Hard to Waste

INTRO — soft, amused, almost spoken

Funny how you didn't see it
When it was right in front of you…
But the second somebody else did?
Suddenly you saw everything.

[VERSE 1 — smooth, conversational, rhythmic]

You had me, but you handled me
Like I was always gonna stay
Barely gave me what I needed
Still got mad when I pulled away

I gave you every benefit
Made excuses you ain't ask me for
You loved the way I loved you
Just didn't love me enough to show it

Now you're popping up with plans
Talking 'bout the woman that I am
Funny how you found the time
When I stopped rearranging mine

I ain't bitter, I just learned
Some lessons had to really burn
Now you can look, baby, that's alright
But looking ain't enough to get you in my life

PRE-CHORUS — building, melodic

You wanted me close
But wouldn't hold me right
Wanted all my attention
While giving me half your time

And I finally figured out
What you couldn't understand
You weren't afraid of losing me
You were afraid somebody else might know what you had

CHORUS — big, catchy, confident

You don't gotta chase me
You just gotta show me
Don't tell me that you want me
If your actions never told me

I ain't hard to love
I'm just careful who I choose
You had the real thing
You just didn't know what to do

Now somebody else looks my way
And suddenly you're bothered
Funny how you didn't see my value
'Til you saw somebody else saw it

I ain't hard to get
I'm just hard to waste
You had me in your hands
You just didn't know what you had

POST-CHORUS — playful, rhythmic, catchy

Oh, now you see me?
Now you see me?
Funny how that works

You didn't want me enough
But you don't want nobody else
Wanting me either

Mm-hmm…
Funny.

[VERSE 2 — more attitude, flirty and rhythmic]

You'd question every name
Every message on my phone
But when I needed you beside me
You'd somehow always be gone

Didn't wanna give me reassurance
Didn't wanna give me what I asked
But wanted to know who was calling
And who was trying to get my attention back

Boy, that's not love, that's ownership
And I finally know the difference
You wanted the privilege of having me
Without putting in the commitment

Now I'm smiling when I'm out
And I don't have to explain
I don't need somebody checking on me
Just somebody proud to say my name

And yeah, I might be someone's favorite
I might let somebody take me out
And if that bothers you a little…
Maybe think about why you let me walk out

PRE-CHORUS 2 — stronger, more confident

You wanted me close
But wouldn't hold me right
Wanted all my loyalty
While giving me half your time

And now you see me moving different
And you finally understand
You weren't afraid of losing me
You were afraid another man might know what you had

CHORUS — bigger, layered vocals

You don't gotta chase me
You just gotta show me
Don't tell me that you want me
If your actions never told me

I ain't hard to love
I'm just careful who I choose
You had the real thing
You just didn't know what to do

Now somebody else looks my way
And suddenly you're bothered
Funny how you didn't see my value
'Til you saw somebody else saw it

I ain't hard to get
I'm just hard to waste
You had me in your hands
You just didn't know what you had

[BRIDGE — production drops; vulnerable, intimate]

You can't call it yours
If you never took care of it
Can't demand my loyalty
While giving me a reason to question it

I don't blame you anymore
I just finally see it clear
Sometimes people don't know what they have
Until somebody else makes it obvious

And I don't need revenge
I don't need to make you jealous
I'm just living different now
And somehow that's what gets you jealous

[BUILD — drums gradually return; increasingly confident]

So if you call, call
If you say it, say it
If you promise, follow through

If you want me, want me
If you miss me, come see me
Don't make me wonder what you mean