Yeah...
Fair Park...
Charlie...
Strength.
[Verse 1]
Friday night lights, Fair Park, then them shots rang,
Two bodies on the ground, whole life changed,
You laid there holding your arm, blood on your sleeve,
I couldn't even move, paralyzed, couldn't breathe,
But I saw my lil Charlie on that ground that night,
More worried 'bout you than if I'd ever stand right.
They threw us in that ambulance, same ride, same pain,
Every bump we hit you hollered out his name,
I said calm down lil bro, don't bleed out on me,
You gotta stay alive, you hear me? Strength, you see?
Two kids shot, one bond that never broke,
35 years later still carrying that smoke.
[Hook - melodic, slow]
Said no tears, no tears, that's what I wrote,
Said no tears, no tears, that's what I spoke,
But I'm sitting in my van outside that viewing room,
Staring at your casket, can't escape that tomb.
Said no tears, no tears, but they falling down,
Shaking in my seat, no one else around,
Played that song I wrote, mentioned you inside,
Never got to ask if you liked it, now you gone, why?
[Verse 2]
Saw you laying there peaceful, but it took me back,
PTSD hit, flashbacks, all black,
Back on that concrete, gun smoke in the air,
You right there bleeding, I'm right there scared.
35 years, man, what is this tie?
Can't explain it, can't reason it, can't say why.
This strange bond, unexplainable, heavy on my chest,
You was shot in the arm, I was shot, left blessed but...
Left paralyzed, but you stayed my brother from that night,
One ambulance, one trauma, one hell of a life.
I'm in my van now, crying, hands shaking on the wheel,
Trynna understand how this grief supposed to feel.
Got No Tears playing loud, and the irony hits,
Title say No Tears but I'm drowning in this shit.
[Bridge - whisper flow, like his voice]
Then I heard you, Charlie, clear in my ear,
Like you was right there in that passenger seat here,
You said "I KNOW you not shedding tears,
After talking shit in that ambulance 35 years?"
[Hook - softer, broken then stronger]
And I needed that, I needed that snap,
Pulled me out that flashback, brought me right back.
Still crying but I could breathe, could collect myself,
Still feeling that bond, something bigger than self.
No tears, no tears, but these tears for you,
No tears, no tears, but it's love coming through,
You was my lil Charlie that night on the ground,
You my brother 35 years later, now you laid down.
[Outro - spoken / sung]
I never got to play it for you,
Never got to ask if you liked the song.
So I'ma play it now.
Rest easy, Charlie.
Strength.
