CROWN OF SALT AND BLOOD

Iron mouths tear open dawn, Oakwood howls as the guns grind on, Tar and brine in broken lungs, The sea has chosen, she chose no one. I stitched that flag with frozen hands, Now it hunts me like a wanted man, Gold don’t gleam, it grins and pales, Like rotted teeth in a sailor’s smile. Every wave deletes the law, Every deck becomes the floor, Mercy slips through splintered boards And sinks… And sinks… And sinks… WE CUT A CROWN FROM SALT AND BLOOD, CUT IT DEEP, CUT IT TRUE, THE SEA DON’T CARE WHAT MEN CALL GOOD, SHE KEEPS THE ONES WHO MAKE IT THROUGH. NO LIGHT ABOVE, NO LINE TO HOLD, JUST BREATH AND STEEL AND OCEAN, A captain begs without a voice, Jaw gone, still trying to make a choice, His map is soaked in arterial red, Routes rewritten by where he bled. I step on hands that grabbed my name, Same scars, different shade of shame, We wanted songs, we wanted fire We got the truth, and it cut deeper. Pre-Chorus Fame is just a longer scream (scream), Gold’s a weight that drags you down (down), Every legend starts the same (same), With bodies drifting, faceless, brown. WE CUT A CROWN FROM SALT AND BLOOD, CUT IT DEEP, CUT IT TRUE, THE SEA DON’T CARE WHAT MEN CALL GOOD, SHE KEEPS THE ONES WHO MAKE IT THROUGH. NO LIGHT ABOVE, NO LINE TO HOLD, JUST BREATH AND STEEL AND OCEAN, IF WE’RE REMEMBERED WHEN WE’RE GONE, LET IT TASTE OF IRON AND OCEAN. I know those eyes… I’ve worn that fear… He’s just me One moment later… The sea doesn’t judge. She counts. We weren’t cursed We stepped forward. IF THIS IS GLORY LET IT SCAR, WE PAID IN FLESH FOR WHAT WE ARE! FINAL CHORUS WE CUT A CROWN FROM SALT AND BLOOD, AND FELT IT HEAVIER THAN CHAINS, THE PRICE OF EVER BEING KNOWN IS HEARING WAVES SPEAK BACK YOUR NAME. SING FOR THE MEN WE LEFT BELOW, FOR TEETH AND BONE IN SHIFTING SAND, IF WE’RE REMEMBERED LET THEM SAY: WE TOOK THE SEA SHE TOOK THE MAN. OUTRO The guns went quiet… The gold stayed cold… Nothing shines When it’s already When it’s already sold.