Love Me in the Present Tense

Verse 1

Don't tell me how we used to stay up

Talking till the morning came,

Don't show me old photographs

Like yesterday can feel my name.

And don't give me "maybe tomorrow,"

I've heard tomorrow talk before.

I'm standing right in front of you—

What are we waiting for?

Pre-Chorus

I don't need was.

I don't need will.

Baby, I need

is.

Chorus

Love me in the present tense,

Right here, right now, no future perfect.

Don't tell me someday we'll get back

To something we haven't lost yet.

Kiss me like you mean tonight,

Hold me like the moment matters.

I don't want then.

I don't want when.

Baby—

Love me in the present tense.

Present tense.

Love me in the present tense.

Verse 2

You say, "You know I love you."

Yeah.

I know it in my head.

But sometimes love gets spoken

Like a fact somebody read.

I want the verb.

I want the action.

Want your hands to conjugate.

Okay—

That sounded dirty.

I'm leaving it that way.

Pre-Chorus

Don't make me live

On memories

Or promises

we haven't kept.

I'm here.

You're here.

What's next?

Chorus

Love me in the present tense,

Right here, right now, no future perfect.

Don't tell me someday we'll get back

To something we haven't lost yet.

Kiss me like you mean tonight,

Hold me like the moment matters.

I don't want then.

I don't want when.

Baby—

Love me in the present tense.

Bridge — Drop to Piano

Someday is dangerous.

Someday sounds sweet.

Someday can keep two people waiting

While years disappear beneath their feet.

So don't promise me eighty

If you're missing me at forty.

Don't save your best affection

For some better chapter of our story.

I don't need forever

all at once.

Give me Tuesday.

Give me tired.

Give me five minutes

in the kitchen.

Give me your eyes

when I'm talking.

Give me the kiss

you almost didn't give.

Forever's just a thousand nows.

Baby—

start with this.

Final Chorus — Full Band

LOVE ME IN THE PRESENT TENSE!

RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW—

NO SECOND-GUESSING!

Don't tell me how you loved me then,

Show me how you love me again!

Reach first!

Come close!

Make tonight a sentence

Only we could've wrote!

I don't want was!

I don't want when!

I want your heart

with the clock saying:

NOW.

Love me in the present tense.

Present tense.

Love me in the present tense.

Outro

Past:

We fell in love.

Future:

Who knows?

Present:

You look at me.

I look at you.

"Come here."

This time—

we both mean it.