[Verse 1]
Mum on the sofa, scarf on her head
Pills on the table, fear by the bed
We learned new words like stages and scans
Cartoons on mute while they taped on her hands
Sister in the kitchen, twelve going on grown
Cooking up noodles, homework on her phone
She tied my laces, signed all the slips
Wiped off my tears with the back of her wrist
Dad in a new shirt, smell like new cologne
Saying he's "working", leaving his phone
Mum too tired to ask where he been
I saw lipstick on his glass, bright on the rim
[Chorus]
Big sister, small world, held it on your own (on your own)
Turned broken mornings into something like a home
While he burned her treatment in somebody else's night
We learned what love is by watching you fight
Big sister, small world, you the one who stayed (you stayed)
Paid in missed parties, childhood you never got paid
When the grown man ran from the weight of his vows
We kids grew up fast, we ain't kids now
[Verse 2]
Hospital hallways, plastic chairs squeak
Mum trying to laugh, voice getting weak
You did the questions, dates and the forms
I just drew pictures, rainbows in storms
Dad texting in the corner, screen on his face
Smirking at a name, thumb moving in haste
Said he had "errands," took off with the car
Came back with perfume that smelled like a bar
Bills in a shoebox, red letters shout
You reading numbers I can't even sound out
Treatment on hold while he played dress-up
In some rented life that was built on our luck
[Chorus]
Big sister, small world, held it on your own (yeah)
Turned broken mornings into something like a home
While he burned her treatment in somebody else's night
We learned what trust ain't, watching him lie
Big sister, small world, you the one who stayed (you stayed)
Cooking on fumes, hope starting to fade
When the grown man chose his reflection over us
We learned to circle around the ones we trust
[Bridge]
I used to blame me, for the slammed doors, fights
Thought if I was quieter, he'd come home at night
Now I see clearly, that was all his choice
You were the grown-up, with a shaking voice
So here's to your courage, here’s to your scars
To crying in the pantry, staring at the jars
You shouldn't have raised me, but damn, you did
Big sister, my hero, when I was just a kid
[Chorus]
Big sister, small world, held it on your own (on your own)
Turned broken mornings into something like a home
He spent mum's lifeline proving he was lost
You paid in years what he dodged in cost
Big sister, small world, you the one who stayed (you stayed)
I'll buy you back pieces of the girl he betrayed
When the past comes knocking, I’ll answer it proud
We survived that house, and we saying it loud