No Armor On

Intro) (Solemn, rhythmic acoustic guitar strumming softly, foot-tapping beat kicks in) (Mm-hmm, yeah)

(Verse 1) (Acoustic guitar builds a steady, driving rhythm, raw vocals close to the mic) Three long years behind a heavy shield Afraid to show you how I really feel If I let you in, you’d get the upper hand So we built a wall on shifting sand Cold silence, throwing words like stone Hurt you first so I’m not alone Drowning in a slow-motion spin Losing a war we could never win

(Pre-Chorus) (Guitar strums intensify, kick drum enters, driving the tempo) Oh, we held on way too tight Fighting monsters in the night Till the quiet shattered loud And the walls came crashing down

(Chorus) (Big, rhythmic, sing-along melody; stomping beat and soaring vocals) Now that the worst has come and gone! Now that we’ve got no armor on! Sitting right here once a week Saying the words we couldn't speak! Oh-oh-oh, we let it fall! Oh-oh-oh, we lost it all! It took a goodbye just to see The truth inside of you and me!

(Verse 2) (Beat stays steady and groovy, stripped-back guitar groove) Now the threat is gone, the dust has cleared Looking at the wreck of what we feared No more borders, no more fight Just two quiet souls in the late-night light You show your scars, I show my pain Nothing left to lose, nothing left to gain Funny how it took saying goodbye To finally learn how not to lie

(Pre-Chorus) (Kick drum pushes forward, claps join in, building energy) Oh, we held on way too tight Fighting monsters in the night Till the quiet shattered loud And the walls came crashing down!

(Chorus) (Full energy, huge anthemic feel, crowds singing along) Now that the worst has come and gone! Now that we’ve got no armor on! Sitting right here once a week Saying the words we couldn't speak! Oh-oh-oh, we let it fall! Oh-oh-oh, we lost it all! It took a goodbye just to see The truth inside of you and me!

(Bridge) (Music strips back completely to just a deep bass rhythm and raw vocal, gradually swelling) We had the love, we had the depth We just held our breath until nothing was left Now we speak, clear and true... Learning how to start anew...

(Chorus) (Explosive climax, heavy acoustic strumming, full gang vocals in background) Now that the worst has come and gone! Now that we’ve got no armor on! Sitting right here once a week Saying the words we couldn't speak! Oh-oh-oh, we let it fall! Oh-oh-oh, we lost it all! It took a goodbye just to see The truth inside of you and me!

(Outro) (Fade out with a pulsing acoustic guitar riff and quiet, soulful hums) Once a week... late at night... No more fear, no more fight... Oh-oh-oh, finally real... Oh-oh-oh, learning how to feel.