Chrome and Hymns

[Intro]
Came home to a town gone quiet
War still ringing in his head
Dog tags in a kitchen drawer
Sleeping with his boots beside the bed
[Verse 1]
Found a flyer at the truck stop diner
Chrome wings on a leather vest
"They'll understand the ghosts you carry"
Old man said
"these roads know restless"
Skulls and patches
Engines praying
Open throttle
Open sky
New last name stitched on his shoulders
Brothers riding two by five
[Chorus]
This steel and thunder
This broken choir
We were baptized in gasoline and wire
Thought these roads could ride me clean
Of all I saw and all I've seen
But the past keeps loading every round
Till another soldier hits the ground
[Verse 2]
Desert bar out on the county border
Card games
Smoke
And leaning chairs
Heard a whisper ‘bout a deal gone sideways
Powder packed in teddy bears
He said
"We just wanted open highways
Not the poison
Not the lies"
But money made the smiles get sharper
Red dots dancing in his eyes
[Pre-Chorus]
Sirens somewhere
Miles behind us
But trouble always drives too fast
His brothers circled up around him
Swore their bond was built to last
[Chorus]
This steel and thunder
This broken choir
We were baptized in gasoline and wire
Thought these roads could ride me clean
Of all I saw and all I've seen
But the past keeps loading every round
Till another soldier hits the ground
[Bridge]
[Strings rise
Drums drop to toms]
Parking lot behind that country market
Headlights off
Hearts beating loud
Black sedans like shadows creeping
Foreign voices in the crowd
He yelled
"Walk away
We don't want it"
Hands up
Palms to heaven’s sky
First flash
Then the world went sideways
Brotherhood began to cry
[Guitar Solo]
[Breakdown]
He’s lying there on broken concrete
Oil and blood beneath his cheek
Chrome reflections
Halos bending
As the choir begins to speak
[Choir Enters]
(Ohh) "Guide him home now
(Ohh) Lay his burden down"
[Chorus]
This steel and thunder
This broken choir
We were baptized in gasoline and wire
Thought these roads could ride us clean
From all the dirt and in-between
But the past keeps loading every round
Till another soldier hits the ground
[Outro]
[Orchestra swells
Gospel choir full]
(Ohh) Brothers kneeling in their leathers
(Yeah) Hands on his shaking chest
(Ohh) Someone humming old camp hymns
As he finally finds his rest
Last breath hanging in the night air
Soft as tires on distant tar
Chrome and hymns fade into silence
As they ride on chasing stars

rock, Big cinematic rock ballad: clean arpeggiated guitar into wide distorted chorus, male vocals. Strings and French horns swell under the second verse; gospel choir lifts the refrains. Middle guitar solo over modulating chords, then full-band finale with soaring orchestral countermelodies and stacked choir ad-libs., world, ballad, emotional, gospel