Clap Once, Come Close

Clap once, come close, come close

You came in late, the night still on your shoulder
The guitar looked up halfway through the riff
I kept my pride buttoned at the bar
Then your heel struck the nine painted on the tile
And the room stopped pretending

Palmas in the left hand, fire in the right
If this is only a dance floor
Why do my hands still sting?

Clap once, come close
The painted nine is burning
Heel and palm, one tile, one string
Clap once, come close, don't slow
I came in counting
The floor took the count

(Clap once, come close) Don't slow
(Clap once, come close) Heel on the nine

The singer cried like a warning
The trumpet answered from the back
You spun until the candles leaned
And something I was guarding cracked
We danced till the chairs went up
And the owner killed the sign
You warned me not to fall from dancing
Too late, my feet had answered first

Clap once, come close
The painted nine is burning
Heel and palm, one tile, one string
Clap once, come close, don't slow
I came in counting
The floor took the count

My brother asked how the night went
I said the guitar was good, the trumpet loud
I didn't mention the nine
Didn't mention your hands
There's a blister on my palm
I'm not explaining it

Clap once, come close
The painted nine is burning
Heel and palm, one tile, one string
Clap once, come close, don't slow
I came in counting
I let the count go

Chairs down, lights up, the nine still warm
Clap once, come close