Keep the Flame

[Intro – muted piano riff, soft kick drum] Rain taps hard on the window pane Dark clouds hide the morning's gain [Verse 1 – gritty piano loop, steady snare] Woke up today with the weight of the world on my chest Pocket's empty, bills piling high, can't catch a rest Boss called me in, said I'm falling behind on the test Friends faded out when the checks stopped hitting their vest [Pre-Chorus – rising bass, subtle hi-hats] I stared at the ceiling, thought I'd hit the end of the line But something in my chest said "you ain't done this time" Can't let the dark drown the spark that's mine Gotta push through the muck, gotta make it shine [Chorus 1 – full beat drops, layered backing vocals] When the walls cave in and the lights go low I don't hit the floor, I just let the fire grow Every fall's a step, every scar's a show I keep on trying, I keep on going, yeah I know [Interlude – piano solo, stripped-back rhythm] (Instrumental Solo) [Verse 2 – piano picks up pace, deeper bass] Walked past the park where I used to dream big dreams Now the bench is empty, just the wind and my broken schemes Saw a kid staring, like he saw what I used to be Told him "don't quit, even when it's hard to breathe" [Pre-Chorus 2 – building tension, louder snare] I felt that old spark flicker back to life No more hiding in the shadows, no more wasting time Gotta stand tall, gotta fight the fight Gotta turn the wrongs into my rights [Chorus 2 – amplified beat, more intense vocals] When the world caves in and the cold winds blow I don't curl up, I just let the fire grow Every tear's a fuel, every wound's a glow I keep on trying, I keep on going, yeah I know [Bridge – stripped-back piano, intimate vocals] I've been down, I've been broken, I've lost my way But I found my voice in the dark of the day Ain't no mountain too high, ain't no storm too gray I'm gonna keep on climbing, come what may [Solo – scratchy turntable sample, building beat] (Instrumental Solo) [Final Chorus – full band, maximum energy] When the walls cave in and the lights go low I don't hit the floor, I just let the fire grow Every fall's a step, every scar's a show I keep on trying, I keep on going, yeah I know [Outro – fading piano, soft kick drum] Flame's still burning, never gonna die Gonna keep on trying, reach the sky