[Verse 1]
I built my smile on a cracked front tooth
Said “I’m good” when I couldn’t tell the truth
Kept my pain in a locked up room
Then I kicked at the door till it broke in two
Mama said, “Boy, don’t swallow that storm”
So I wore my hurt like a hand-me-down form
Learned to talk fast, learned to stand still
Learned to fake peace when the night got real
Every old scar got a name in my head
Every bad thought tried to tuck me in bed
I was young, but I felt too old
With a paper crown and a heart of gold
[Pre-Chorus]
And I’m tired of the act
Tired of running from the facts
If I break, let me break
I’m not scared of that
[Chorus]
I’m still here, still here
With my whole life loud
I been down, been down
But I won’t bow out
I’m still here, still here
Hear it through the doubt
I was lost, now I’m found
And I’m standing out
[Verse 2]
Had a friend turn cold, had a brother move on
Had a room full of people and felt so gone
Learned the hard way love can leave
Like a thief in the dark with a fake ID
So I dug in deep, let the rage run free
Put my name on the pain like a felony
But the mirror don’t lie, and it stared right back
Said “That chip on your shoulder is a weight you pack”
I been chasing peace with a clenched-up jaw
Been making room for the cracks and flaws
If you see me pray, it ain’t for a show
It’s for the kid I was and the man I know
[Pre-Chorus]
And I’m tired of the act
Tired of running from the facts
If I break, let me break
I’m not scared of that
[Chorus]
I’m still here, still here
With my whole life loud
I been down, been down
But I won’t bow out
I’m still here, still here
Hear it through the doubt
I was lost, now I’m found
And I’m standing out
[Bridge]
If you need a sign, look right at me
I got ash in my lungs, but I still believe
Yeah, the cuts ran deep, but they made room
For a voice like mine to cut right through
So take the shame off your name tonight
Let the wreckage tell you you’re alive
We don’t heal by pretending it’s fine
We heal when we finally say, “I’m mine”
[Chorus]
I’m still here, still here
With my whole life loud
I been down, been down
But I won’t bow out
I’m still here, still here
Hear it through the doubt
I was lost, now I’m found
And I’m standing out