First 7A

[Intro – slow fingerpicked acoustic guitar, soft harmonica hum] (Instrumental Solo) [Verse 1 – rough guitar strums, gravelly vocal tone] Chalk dust caked beneath my nails Worn-out shoes on cold stone rails Stared at that wall for a hundred nights Wondered if I’d ever get it right [Pre-Chorus – building harmonica trill, steady foot tap rhythm] Felt my hands start to shake Thought my strength was gonna break But I breathed in deep and reached up high Told myself I wouldn’t die trying [Chorus – full harmonica wail, driving guitar chords] First 7A under my belt Scraped-up knees and a story to tell Every slip, every fall, every wasted try Led me to the top when the sun hit the sky [Verse 2 – muted guitar arpeggios, weary but determined vocals] Lost my grip on the third hold down Hit the mat with a thunderous sound Heard the crowd let out a sympathetic sigh But I tied my chalk bag and gave it another try [Pre-Chorus – harmonica swells, faster guitar strums] Muscles burning, lungs on fire Felt the doubt start to expire Grabbed the jug with a calloused hand Knew I’d make it to the promised land [Chorus – layered harmonica, gritty vocal harmonies] First 7A under my belt Scraped-up knees and a story to tell Every slip, every fall, every wasted try Led me to the top when the sun hit the sky [Bridge – sparse guitar picking, quiet spoken-word style vocal] They said I didn’t have the skill Said I’d never climb that hill But I kept my eyes on the prize above Proved ’em wrong with a little love for the climb [Solo – wailing harmonica solo, raw guitar backing] (Instrumental Solo) [Chorus – maximum intensity, rough vocal belting] First 7A under my belt Scraped-up knees and a story to tell Every slip, every fall, every wasted try Led me to the top when the sun hit the sky [Outro – fading guitar strums, soft harmonica fade-out] Chalk dust fades from my skin Got a new scar to call my kin