[Verse 1] He walked in laughing Like the sky was safe Gold in his grin Spark in his face Not the strongest hand Not the strictest line But he calmed the room Every single time If fear got loud He'd make it small Turn a shaky breath Into a way back home [Pre-Chorus] They said, "Keep going" He said, "I know" They said, "We need you" He said, "Let's go" He learned too early What "useful" means A smiling lock On a thousand needs [Chorus] When the lights go out I choose where the power goes When the lights go out I choose where the power goes I was called reliable Called essential Still no one saw How tired I was [Verse 2] Shelter roofs went cold Signals died at dusk He lit the stairs For the people stuck He woke the dead lines He held the grid Said yes to the next one Then the next, he did Praise turned into pressure Pressure turned to need Need turned into hands Pulling at his sleeve And every "thank you" Carried a chain Every smile he gave Hid a little pain [Pre-Chorus] He tried to say it They heard a joke His hurt came out Through the same old smoke They'd learned his mask Too well, too long So when he cracked They sang it wrong [Chorus] When the lights go out I choose where the power goes When the lights go out I choose where the power goes I was called resilient Called a miracle Still no one saw How tired I was [Bridge] Aizawa turned to Null Hizashi into White Noise Hawks into Red Wing All of them let go If leaving is the truth Then let the truth show He broke the golden habit Of staying for the burn Not every door that closes Means you never earn [Final Chorus] When the lights go out I choose where the power goes When the lights go out I choose where the power goes No more smiling through it No more swallowing it whole If the world needs saving It can learn to hold a soul When the lights go out I choose where the power goes When the lights go out I choose where the power goes Blackout in the doorway With the storm in tow And when the lights go out I choose where the power goes
