Dead Reckoning

[the rap keeps running underneath, unbroken; the melody sits on top of it]

Still counting, still moving, still off every chart

(I don't know where I'm going)

Nobody's coming out to find me, that's the part I had to learn

(But I know which way is back)

And the missing thing I'm carrying is pointing like a needle

(And I'm not going back)

So I follow what I lost

(And I'm not going back)

So I follow what I lost

(I'm not going back)

I used to navigate by other people's windows

Set my course by who was letting who inside

Spent years correcting for a current that was never there

And called it a life

Now I take the loss as data

Not a verdict, just a mark

Put it on the chart and keep it

'Cause it's the truest thing I own

Everything they said about me, I don't have to disagree

I just don't have to steer by it

Still counting, still moving, still off every chart

(I don't know where I'm going)

Nobody's coming out to find me, that's the part I had to learn

(But I know which way is back)

And the missing thing I'm carrying is pointing like a needle

(And I'm not going back)

So I follow what I lost

(I'm not going back)

[the rap stops for the first time; melody alone, exposed, almost unaccompanied]

(I stopped waiting for a light to come on)

(And the dark turned into distance)

(And distance I can walk)

Still counting, still moving, and the chart is mine to draw

(And I'm not going back)

So I follow what I lost

(I'm not going back)

[the rap stops for the first time; melody alone, exposed, almost unaccompanied]

(I stopped waiting for a light to come on)

(And the dark turned into distance)

(And distance I can walk)

Still counting, still moving, and the chart is mine to draw

(I don't know where I'm going)

Nobody's coming out to find me — good, I'd rather not be found

(But I know which way is back)

And the missing thing I'm carrying is pointing like a needle

(And I'm not going back)

So I follow what I lost

(I'm not going back)

And it's taking me somewhere

[rap alone, spoken, no melody, almost off-mic]

Speed. Heading. Time since.

That's enough to get somewhere.

That was always enough.