Smoke & Smile

[Intro – gentle acoustic guitar strum, faint pedal steel hum] [Verse 1 – slow fingerpicked guitar, soft snare brush] I remember the first time we started talking Old porch swing swayed, the crows stopped squawking I’d forgotten how to let my guard down You sat there quiet, didn’t make a sound [Pre-Chorus – subtle bassline, rising pedal steel] Then you laughed at that dumb joke I told Something in my chest finally unfolded A part of me I thought was gone for good Woke up feeling exactly like I should [Chorus 1 – full country band, warm harmonies] You were the reason I started to laugh again The reason I slept with a smile on my face You made me feel like myself again You don’t just fix days, you fix you mend [Interlude – pedal steel solo, soft acoustic backing] (Instrumental Solo) [Verse 2 – slightly faster strum, light tambourine] I’d spent so long stuck in a dark place Counting the days I’d lost my old ways You didn’t try to fix what was broken Just sat with me, words unspoken [Pre-Chorus 2 – layered vocals, building pedal steel] Then you handed me a cup of hot tea Said “let’s take it slow, no need to hurry” That’s when I knew my luck had turned around Finally found solid ground [Chorus 2 – intensified band, more prominent harmonies] You were the reason I started to laugh again The reason I slept with a smile on my face You made me feel like myself again You don’t just fix days, you fix you mend You don’t just make my days better You make my whole life feel lighter [Bridge – stripped back acoustic, intimate vocals] I’ll never stop being grateful for you For every sunrise, every moonlit view For the way you hold me when I’m feeling low For the love that makes my heart grow [Final Chorus – full band with string section, soaring pedal steel] You were the reason I started to laugh again The reason I sleep with a smile on my face You made me feel like myself again You don’t just fix days, you fix you mend You don’t just make my days better You make my whole life feel lighter [Outro – fading acoustic guitar,