Story Behind The Song
This was a really fun song to write. It's about how a simple hello or even an acknowledgment can change the entire world. An entire life played out for two people in the song's imaginary outcome - if the man had only said hello to his potential soulmate right next to him at an intersection? The 2 shared a glance and a smile and with just 'one word' - both of their lives would have changed forever.That's the butterfly effect at street level: a tiny decision rippling into a different future. You never know how things will play out, and you never know how the slightest change in events or actions can positively change your life.
| Song Length |
4:02 |
Genre |
Folk - Americana, Country - Americana |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Pleasant, Moving |
Subject |
Regret, Lost Love |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
©2025 Mitch Cooper
[Verse 1]
Your scarf flashed at the curb, where the traffic hummed
Hand in his pocket, he felt the right word almost come
Two small smiles held the cold, both stopped at the light
A breath stood still, then the street took flight
Names never traded, yet both felt known
A little heat stayed, burning on its own
[pre-chorus]
[add harmony]
What if one word crossed the winter air?
Would there be room for two lives there?
[Chorus]
[full harmony]
One word away from a door and a key
Mornings with coffee and a porch to see
Notes on the fridge, a song in the hall
I carry that glance like it carried it all
[Verse 2]
A chipped blue cup, your coat on mine
Two peaches bruised but still tasting fine
A list by the sink, the plants you'd grow
Walks with the dog, you'd be at every show
Ordinary vows the quiet makes
A steady hand when daylight shakes
[Chorus]
One word away from a door and a key
Windows with steam and an easy plea
Bills on the table, a late night phone call
I keep that smile like a picture on the wall
[bridge]
I take that corner, counting lights
I trace that crosswalk, most late nights
We built a life in a breath unspent
Watched it dissolve as the signal went
[chorus]
One word away and I feel it still
Rooms we never filled, an empty window sill
There in the hush, your hello almost came
I hold that moment for the life with our name
I hold that moment for the life with our name