WHERE THE FIRE LEFT ME

INTRO — 8 bars]

Finger-picked acoustic guitar. Low cello drone. Wind/room ambience. No drums.

I walked where the old road disappeared,

Carried every scar and every year.

Cold wind talking through the pines,

Calling out these ghosts of mine.

I watched that red sun lose its flame,

Heard the darkness whisper my name.

But somewhere underneath the stone,

A restless fire kept burning on.

I thought the night had won the war,

Till I heard something worth fighting for.

So let the fire roll,

Let the hard wind blow,

I've been down where broken dreams go.

Let the thunder call,

I have faced it all—

Still I'm standing when the shadows fall.

You can take these ashes,

You can take these scars,

But you can't take the fire from my heart.

There were nights I nearly lost my way,

No morning waiting on the other side of gray.

But every mile beneath these boots

Drove these weary bones deeper into truth.

Now I don't run from yesterday,

Every wound has something left to say.

What tried to bury me instead

Put iron in these hands and hope inside my chest.

I thought the night had closed the door,

Now I know what I was fighting for.

So let the fire roll,

Let the hard wind blow,

I've been down where broken dreams go.

Let the thunder call,

I have faced it all—

Still I'm standing when the shadows fall.

You can take these ashes,

You can take these scars,

But you can't take the fire from my heart.

Lead vocal almost spoken at first.

I am not what burned away.

I am what the fire couldn't take.

Pause.

I am not the man who fell...

I'M THE MAN WHO ROSE AGAIN.

SO LET THE FIRE ROLL!

LET THE HARD WIND BLOW!

I've walked through hell and found my way home.

Let the mountains shake!

Let the old chains break!

There's a stronger man beneath what yesterday took away.

Male choir underneath:

Rise... rise... rise...

Take the ashes.

Take the scars.

YOU'LL NEVER TAKE THE FIRE FROM MY HEART.

Acoustic guitar + cello. Nearly whispered vocal.

The fire didn't end me...

It showed me who I am.