Intro
Ninety-four, and the rain came down
So they moved field day to the gym
Verse 1
He came in fourth, and fourth gets nothing
Just a name read off a list
Two hundred hands went politely quiet
And one pair wouldn't quit
Half a beat early, always early
Three hits, and then three more
Everybody turned around to see her
Nobody knew what for
Verse 2
Ninety-nine, three hundred sitting
One green coat up in row nine
Straight from the register with sawdust on her
Clapping out of time
He was thirteen, holding a trombone
Wishing that the floor would take him down
He never once looked past his own name
To hear her going all the way down
Pre-Chorus
Every name.
Every stranger.
Every kid that nobody came for.
Every empty chair.
Chorus
Thirty-one years and four hundred names
Same coat, same back row, same cold folding chair
She was never in it for the winners
She was clapping so that somebody was there
Loud enough, loud enough
Loud enough to turn around
Verse 3
Forty years old in a hallway in April
Heard it come through a closed door
Half a beat early, always early
And he knew that sound from before
Chorus
Thirty-one years and four hundred names
Same coat, same back row, same cold folding chair
She was never in it for the winners
She was clapping so that somebody was there
Loud enough, loud enough
Loud enough to turn around
Bridge
Sixty-four, and she was nine years old
Third place, and she turned around
And the whole row behind her was empty
And she never made a sound
She said, I could still draw you that empty row
I could tell you where each chair had been
She said, I never told you, baby, 'cause
You would have made me stop again
Final Chorus
Thirty-one years and four hundred names
Same coat, same back row, same cold folding chair
Now there's three of us out here in the empty
And a girl with a trombone turns to stare
Loud enough, loud enough
Loud enough to turn around
Outro
Somebody's here
Somebody's here
Somebody's here for you
Somebody's here