyes the whole wide sky has folded into quiet skies nothing in this world could ever love you clearer nothing in this world could hold you dearer, Vera

Outro

Somewhere the oar leans easy on the old worn floor and you sleep on, held safe, and loved, and loved some more