[Intro (close mic, almost spoken]
I’ve been in hell…
Yeah, I know what it’s like
And trust me now…
You don’t wanna go there twice
[Verse 1 (low, raspy, restrained]
I woke up heavy, like the air wouldn’t move
Every room felt empty, every mirror told the truth
I carried my mistakes like they knew my name
Tried to outrun the past, but it stayed the same
I learned how to smile with my teeth clenched tight
How to make it through the dark and still look fine
Every step felt borrowed, every breath a fight
I was living, but I wasn’t alive
[Pre-Chorus (soft, aching]
I asked the dark for mercy
It just stared back
Yeah, that’s a feeling
You don’t forget like that
[Chorus (big but broken, soulful]
I’ve been in hell and I know what it’s like
It steals your breath, messes with your mind
Tells you lies, keeps you up at night
Breaks you slow, then dares you to survive
I crawled my way out, yeah I paid that price
Still feel the heat sometimes inside
Trust me now
You don’t wanna go there twice
[Verse 2 (blues phrasing, deeper grit]
Nights got long when the noise crept in
Every thought felt sharp like a loaded sin
I talked to ghosts I used to be
They all sounded way too much like me
I felt chains in my chest, not my hands
Fought wars nobody could understand
I lost myself, found something new
A stubborn heart that wouldn’t quit on truth
Pre-Chorus 2
I’ve worn that darkness
Like a second skin
And once you’ve been there
You don’t forget it
[Chorus (full voice, gospel lift]
I’ve been in hell and I know what it’s like
It steals your breath, messes with your mind
Tells you lies, keeps you up at night
Breaks you slow, then dares you to survive
I crawled my way out, yeah I paid that price
Still feel the heat sometimes inside
Trust me now
You don’t wanna go there twice
[Bridge (drop everything, almost spoken]
I ain’t proud of every road I took
But I’m still here, so I must’ve looked
For something stronger than the pain
Something that wouldn’t let me stay
[band slowly swells]
I don’t run from who I’ve been
I just won’t go back again
[Final Chorus (big, emotional, cracked allowed]
I’ve been in hell and I know what it’s like
It steals your breath, messes with your mind
Tells you lies, keeps you up at night
Breaks you slow, then dares you to survive
I crawled my way out, yeah I paid that price
Still feel the fire sometimes inside
Trust me now
I won’t go there twice
[Outro (soft resolve]
Yeah, I still feel it inside
But I won’t go back…
No, I won’t go back
Tonenico
