Fading Away - By Ali Kaplan

The neon sign outside my window flickers "closed",
A symphony of empty seats and rusted dreams exposed.
This velvet dress has seen more tears than stage-light gleam,
And this microphone's the only one who hears me scream...
A silent scream, of course, polished and refined,
A perfect product of this jaded, lovely mind.
So let the last chord hang, in the cigarette smoke air,
A confession without witness, a solitary prayer.
You taste of yesterday's regrets and cheap champagne,
A melody I play again, and again... to numb the pain.
But honey, in this fading light, with my guard finally down,
You'll see the cracks beneath the crown, of this broken-down town's... jewel.
I've traced the map of Manhattan on too many lonely palms,
Seeking fortune in the arms of temporary calms.
They whisper promises as smooth as a saxophone's lament,
Then pack their bags at dawn, on all the love I've spent.
Now all that's left are keys, to apartments not my own,
And this low, forgiving spotlight, on this small, familiar throne.
Don't you dare call it sadness! It's wisdom, earned in gold!
Every line upon my face, a story bravely sold!
I'm not your tragic heroine, I'm not your faded rose...
I'm the fire in the silence that the deepest night knows!
So let the bassline hold me, let the cymbals crash like waves...
I am not the one who's drowning, darling, I'm the one who saves... myself.
So let... the last chord... hang...
A confession... now a battle hymn... I sang...
You're just a ghost... in my rearview frame...
A minor chord... I've finally learned to name...
And in this fading light... my own true colors shine...
Not just a broken jewel... but a reclaimed... design.
Mmm... Fading neon... turning into dawn...
My song is done... but the melody... lingers on...
Yeah... lingers on...
🔗 For collaborations or inquiries: alikaplanmusic@gmail.com