Try2

[Intro: Male vocal. Low electric guitar drone, steady tom hits, ambient wind, no piano] [male spoken words - Spoken Scout intro over minimal guitar texture] Softly falls the light of day. As our campfire fades away. Silently each Scout should ask. Have I done my daily task? Have I kept my honor bright? Can I guiltless sleep tonight? Have I done, and have I dared? Everything to be prepared? [Ambience fades, acoustic rhythm begins] [Verse 1: – driving acoustic + electric rhythm guitar, punchy kick/snare, bass forward] Cedar Badge — that’s where this story starts. “CAN...DO! WILL..DO!” sprang from our hearts. Two young boys who meant what we said— “HAVE...DONE!” — [half beat pause] the road we chose to tread… From Co-chair dreams to a mission call.. We packed our bags — we felt it all Foreign streets and foreign tongues Russian cold and Spanish suns… No thought for self, no thought for gain We gave our youth in Jesus’ name If I should die before I wake Lord, have my soul — it’s Yours to take [Drum builds - short instrumental lift] [Pre-Chorus – drums build with tom fills, electric guitar swell, vocal intensity rising] We’ve buried pride, we’ve swallowed words We’ve said the hard things when it hurt And when the whole world’s getting dim We just load up and head back in— [Hard drum hit -- full band drops in] [Chorus – FULL BAND DROP, thick electric guitars, strong kick on every downbeat, snare crack, layered male chant harmonies] Brothers marked by battle wounds From busted dreams and bitter truths Living lives where we don’t bend [half beat pause] We won’t let...the old man... in [half beat pause] We own the mountain, rain or snow From where we’ve been to where we’ll go When life comes hard and walls cave in We load it up and head back in [Instrumental push into next verse] [Verse 2 – groove tightens, electric rhythm guitar more present] Rings were bought and babies came Work got heavy, days got claimed Little shoes at our front doors Chasin’ more than ever before Mortgage notes and midnight cries Friday lights and tired eyes Sunday faith and weekday grind Tryin’ hard to hold the line— [build intensity] Waiting rooms and courthouse steps All those nights we never slept Some dreams lived and some gave way— But—we kept showin’ up each day [Drum builds - short instrumental lift] [Instrumental push into pre-chorus] [Pre-Chorus – slightly bigger than first, stronger vocal grit] We’ve buried pride, we’ve swallowed words We’ve said the hard things when it hurt And when the whole world’s getting dim We just load up [half beat pause] and head back in— [Hard drum hit -- full band drops in] [Chorus – FULL BAND DROP, thick electric guitars, strong kick on every downbeat, snare crack, layered male chant harmonies] Brothers marked by battle wounds From busted dreams and bitter truths Living lives where we don’t bend [half beat pause] We won’t let...the old man...in [half beat pause] We own the mountain, rain or snow From where we’ve been to where we’ll go When life comes hard and walls cave in [half beat pause] We load it up— And head back in [Instrumental push into next verse] [Verse 3 – drums slightly pulled back, more space, reflective tone] Now the sun sits lower in the sky Gray in the beard but fire in our eyes— Some kids married, some still home Some take flight while others roam They’re standin’ where the road divides Chasin’ hope and testin’ pride— We hope they climb the way we did [half beat pause] AND NEVER ONCE DECIDE TO QUIT!— [Instrumental Break - …] We know how fast the daylight fades How easy pride and rage can sway So while there’s breath left in our chest We’ll stay close by and give our best [Instrumental Push – full band swell, tom build, electric guitar rise] [Hard stop – brief silence, drums drop out] [Bridge – tempo feels slightly slower, drums minimal, clean electric guitar, intimate vocal, dynamic drop] We’re blessed to have strong-hearted wives Who steady us through changing lives We hold them close when nights are long And fight for homes that will stay strong— [full beat pause] We know more change is on its way More hills to climb, more price to pay When strength runs thin and daylight ends— [half beat pause] We’ll still be standin’ here, my friend— [Pause — instrumental swell builds] [Hard drum hit -- full band drops in] [Final Chorus – biggest arrangement, doubled guitars, stacked male vocals, repeat last two lines with increasing intensity] Brothers marked by battle wounds From busted dreams and bitter truths Living lives where we don’t bend [half beat pause] We won’t let...the old man...in [Instrumental Break - …] We own the mountain, rain or snow From where we’ve been to where we’ll go When life comes hard and walls cave in We load it up and head back in [Repeat last line, louder second time] We load it up and head back in [Instrumental Outro – full band returns, driving riff, final power chord hit]