(A slow, simple piano melody. The arrangement is sparse, giving his weathered baritone—channeling the sincere gravitas of Matt Monro—all the space. No trumpet solos, just pure, aching vulnerability.)

(Verse 1)
The years have stacked themselves like dusty books upon the shelf
Each one a story I have mostly told myself
Of victories and virtues, and the battles I have won
But when the noise has faded, I'm still the lonely one

(Verse 2)
I see the couples walking, locked in some unspoken vow
I wonder at the simple grace they carry with them now
I had a chance at that, I think, or maybe two or three
But something in the wiring shorted out inside of me

(Chorus - Strings enter, but they are low and cello-heavy, supportive, not sweeping)
And I meant to be a better man, with a warmer, kinder hand
I meant to understand the music, not just hum the melody
I built a house of certainties, with foundations strong and deep
But the man I meant to be... is a man I rarely meet.

(Verse 3)
I remember father's silence, a fortress and a wall
I promised I'd be different, that I would not let myself grow small
But I traded his for my own, a different kind of cold
A prison of my own design, a story getting old.

(Chorus)
And I meant to be a better man, with a warmer, kinder hand...
I meant to understand the music, not just hum the melody...
I built a house of certainties, with foundations strong and deep...
But the man I meant to be... is a man I rarely meet.

(Bridge - The music almost disappears)
The mirror shows the face I know, the lines, the weary eyes...
But it can't show the distance between the truth and the disguise.

(Final Chorus - Voice cracks with a rare, genuine emotion)
I meant to be a better man... with a warmer, kinder hand...
I meant to understand the music... not just hum the melody...
I built this house of certainties... it's cold and it is deep...
And the man I meant to be... is a man I'll never meet.

(Outro - Piano fades)
...Never meet.
