[Intro, Clean electric guitar, heavy reverb, slow tempo]
(Yeah…)
[Spoken low, intimate, restrained]
(I ain’t cold… I’m careful…)
[Verse 1, Half-time feel, muted guitars, low intensity]
I used to be the light in the room when I stepped in
Laugh too loud, dreams too big, heart wide open
Life of the party, everybody my people
Believed in forever, believed in the sequel
Then love taught lessons I ain’t ask to learn
Put me last so many times it was my turn to burn
Watched her choose everything but me
Smiled through it all but it hollowed me inside
[Pre-Chorus, Build begins, drums enter softly]
I don’t miss her, I miss who I was
Miss trust comin’ easy, miss givin’ a fuck
Now every move feel like déjà vu
Every red flag feel already true
[Chorus, Full band, distorted guitars, soaring vocals]
Love didn’t make me better, it made me hard
Built me armor outta broken hearts
I survived somethin’ I don’t speak on
Almost let the dark win, I ain’t proud of that
Now I love again but I’m scarred
Hardened, yeah… but I’m still here
[Verse 2, Pull back slightly, steady drums, controlled]
Now I’m with a woman carryin’ pain like mine
Different story, same scars, different time
She been hurt by hands that crossed lines
I been hurt by bein’ last my whole damn life
So when I see that phone light up in the dark
My chest get tight, mind fall apart
Ain’t about control, ain’t about pride
It’s that fear sayin’ “you ’bout to be denied”
[Pre-Chorus, Tension rising, guitars opening]
I pull back when I wanna lean in
Fightin’ ghosts that ain’t even present
I hate that my past still speak
Hate that love still feel like heat
[Chorus, Full power, layered vocals]
Love didn’t make me better, it made me hard
Built me armor outta broken hearts
I survived somethin’ I don’t speak on
Almost let the dark win, I ain’t proud of that
Now I love again but I’m scarred
Hardened, yeah… but I’m still here
[Bridge, Strip down, clean guitar and voice only]
I don’t wanna bleed on you
I don’t wanna punish you for what they did
I’m just learnin’ how to stay
Without disappearin’
[Break, Instrumental, emotional lead guitar]
[Guitar crying slow, sustained bends]
[Drums re-enter gradually]
[Final Chorus, Start stripped, then explode full band]
If I get quiet, it’s not that I don’t care
It’s me fightin’ panic in my head right there
I’m tryin’ to love without losin’ myself
Tryin’ to choose you without expectin’ farewell
Love broke me once, yeah, that’s true
But I’m still here… and I’m here with you
[Outro, Fade out, clean guitar, lingering chord]
Still here…
Still tryin’…
[End]
Rooster901
