Verse 1: Empty porch swings, and a quiet street Folks rush past, never dare to greet Windows cracked open, but no laughter flows Just the hum of the cars, and the wind that blows Old men on benches, staring at their hands Remembering a world that no one understands Where a tip of a hat meant more than pride And a handshake could stop a fight Verse 2: Kids in the yard, glued to their screens Dreaming in pixels, forgetting what life means Adults on their phones, lost in a feed Chasing likes over what’s truly in need A “please” is a whisper, a “thank you” is gone No one notices when right feels wrong We used to hold doors, stand up straight Now the world just pushes, fueled by hate Chorus: Somewhere down the line, respect left town Left us with noise, left us with frowns Shouted at the sky, but it don’t come back We’re chasing ghosts down a broken track Yeah, respect left town Yeah, respect left town Verse 3: I drove past the diner, neon lights flicker Empty booths, coffee cold, the air feels thicker Waitress smiles, but it’s forced and faint Like the last remnant of some old saint Kids shouting curses where they used to play Adults raising voices at the end of the day No one stops to listen, no one waits We’re racing to nowhere, closing all the gates Verse 4: Neighbors don’t nod, strangers don’t pause No one remembers the old golden laws Help a man up, don’t take what’s not yours Show some decency, open the doors But it’s all gone, like smoke in the air Like a promise broken, like nobody cares And I keep my own, I guard my ground But it’s lonely here where respect ain’t found Verse 5: The preacher’s words echo through the steeple But folks rush past, ignoring the people A boy drops his ball in the middle of the street No one bends down, no one’s there to meet The corner store sells everything but heart And the library’s quiet, torn apart Even love feels cheaper than it did before Like someone stole the key and locked the door Bridge: I try to believe, I try to hope That someone will care enough to cope With the little things, the simple ways The gentle moments that fill our days But this world keeps spinning, fast and blind Leaving kindness and honor far behind So I’ll hold the line, I’ll make my stand Even if respect never touches this land Chorus / Outro: Somewhere down the line, respect left town Left us with noise, left us with frowns Shouted at the sky, but it don’t come back We’re chasing ghosts down a broken track Yeah, respect left town Yeah, respect left town I’ll keep my own, I’ll hold it tight Even if the world forgot what’s right Yeah, respect left town… Yeah, respect left town

When Respect Left Town