[Instrumental] [Intro] [clean electric guitar riff with slides and double-stops] CLEAN SLATE Intro — Spoken Over Groove Hey! Hold up now… Before you bring all that old stuff Up in here… I gotta know one thing— You ready to start clean? Hit me! [HORN HIT] Verse 1 There you go again, Looking at me like I’m him. I ain’t the one who broke your heart, Don’t know where that fight should start. You got scars, baby, so do I, We’ve both heard our share of goodbye. But if we’re gonna make this thing last… We gotta quit dating the past! [HORN STABS] Chorus CLEAN SLATE! [Horns] Before it’s too late! CLEAN SLATE! Come on, baby, clean slate! Don’t make me pay For somebody else’s mistakes. I won’t make you pay For the ones who walked away. If we’re gonna love, Let’s love today— CLEAN SLATE! Before it’s too late! Verse 2 Everybody’s walking wounded, Everybody’s been done wrong. Dragging around an old heartbreak Like it’s your favorite song. One little word— And here we go! Same old fight From years ago. Wait a minute, baby, That wasn’t me! You’re fighting with a ghost Standing in front of me! Chorus CLEAN SLATE! [Horns] Before it’s too late! CLEAN SLATE! Baby, clean slate! Don’t bring yesterday On tomorrow’s date. If we’re gonna love, Let’s love today— CLEAN SLATE! Before it’s too late! Funk Breakdown [BASS + DRUMS ONLY] Hold it… Your ex ain’t here! [BACKGROUND: LET ’EM GO!] And mine ain’t either! [BACKGROUND: LET ’EM GO!] So tell me— Why we letting two old ghosts Sleep between us? Uh! Think about it! You can’t kiss me While you’re cussing him! And I can’t hold you While I’m blaming her! That’s four people In a bed made for two! [HORN HIT] Somebody’s gotta go! Call and Response LEAVE THE ANGER! [LET IT GO!] LEAVE THE BLAME! [LET IT GO!] LEAVE THE OLD NAMES! [LET ’EM GO!] WHAT WE NEED? [CLEAN SLATE!] I SAID WHAT WE NEED? [CLEAN SLATE!] WHEN WE NEED IT? [RIGHT NOW!] Bridge Forgive him. Forgive her. Hell… Forgive yourself. You don’t have to forget Where you’ve been. Just don’t make me Live there with you. The past can teach you, The scars can stay… But yesterday don’t get A vote today! Horn Break [HORNS / GUITAR / BASS] Clean! Clean! Clean! CLEAN SLATE! Final Chorus CLEAN SLATE! Before it’s too late! I ain’t gonna pay For somebody else’s mistakes. And you ain’t gonna pay For the messes that I made. No keeping score, No fighting old wars. Leave that baggage Outside the door! We’ve both got scars— Baby, that’s okay. They tell us where we’ve been… They don’t tell us Who we love today! CLEAN SLATE! Before it’s too late! Outro / Vamp Quit dating the past! [QUIT DATING THE PAST!] I said— Quit dating the past! [QUIT DATING THE PAST!] You wanna love me? Love me! You wanna leave? Leave! But don’t bring somebody Who’s already gone… Into you and me. CLEAN SLATE! [HORN HIT] Before it’s too late! CLEAN SLATE! [HORN HIT] One more time! CLEAN… SLATE! [FINAL HORN HIT]
