[Verse 1]
Crumbling bleachers
Rust on the chain-link gate
Whole town fits
In this one-way state
Mama yelling “hit the books”
Coach yelling “hit that gap”
Same voice in my head
Says “make it out, don’t snap”
Phone in my locker
Cousin texting from the base
Says the field looks like home
Just a different kind of chase
He got sand in his lungs
I got mud on my cleats
He hear metal in the night
I hear whistles and cleats
[Chorus]
It’s a war zone
Under these lights
We line up
Like we fighting for our lives
Big dreams
In a small place
Every yard like
We’re running outta grace
I don’t want medals
I just want peace
But they only teach us
How to never take a knee
This war zone
Is all I know
Till that final drive
Gonna carry this load
[Verse 2]
Granddad’s flag
Faded in the living room glass
He tells stories ‘bout friends
That never made it back
I wear his number
Sharpied on my taped-up wrist
He says “use your anger, boy
Just don’t live in it”
Ref lights blinking
Like sirens in my sight
Crowd roar sounds
Like a hum before a fight
We just kids in helmets
Still they bet like it’s fate
Scouts in the shadows
Writing notes on our hate
[Chorus]
It’s a war zone
Under these lights
We line up
Like we fighting for our lives
Big dreams
In a small place
Every yard like
We’re running outta grace
I don’t want medals
I just want peace
But they only teach us
How to never take a knee
This war zone
Is all I know
Till that final drive
Gonna carry this load
[Bridge]
What if the whistles
Sounded like a choir (oh yeah)
What if the scoreboard
Didn’t count desire
What if my brother
Came home to this field
And we just played catch
Till the sky turned teal
[Chorus]
It’s a war zone
Under these lights
We line up
Like we fighting for our lives
Big dreams
In a small place
Every yard like
We’re running outta grace
I don’t want medals
I just want peace
But they only teach us
How to never take a knee
This war zone
Is all I know
Till that final drive
Gonna carry this load