Press Pause

(Spoken, close to mic) “ The world is too loud tonight.

So I’m putting my ringer off.

And I’m putting my hand… right here.”

(Band drops – slow one drop groove)

Your chest is rising slower than the news

I’m tracing circles on your tattooed bruise

They’re screaming something on the other screen

But you and me – we’re somewhere in between

Let the headlines burn themselves to ash

We’ll make a blanket from the aftermath

I don’t need a plan, I don’t need a cure

Just your thumb on my hip – slow, secure

Press pause on the racing world for me (for me)

Wrap your silence around my chest – I’ll be your refugee

We don’t have to fix a single thing tonight

Just your breath on my neck and the fading light

Press pause…

Press pause on the racing world for me (for me)

Wrap your silence around my chest – I’ll be your refugee

We don’t have to fix a single thing tonight

Just your breath on my neck and the fading light

Press pause on the racing world for me (for me)

Wrap your silence around my chest – I’ll be your refugee

We don’t have to fix a single thing tonight

Just your breath on my neck and the fading light

Press pause…

Press pause…

(backing: “ press pause…”) press pause on everything

(Spoken, soft) “ But every now and then… … my anxiety likes to talk.”

(Snare rimshot – beat shifts slightly – Dancehall rap begins)

Hol’ on – cool down – mek mi ketch mi breath

Di clock a run, but a run straight to death

Wi nuh need nuh bubble from a iPhone screen

Di only notification: yuh hand weh it been

Mi seh – cancel di panic, delete di alert

Put yuh whole face inna mi neck, feel di dirt

Of a real night, real skin, real sweat

Dem a sell we stress – but mi nuh buy dat yet

So mute di number, close di app

Tonight mi body a yuh lap

Nuh debate, nuh protest sign

Jus yuh thumb and mi spine and a slow, slow time

Mi nuh care who a talk, who a post wha

Mi only care when yuh hold mi waist – suh

Flash news can flash right out di door

Tonight mi love yuh more than di rockstone poor

(Beat slides back – rimshot fades – one drop groove returns – vocal softens)

Press pause… (press pause)

Racing world for me…

Your silence on my chest – I’m finally free

We don’t have to fix a single thing tonight

(Voice alone, only Rhodes chord held)

Just your breath… on my neck…

(Voice alone, only Rhodes chord held)

Just your breath… on my neck…

(whisper) … and the fading light.

(Spoken, sleepy) “ That’s better.”