Don't Stop Playing

[Intro - Female Whisper]
The scores are all in order.
At midnight, you must play.
Whatever happens past those doors...
don't stop playing.

[Female Vocals - Haunting, sustained, wordless]
OHHHHHHH

[Verse 1]

[Male Vocals]
No more stages left to play,
only bills I couldn't pay.
At a club, when my set was through,
they said, "We've got some work for you."

[Female Vocals]
A contract tucked inside the score.
A sum of money. Nothing more.
He sold his silence for their gold,
not knowing what he'd leave untold.

[Female Vocals - Haunting, sustained, wordless]
AHHHHH...

[Verse 2]

[Male Vocals]
No signal as the miles went by,
the house and gardens caught my eye.
They gave me Marsyas' face to wear:
pale ivory, a frozen stare.

[Female Vocals]
Above the masks, a face of gold:
Apollo watched him, calm and cold.
Persephone showed him where to play
and leaned in close enough to say:

[Pre-Chorus - Female Whisper]
Whatever happens past those doors,
don't stop playing.

[Male and Female Duet, singing together]
OHH OHH OHH

[Chorus - Male and Female Duet, singing together, dark melody]
DON'T STOP PLAYING.
DON'T LET YOUR BOW ARM FALTER.
THE SCORE GOES ON UNBROKEN,
THOUGH BLOOD NOW STAINS THE ALTAR.
AHHHHHH
DON'T STOP PLAYING.
LET NO CRIES DISTURB THE AIR.
YOU SIGNED YOUR VOICE AWAY.
THEY PAY TO SIT AND STARE.

[Verse 3]

[Male Vocals]
White masks and robes of crimson red
ringed the altar straight ahead.
The first woman rose from her chair;
they laid her down in silence there.

[Female Vocals]
Her voice was silenced by the blade;
he missed one note, but still obeyed.
A victim on the marble lay;
another score for him to play.

[Male Vocals]
I woke with that nightmare in my head;
I couldn't shake that weight of dread.
I wished it all had been a dream,
But it was real, each note, each scream.

[Female Vocals]
He searched for answers night and day;
I warned him: "Stop. Just walk away."

[Male Vocals]
I thought the shadows followed me;
I couldn't trust what I could see.

[Bridge]

[Male Vocals]
She found me there, as if by chance,
fear in her every backward glance.

[Female Vocals - Haunting, sustained]
If they find out I spoke to you,
no one can save me from what they'll do.

[Violin and Guitar Solo]

[Verse 5]

[Male Vocals]
I wanted to believe I could set her free.
I wanted to go back—she needed me.
I wanted to believe I could set her free.
I wanted to go back—she needed me.
I put on Marsyas' face once more.
No one stopped me at the door.
The doors fell shut behind my back.
Down the stairs, Apollo came.
She stepped out from among the rest,
her voice still gentle, still the same.

[Female Spoken]
Have you come to rescue me?
I never needed your help.

[Breakdown - Male Vocals]
They seized me, carried me away.
Upon the altar, there I lay.

[Breakdown - Female Vocals]
The blade came down. His lifeblood ran.
A trembling violin began.

[Chorus - Male and Female Duet, singing together]
DON'T STOP PLAYING.
DON'T LET YOUR BOW ARM FALTER.
THE SCORE IS STILL THE SAME;
HIS BODY'S ON THE ALTAR.

[Male backing vocals]
AHH-AHH-AHH

[Chorus - Female Vocals]
DON'T STOP PLAYING.
LET NO CRY DISTURB THE RITE.
NOW IT'S HIS TURN TO FALL SILENT;
ANOTHER KEEPS THE BEAT TONIGHT.

[Outro]

[Female Vocals - Haunting, sustained]
He bled to notes he'd played before,
as other hands took up the score.
I whispered to the new one:

[Female Whisper]
Don't stop playing.